Berry Slab Pie

Why You Should Make a Mixed Berry Slab Pie

• Easy to make, easy to serve. Unlike your traditional round pie, a slab pie is very easy to shape and make in a jellyroll pan. It has a perfect crust-to-filling ratio, and it cuts into bars, so it serves even more guests at a party.
• Fresh or frozen. Make the juicy berry filling with fresh or frozen berries. I love having frozen as an option during the holidays, when it’s past the local berry season.
• Homemade or semi. I still put a little festive effort into this pie with a gorgeous homemade lattice crust, which is optional. You can absolutely make a slab pie with a store-bought flaky pie crust in a pinch.

The Perfect Slab Pie Crust

First things first, we’ll prepare a super flaky, traditional homemade pie crust.  I’ve scaled up the dough recipe to account for the larger size of this pie. Since the dough needs to chill for at least 1 hour, I recommend preparing it in advance. You can also do this up to 3 days ahead, or prepare and freeze the pie dough for up to 2 months.

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full recipe and amounts. To make this slab pie crust:

1. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter (or a fork) to cut cold, cubed butter into flour and salt. I don’t recommend using your hands for this step, as warm hands tend to melt the butter. You want a crumbly, sandy texture with pockets of butter for a perfect, flaky crust.
2. Add vinegar and ice water. Work in a small amount of vinegar and about 1 cup of water. Vinegar encourages browning and makes pie dough extra flaky and tender. Work quickly to knead the dough and bring it together with your hands.
3. Chill the dough. Divide and shape your pie dough into two flat rectangles, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Place the dough into the fridge to chill.

Mixed Berry Filling Ingredients

While your dough chills in the fridge, you’ll have ample time to prepare the juicy berry pie filling. You’ll need the following:

• Fresh Berries – I use a combination of blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Blackberries and cherries would also work nicely. You can use a mix of berries or stick with one variety; it’s up to you.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar or light brown sugar, to macerate and break down the berries.
• Cornstarch – Used to thicken the pie filling. Flour will work, too, though you’ll need approximately twice the amount of flour and cornstarch.
• Lemon – Freshly zested and then juiced. If you don’t have fresh lemons, omit the zest and substitute bottled lemon juice in a pinch.

How to Assemble a Berry Slab Pie

The steps to make a slab pie are very simple: Mix the filling, fill the pie crust, and bake! You don’t need to worry about fluting the crust, since this sharing pie keeps it casual. Here’s how to make it:

• Prepare the berry filling. While the oven preheats to 350ºF, combine the berry filling ingredients in a bowl. Let the berries rest and macerate in the sugar and lemon juice while you prepare the crust.
• Roll out the pie dough. Take your dough out of the fridge. Roll it out into a large, 17×12” rectangle. Then, transfer the crust to a 15x10x1” sheet pan. Be sure to press the crust firmly into the bottom and corners of the pan. 

• Fill the crust. Next, spread your mixed berry filling evenly over the pie crust.
• Add a top crust. I topped my slab pie following the lattice crust directions from my classic apple pie recipe. If you don’t feel like weaving a lattice, go ahead and roll out the remaining dough into a 16×11” rectangle. Place the full crust over the pie, and crimp the edges together.
• Bake. Before baking, lightly brush the top crust with heavy cream. Bake your slab pie at 350ºF for 55-65 minutes, until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbly.

Cooling, Slicing, and Serving Slab Pie

Cool this berry slab pie fully before you slice it. The best thing about slab pies is that once they’re cut into squares, you can eat the bars with a fork or with your hands. It’s just one more reason to make them for your next get-together! Serve this mixed berry pie topped with ice cream or whipped cream for dessert, or alone as a delicious treat with coffee or tea.

Tips and Variations

• If you’re using store-bought pie dough, take into account that you’ll need more dough than your standard double pie crust. Pick up a second package!
• Use cold butter. You can even freeze and grate the butter to ensure it’s cold enough.
• To make it easier to transfer the rolled-out crust to the pan, you can roll the pie dough out on a sheet of parchment paper and then flip it over onto the baking pan. Press the dough into the pan, and peel off the paper.
• Add a streusel topping instead. For an even more fuss-free pie, replace the top crust with a streusel or crumble for a mixed berry crumble slab pie.
• Change the filling. You can adapt this slab pie recipe with any pie filling you’d like. Make an apple slab pie, or use my homemade cherry pie filling.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

• Store the pie at room temperature. Like a regular pie, keep this berry slab pie covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can refrigerate the pie for an extra day or two, but I recommend serving it at room temperature.
• Freeze leftovers. To freeze the baked slab pie, wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 1 month. When it’s time to serve, unwrap the pie and thaw it at room temperature. You can also freeze individual slices (they’re much easier to wrap and store than traditional pointy pie slices!).

More Pies, Crisps, and Cobbler Recipes

• Blackberry Cobbler
• Blueberry Cobbler
• Cherry Pie
• Skillet Apple Pie
• Berry Crisp