Step 1

Make the pie dough. If you have never made pie dough, read through my Flaky Pie Crust post. Lots of helpful photos for beginners!*

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup cornmeal, 1 and 3/4 cup flour (spooned and leveled), 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

Step 3

Use a knife to slice 6 ounces (this is 3/4 cup, or 1 and 1/2 sticks) of COLD butter into pats. Chop 4 ounces (half a package) of COLD cream cheese into chunks. Add the cold butter and the cream cheese to the bowl with the flour.**

Step 4

Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour, pressing down firmly with the pastry cutter. There should be pea-sized bits of butter /cream cheese. Various sizes of fat is what you are looking for. See photos on my pie crust post.

Step 5

Beat an egg in a small bowl. Pour half of it into another small bowl, leaving about 2 tablespoons. (Save the other half of the beaten egg for brushing the finished pie, if you want.)

Step 6

Add 1/4 cup ice water to 2 tablespoons beaten egg. Mix it together.Add the egg mixture to the bowl with the flour. Use a rubber spatula to mix it together, hydrating the flour as much as you can.

Step 7

Cover your hands with flour and use your hands to knead the dough, still in the bowl. Press the dough together and keep gathering up the dry bits to incorporate it into the mass. If the dough is not coming together, add ice water sparingly, 1 teaspoon at a time to moisten it. Stop kneading the moment that it has come together and is able to be shaped into a ball. Over-working your dough results in a tough pie crust.

Step 8

Split your ball of dough in half and shape each into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours).

Step 9

Make the filling while the pie dough chills. In a large bowl, add 2 pounds (about 6 cups) fresh blueberries** (See notes for frozen blueberry instructions).

Step 10

Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest (use 2 lemons!) and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Add 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 3 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Let this mixture sit to macerate (create its own liquid) for at least 15 minutes, or longer is fine.

Step 11

Roll out the pie crust. On a well-floured work surface or pastry cloth, roll out one disc of the pie dough, keeping the other one chilled. Place the rolled out pie crust into a 9 inch pie pan, letting the edges hang over the sides. Place the whole pie pan into the fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes. (You have to chill at this step, otherwise you risk tearing your crust when you add the cream cheese).

Step 12

Place 8 ounces of very SOFT cream cheese into a bowl or stand mixer. Beat well until completely smooth; there should be no chunks. Scrape the edges and sides and make sure that it is very smooth and spreadable!

Step 13

Use an offset spatula to spread the very soft cream cheese directly onto the bottom of the pie crust. You can go up the sides a little bit too.

Step 14

Pour the blueberry mixture into the cream cheese bottomed pie crust.

Step 15

Roll out the second pie crust. Make it into a lattice crust if you like, here is my Lattice Pie Crust tutorial. Or you can place the pie crust on top as one whole piece. (If you do this, be sure to use a sharp knife to make a few cuts into the top pie crust. This vents the pie and allows steam to escape.)

Step 16

Fold the excess pie dough underneath on the edges, and crimp as desired.

Step 17

Place the entire pie in the freezer for 20 minutes, or the fridge for 30 minutes if you don't have freezer space. Chilling makes your crust SUPER flaky.

Step 18

Place a baking sheet in the center rack of your oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Let it heat up for at least 20-25 minutes to make sure it’s really hot.

Step 19

Right before putting it in the oven, brush the crust of your pie all over with about a tablespoon of milk. Sometimes I like to use 1 tablespoon milk beat together with 1 tablespoon beaten egg that I have leftover from making the crust.*** You can just use milk if you don't have beaten egg lying around. Milk will help your pie crust brown but will stay matte; egg will add gloss and shine to your pie crust.

Step 20

Sprinkle the whole pie with 1 tablespoon raw sugar, or regular sugar is fine too.

Step 21

Place the chilled pie onto the baking sheet**** in the oven and let bake for 15 minutes. The crust on the edge should be turning light brown.

Step 22

Meanwhile, get a square of tin foil that is the same size as your pie. Fold it in half, then in half again. Cut out the center. Open it up again. You should have a square of foil with a circle cut out of the center. See pie crust post for photos.

Step 23

Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Remove the pie from the oven and place the foil on top. Loosely crimp it around the crust on the edge, making sure it's all covered but the center of the pie crust is exposed. This will protect the edges from burning.

Step 24

Don’t forget to lower the oven temperature to Place the pie back on the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 350 for 50-60 more minutes. You will know the pie is done when the edges are brown and the center of the crust is light golden brown.

Step 25

Let the pie cool on a wire rack for about 4 hours. I know, this is killer. But if you cut into it now, the juices will be lava hot and way too liquid-y. You have to wait for it to cool to room temperature to get the right texture for the filling. Pie! A lesson in patience indeed.

Step 26

Once the pie is completely cool, slice and serve! A word to the wise: Blueberry Pie is nothing, NOTHING, without a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Or at least some whipped cream. Treat yoself right.

Step 27

Store the pie on the counter for up to 2 days, covered with plastic wrap. After that transfer it to the fridge.