huckleberry pie
This is a huckleberry pie that doesn’t need a lot of extras. Buttery press in crust, a vanilla sour cream filling that bakes creamy, and enough huckleberries to make it taste bright and wild instead of just sweet. Simple, rich, and very hard to stop eating.
Are huckleberries healthy?
Huckleberries are genuinely healthy and they have been valued for way longer than modern “superfood” culture. They’re naturally low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with deep purple anthocyanins (plant compounds linked to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits). They also bring vitamin C and manganese, which support immune function and metabolism. Historically wild huckleberries were an important seasonal food for many Indigenous communities across the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains, often eaten fresh, fried for winter, or mixed with other foods for storage - basically an early form of meal prep before refrigeration existed. So yes, they taste like candy but they have always been more than a treat.
How to make a huckleberry pie?
Let’s take this back to the pie! Preheat oven to 425f. Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate medium size bowl, whisk butter and 3 tbsp sugar until light and fluffy. Then whisk in 1 egg until fully combined. Pour half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and knead by hand. Then add rest of the flour mixture and keep kneading until smooth. Then put the pastry dough in a pie dish and press it against bottom and sides until everything is evenly covered. In a small bowl whisk together sour cream, 1 egg, 3 tbsp sugar, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Fill the pie dish with 2 cups of huckleberries, then pour the sour cream mixture on top and wiggle the dish until it has evenly spread. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of huckleberries on top and bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Let the pie cool for an hour before serving and garnish with chamomile flowers!
Tips
Make sure the dough is uniformly pressed against the pie dish to ensure an even bake.
Cut and smooth the top edges of the dough with your fingertips before filling the pie for a nice presentation.
After pouring the sour cream mixture over the berries wiggle the pie dish until the filling has evenly spread and there is no empty parts.