Blueberry Cardamom Cream Pie
Blueberry Cardamom Cream Pie. Just writing it makes my mouth water. Seriously. Now, I love the combination of berries and cream. That’s an easy win for me. But with this pie, I added an extra layer of deliciousness with the crunchy gluten free graham crust. It would be good on its own, but topped with sweetened cream cheese, lightly spiced blueberry filling and airy whipped cream… it is out of this world good. Each layer balances and enhances the others. It is gluten free of course and can easily be made dairy free and vegan, subs are in the recipe:-)
The Crust
I use Kinnikinnick brand graham style crumbs to make this crust. They make graham style crackers and crumbs, but I like to buy the crumbs to save a step. The crackers work perfectly fine in this recipe once processed into crumbs. One package of graham crackers will give you the 2 cups of crumbs that you will need for the crust. I like the flavor and crunch of this brand a lot. We use the crackers for s’mores and our wheat eating friends like them better than their normal graham crackers. Yay!!! Back to the crust- I have an update (April 2020)! I have tested this crust with several types of berry pies and have found that it does not need to be baked! Whoop! One less step. Refrigeration will keep it firm enough to hold together once cut and it is more tender than when baked. Does that look like an amazing crust or what??? And it is super easy to make! Whoop! Whoop!
The Blueberry Filling
The blueberry filling is very easy to make and comes together pretty quickly. The one thing to keep in mind is that you need to add all of the ingredients at the same time before heating it up. If you happen to add the cornstarch after the mixture has heated up, the cornstarch won’t dissolve completely. You will end up with little white lumps and it may not set properly once chilled. If you do realize that you forgot to add the cornstarch and it has started to warm up, add a small amount of water to the cornstarch until it dissolves and becomes pourable, then add it into the blueberries while stirring. Cross your fingers that it incorporates and you have saved the day! Or saved the filling anyhow… hee hee, but it will probably feel like you saved the day;-)
When all of the ingredients are added at the same time and mixed together, the liquid will have a white-ish look to it. Once it bubbles and thickens, it will become dark blue/purple and clear. It will also coat the spoon. That is when you know it is done, and seriously delicious!
While the filling is cooking, the cardamom will be quite fragrant. The flavor is very mild though. So don’t worry that you put in too much or made a mistake, that is normal, it is a fragrant spice. I would suggest tasting the filling and if you would like more cardamom flavor, feel free to add a little more. That won’t hurt the filling by adding it after it has been heated.
Another yummy berry pie to check out is my Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Cherry Pie. You can use this crust with it too, if you prefer a graham crust. Also check out my Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake and Vegan Pumpkin Pudding Pie made with homemade crusts. I use a store bought crust with this Ginger Apple Pie along with a crumb topping. It is a super yummy twist on an apple pie if you are looking for something a little different.
Blueberry Cardamom Cream Pie
Click Stars to Rate Recipe:Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cup Gluten Free graham cracker crumbs (I use Kinnikinnick brand)
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tsp cardamom
- ½ cup melted butter or coconut oil for vegan
For the Filling:
- 1 8 oz container cream cheese or vegan cream cheese, softened (I use Tofutti brand Better Than Cream Cheese)
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from approximately 4 lemons)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp cardamom
For the Topping: for Vegan sub Truwhip Vegan or So Delicious Coco Whip
- 1 ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the crust:
- Combine dry ingredients for the crust in a small bowl. You may not need all of the butter! Gradually add melted butter (or dairy free alternative) to the mixture until it will hold when pressed to the side of the bowl and looks like damp sand.
- Pour the crust mixture into your deep dish pie plate and press evenly into the bottom and sides of the dish. Refrigerate until ready to fill.
For the Blueberry Cardamom & Cream Cheese Fillings:
- In a large pot, all at once, combine the blueberries, lemon juice, cardamom, sugar and cornstarch. Turn your burner to a medium high heat and cook until the blueberry mixture is bubbling and has thickened. The sauce will turn from white-ish light purple to clear purple and coat the back of the spoon when it is ready. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (don’t put in the fridge or it may set and won’t pour into the crust properly).
- Using a hand mixer, combine the softened cream cheese (or dairy free alternative) and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Spread into the crust on the bottom in an even layer with a spoon or spatula. Put this in the fridge while the blueberry mixture continues to cool.
- Once the blueberry mix has cooled to room temperature, pour it on top of the cream cheese layer in the crust and put in the fridge to chill. You can loosely cover it or leave it uncovered while it cools. Once the blueberries have chilled and set (this will take about 2-3 hours), you can top with whipped cream, Truwhip Vegan or So Delicious Coco Whip and garnish with blueberries if you wish.
For the Whipped Cream Topping:
- In a small bowl, using a hand mixer combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip on a high speed until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to top the pie.
