It’s not at all a blackberry pie, but since most people can’t get Marionberries I wanted to be sure you knew that this could be a blackberry pie recipe. But it’s really the ultimate marionberry pie!

a slice of marionberry pie on a white place with two forks

If you know me at all, like even for 5 minutes you know that I am obsessed with two things, no three things in the food world. 

  1. Marionberry Pie
  2. Margarita Pizza
  3. Hot French Fries

There’s plenty of other loves too, tacos, squishy rolls, and so on, but man, those three are really, really hard for me to turn down. 

I was walking through the grocery store last year and spotted them, Marionberries!!! I knew that this was no coincidence. I had to buy them all and make the ultimate marionberry pie. 

a lattice topped blackberry marionberry pie

And I did. 

I am not very tall, a mere 5’3 and the berries were high on a shelf. But I’m not scared. 

I carefully placed my right toes on the shelf, gently nudging back the produce to fit. 

One hand grabbed a shelf higher up and, hhhuuuuggghh, I hauled myself up and started pulling every container into my cart. 

Every.

Single

One. 

And I don’t feel bad. 

What are Marionberries?

Are marionberry and huckleberry the same thing? No, a huckleberry is more like a blueberry.

Marionberries are a cross between two breeds of blackberry and taste like a blackberry mixed with a raspberry. You get the sweetness of the raspberry with the extra flavor of the blackberry. 

It’s pretty much the most perfect berry in all the land. 

Like, seriously.

a lattice topped blackberry marionberry pie

 

Where to Buy Marionberries?

Marionberries are mostly found in Oregon, specifically around Salem, but you can find them in parts of Washington as well. 

When is marionberry season in oregon?

Marionberry season is between July and August in Oregon which is one of the best times to visit. You can head out to the coast and stop at any roadside stand to buy marionberries.

a slice of marionberry pie being lifted out of the pie dish

 

What to Substitute for Marionberries

If you can’t find marionberries in your produce department you probably live outside of the Pacific Northwest, the place I grew up. 

But don’t fear, blackberries are a great substitute for Marionberies. 

Or if you aren’t a blackberry fan, this Razzleberry is a really great option as the berries all together almost taste like a marionberry. .

Can you Use Frozen Berries in Marionberry Pie

Check the freezer section, sometimes there’s frozen marionberries or blackberry marionberries as some brands call them. 

You can use an equal amount of frozen berries. There’s nothing to change and you don’t need to do any defrosting. 

Blind or Unbaked Pie Crust

In the past, I have never blind baked a crust for a fruit pie, but I have started to recently and I am loving the results. Follow the instructions in our lemon meringue pie post for blind baking the bottom crust. Par bake the bottom crust, dock, bake with weights, remove the weights and bake a few more minutes. Then add the egg wash and bake a few more minutes to seal the crust. Let it cool before proceeding with the rest of the instructions for this pie. a slice of marionberry pie on a white place with two forks

 

How to Make Marionberry Pie Filling

Making marionberry pie filling is one of the easiest pie recipes you’ll ever make. 

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, add the berries and sprinkle in the remaining ingredients. 
  2. Very gently fold the berries together just until they are coated and it begins to cook. 
  3. Remove from heat and set aside.

Why is my Berry Pie Runny?

Your berry pie filling is runny because the liquids never set up. This can happen for a few reasons:

  • Too Much Liquid from the Fruit 
  • Over-Ripe Berries Seeped too Much Excess Liquid In Baking
  • Not Enough Thickener
  • Not Long Enough in the Heat to Thicken
  • Too Little Time Cooling to Set Up
  • Wrong Kind of Thickener

How to Keep Your Fruit Pies from Being Runny

The trick to keep your fruit pies from being runny is using a good thickener. 

All of these can act as a thickener in a fruit pie, but we actually only like one of them, Cornaby’s.

There’s no taste, no texture, just perfectly dreamy fruit pie filling.

a slice of marionberry pie on a white place with two forks

How Much Flour to Use

If you cannot get Cornaby’s we suggest flour. You’ll use 1/3-1/2 cup depending on how juicy the berries are. Most pies seem to take 1/2 cup. 

 

Marioberries are what dreams are made of! Put them in a marionberry pie and holy sweet mercy, take me now! Resistance is futile, and I might eat the whole pie!

More EASY PIE RECIPES:

Marionberry Pie

3.52 from 41 votes
Servings: 18
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Description

I've searched long and hard for the perfect marionberry pie recipe and now I've found it. Marionberry pie (also a blackberry pie )is perfectly thickened so it won't run all over the pan.

Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Prepare the pie crust and shape half of the dough into a pie plate. Slice the other half into strips and cover both with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Blind bake the bottom crust (see note).
  • Add the fruit, sugar and pectin into a saucepan and gently, using a rubber spatula, fold the berries in. Start with only 1/2 cup sugar, but if your berries are extra tart you should add more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn the heat to medium low and cook until the berries are releasing their juices and beginning to thicken. Only stir occasionally as you don't want to break up the fruit and turn it into jam.
  • Add the hot fruit mixture directly into the pie crust. Place strips across the pie and then lift up one end of every other strip and lay a new strip across the other way. Now, repeat but with the other strips that were not originally lifted up. Continue until you're halfway across the pie then turn the pie around and repeat from the other side to make a lattice across the entire pie.
  • Whisk together the egg and water and then brush the top of the pie and immediately sprinkle with sugar.
  • Bake the pie for 25 minutes then drape with a piece of tin foil and continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and cool entirely on the counter. We prefer to let our pie rest over night as the filling will set up and not run. Refrigeration can make the filling sink and pull away from the crust.

Notes

We don't suggest anything other than the Ultra Gel but if you need to use flour try 1/3-1/2 cup. If your berries are extra juicy you could use up to 3/4-1 cup of flour.
You can blind bake the bottom crust if you have the time. It really helps to keep the bottom crust from getting soggy. See our lemon meringue pie post for instructions.
This pie can be kept at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 114kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 52mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10g
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: 500+ Best Dessert Recipes

a slice of marionberry pie on a white place with two forks