Highlight the fresh fruit of the season with one of these easy summer pie recipes.
As the summer months roll along make a delicious fruit pie as a way to celebrate and share the season – they’re easy and always tasty.
There’s no need for a ton of fuss or secret ingredients here, let your favorite fruit shine in layers of delicious pastry.
The Crust
A pie obviously needs a crust. And it is often the crust that can make or break a pie.
That doesn’t need to be intimidating however.
The thing with pie crust, like most things including baking techniques, is that practice makes perfect. And well at least with pie crust you get to eat the practice.
Every family, it seems, has their own perfect pie crust recipe. Go with that for tradition sake or if you don’t like it experiment and find one you like better.
In a pinch, you can buy pie dough at the grocery store, either frozen or refrigerated. In my experience, they are not as good as homemade crust nor do they save that much time but it is an option.
A pie crust made with lard is super traditional and definitely the way grandma made them.
I’ve made them with lard, myself, but honestly prefer an all butter pie crust.
One can make a sourdough pie crust, of course.
These days pie crusts can easily be made gluten-free.
Vegan options made with shortening also abound.
Many fruit pies require a double crust, but if you’re making a lattice top you’ll have leftovers. Freeze that leftover pie crust in a bag and toss extras in there each and every time you have a pie. When there’s enough thaw in the refrigerator and make another pie.
Baking in Summer
Turning the oven on to do some baking on a hot day is the last thing many of us want to do. The idea of making the house even hotter never feels wise or good even if we get pie in the end.
Choose to bake pies in the cooler evenings rather than midday. Choose cloudy or rainy days to turn on the oven. Work with mother nature and the temperatures not against.
The great thing about this collection of easy summer pies is that it allows you to try different recipes based on the abundance of fruits throughout the summer season.
How to Serve
A slice of pie is a complete dessert. One can never go wrong by simply serving it that way alongside some kind of tasty drink hot or cold.
For parties or potlucks, an assortment of different fruit pies can be lovely.
A scoop of ice cream is always welcome on a hot summer day and even more so when it’s on a slice of homemade pie.
Whipped cream – especially if freshly made – always makes pie feel like a decadent dessert.
Pie for breakfast with a cup of coffee is a great option.
Summer Pie Recipes
Choose local fruits whenever possible for the freshest and most flavorful pies. Definitely pick your own either through foraging or you-pick farms when you can. Buy from the farmer's market or from community members when picking your own isn't an option.
Berry Pies
Those juicy and sweet summer berries make for amazing pies. Pick your favorites and choose a below from the list. In most cases, one berry can easily be substituted for another so use your favorite.
Mixed Berry Pie
There's always something special about mixed berries and even more so when it's sandwiched between a delicious pie pastry and made from homegrown, locally grown, or foraged choices.
Raspberry Custard Pie
Make this creamy and delicious pie to feature sweet summer raspberries! it's the perfect mix of creamy, sweet, and tart!
Blueberry Pie
This blueberry pie recipe is the perfect dessert for any occasion! Super flaky, golden brown, and dripping with both the tartness and sweetness of the blueberry pie filling, this dessert will have the whole family begging for seconds!
Saskatoon Berry Pie
This Saskatoon berry pie filling and sauce is cooked ahead, on the stove top, allowing time for the berries to soften and the flavors to merge, giving your pie a richer, thicker and tastier filling! The hint of almond extract also lends a delicious depth of flavor that's unlike any other Saskatoon berry pie out there!
Blackberry Pie
Choose your favorite top crust with this blackberry pie recipe - make it lattice or with a crumble topping. Both pair delightfully with all the fresh seasonal blackberries, so you can't go wrong!
Blueberry Panna Cotta Tart
With it’s layers of blueberry filling and creamy panna cotta, this tart is a elegant, refreshing choice for summer desserts.
Red, White, and Blue Berry Fruit Tart
This grain free red, white and blueberry tart has a light lemony filling and is a perfectly patriotic pie for the summer!
Blackberry and Blueberry Galette Recipe
This Rustic Blackberry and Blueberry Galette Recipe is made with fresh blackberries, juicy plump blueberries, and hints of fresh rosemary all baked in a golden buttery crust. Dust with powdered sugar and serve your own Blueberry Galette with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
Serviceberry Galette
This Juneberry recipe is a pie without all the fuss. An almond crust keeps this one gluten-free.
Frozen Blueberry Cream Pie
With its fresh blueberries beautifully swirled into a creamy base, Frozen Blueberry Cream Pie may just be the perfect summer dessert.
Cherry Pies
Sweet and sour cherries both have a place in our summer fruit pie routine. Try both types or even mix them together for a sweet and tart pie that is sure to please.
Cherry Crumb Pie
This cherry crumb pie is the best way to use in-season sweet cherries. The buttery brown sugar crumb topping complements the rich cherry flavor perfectly!
Cherry Almond Pie
Skip the canned filling and make this cherry almond pie entirely from scratch. Fresh summer cherries, a star-spangled crust, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream make this the ultimate summer pie!
Summer Fruit Pie
This luscious summer fruit pie is packed with plums, peaches, cherries and topped with a crunchy spicy crumb topping that tastes like glorious summertime.
Sour Cherry Pie
A straight-forward tart cherry pie seems to be an old-fashioned recipe these days but the flavor is amazing and this pie is worth baking and sharing this summer season.
Sour Cherry Hand Pies
Take your pie on the go with these sour cherry hand pies - all the flavor of an old-fashioned pie in a portable package.
Peach and Nectarine Pies
Sweet and juicy fresh peaches are bits of summer gold and pies made from them often feel old-fashioned and comforting like no other pie. And don't forget nectarines are just fuzzless peaches and make for great pie, too!
Brown Butter Peach Tart with Crumb Topping
Juicy peaches combine with spices and a brown butter crumb topping combine to make this truly decadent tart!
Peach Pie
This made-from-scratch peach pie features a taste of summer with every slice. Make your own crust or take a shortcut and buy one from the grocery store. Either way this homemade pie is the best of the summer season!
No-Bake Fresh Peach Pie
No Bake Peach Pie is made with fresh peaches nestled in a graham cracker crust for an easy recipe that is juicy and refreshing!
Custard Peach Pie
This custard peach pie is a staple of summer dessert menus, and once you make it once, you'll understand why. The crumb topping along with peaches and custard are fabulous combination.
Caramelized Peach Custard Tarte Tatin
Caramelized Peach Custard Tarte Tatin is a combination of sticky caramel, sweet peaches, and delicious pastry cream. All on a crisp buttery pastry base, for a wonderful twist to heavenly French tarte tatins.
Nectarine Pie
This fresh nectarine pie has a tender, flaky crust filled with sweet nectarines and topped with a delicious almond crumb topping. Serve with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream for the perfect summer dessert!
Peach Hand Pie
This Peach Hand Pie Recipe features a golden, flaky, all-butter crust with a sweet spiced peach filling. It’s everything you love about pie, but in a perfectly portioned portable treat!
Apricot Pies
Apricots are similar to peaches and nectarines but have a flavor all their own and deserving of their very own pie recipes.
Apricot Crostata
Apricot Crostata is a delicious and easy free-form pie perfect for summer gatherings!
Fresh Apricot Pie
This simple recipe is the perfect way to let the flavor of fresh apricots shine in a wonderful dessert.