Huckleberry Cherry Flag Pie (All‑Butter Crust Patriotic Dessert)

When Two Mountain Berries Salute Old Glory 🇺🇸

If summer had an official aroma where I grew up in Idaho, it would be huckleberries simmering with sugar on the stove. Add fresh cherry juice and you’ve got the filling that anchors this Huckleberry Cherry Flag Pie—a patriotic twist on the classic berry‑flag theme. I bake it every Fourth of July in honor of my Grandpa Earl, who foraged huckleberries by the coffee can and insisted that “butter makes a crust stand at attention.”

This pie delivers bold purple‑blue huckleberries for the star field and ruby‑red cherries for the stripes, all tucked inside an all‑butter crust that flakes like nobody’s business. Butter crust skeptics: I’ll show you how to keep edges from slumping and how to blind‑bake without burning your stars. And if huckleberries are scarce in your neck of the woods, I’ve included swap tips (spoiler: frozen huckleberries ship nationwide these days!).

Fire‑pit debate: Which berry reigns supreme—huckleberry or blueberry? Cast your vote in the comments!

Why You’ll Love This Pie

Pacific Northwest flavor: Huckleberries add wild, wine‑like depth.
Dueling fruits keep sweetness balanced—tart meets juicy.
All‑butter crust = extra flaky with golden sheen.
Showstopper décor—stars & stripes you can achieve with basic cutters.

Ingredient Breakdown & Substitutions

Component	Ingredients	Swap Ideas
All‑Butter Crust (double)	2½ cups AP flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp sugar, 2 sticks cold butter, 6–8 Tbsp ice water	Use half butter, half shortening for easier handling.
Huckleberry Filling	2 cups frozen (or fresh) huckleberries, ¼ cup sugar, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1½ Tbsp cornstarch	Wild blueberries or Saskatoon berries if hucks unavailable.
Cherry Filling	3 cups pitted fresh cherries, ½ cup sugar, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp cornstarch	Frozen cherries (do not thaw) or drained canned tart cherries.
Egg Wash	1 egg + 1 Tbsp cream	Milk wash for egg‑free.
Sparkle Sugar	2 Tbsp turbinado	Omit or use sanding sugar.

Quick math: Each filling uses 1 Tbsp cornstarch per cup of juicy fruit for sliceable consistency.

Equipment Checklist

9‑inch glass pie plate
Food processor (for crust) or pastry blender
Star cookie cutters (1‑inch & ½‑inch)
Pizza wheel or fluted pastry cutter
Pie weights & parchment
Cooling rack

Detailed Instructions

1 | Make All‑Butter Crust

Pulse flour, salt, sugar in food processor. Add diced butter; pulse until pea‑sized. Drizzle ice water while pulsing just until dough clumps. Divide, flatten discs, chill 1 hr.

2 | Blind Bake Bottom

Roll one disc to 12 inch round, fit into pie plate, trim. Dock with fork. Freeze 15 min. Line with parchment and weights; bake 400 °F 12 min, remove weights, bake 5 min until sandy‑dry.

3 | Cook Dual Fillings

Huckleberry: Combine berries, sugar, lemon in saucepan over med heat 4 min. Stir cornstarch slurry (with 2 Tbsp water); simmer 1 min. Cool.
Cherry: Repeat with cherry ingredients, simmering 6 min.

4 | Assemble Flag

Spoon huckleberry filling into upper‑left quadrant. Add cherry filling to remaining area. Roll second crust to ⅛‑inch. Cut 5–6 wavy ¾‑inch stripes and 6–7 stars. Arrange on pie. Egg‑wash pastry; sprinkle coarse sugar.

5 | Bake & Cool

Bake on lower rack 25 min at 400 °F. Reduce to 375 °F, rotate pie, bake 25–30 min until crust deep gold and fillings bubble thick. Tent edges if needed. Cool 3 hrs before slicing.

Serving & Pairings

Top with huckleberry ice cream (if you can find it) or vanilla bean.
Sip alongside a sparkling rosé or lemonade.
Pair leftover slices with morning coffee—no judgement!

Make‑Ahead Tips

Crust discs: freeze 3 months.
Fillings: cook & refrigerate separately up to 48 hr.
Whole baked pie: freeze (wrapped) 1 month; reheat 300 °F 20 min.

Nutritional Snapshot (1/8 slice)

FAQ (Schema‑Ready)

Q – Can I use canned pie filling?
Yes, but homemade tastes brighter; if using canned, reduce sugar by 2 Tbsp.

Q – Do frozen huckleberries need thawing?
No—cook from frozen and increase simmer 1 minute.

Q – How to prevent shrinking crust edges?
Freeze shell before blind bake; use metal pie weights to anchor.