Blueberry Cheesecake Pie

Squeaking in oooonnnne more blueberry treat before the season is up!  Boo, don’t go, summer!

Mostly because it’s Michigan blueberry season in these parts and that’s like a national holiday, that’s uh, limited to uh, the Midwest?  Ok, so it’s a national holiday season for folks I’m related to.  

Hey, it’s summer, it’s hot, my brain is mushy.

But all right, this pie, yes a Blueberry Cheesecake Pie.  We have Mike to thank for this request but also my Dad because I like to make him blueberry things when Michigan berries breeze into town.  There is literally never enough blueberry for him.

And if you are a super monster raging blueberry fan, cannot get enough of those tart lil’ buggers, whoooo-eeee is this pie for you.

This particular recipe I’m sharing today takes the mash-up concept of pie and cheesecake a step into the holy cats and dogs stratosphere. 

Not sure how this came up but one evening Mike…oh I asked him if he wanted his annual peach pie and jaw to floor, he shockingly said no.  Whaaaaat?

“How about……um…. like a cheesecake…… with blueberries but as a um, like a pie?”

Huh.  Ok.  

“I bet your dad would love that.  But not like your usual cheesecake, I’m not real into those towering New York styles, like a thinner one.  Like a pie.”

He’s nuts, man, that New York style one I make is off the freakin’ hook but ok, it’s ok, whatever.  I still love him. 

“All righty babe, I’m on it.”

It didn’t take long to find the ultimate in blueberry cheesecake pie, here courtesy of The Merchant Baker. 

Whooie. 

Three pints of berries?!  Wowza!  Ok, it’s on, let’s do this!

The crust is easy, and kinda revolutionary in a sense:  graham crackers AND vanilla wafers.  What could be wrong there?  Smash them to crumbs, mix with butter and sugar (the latter of which I’m going to skip next time), bake, cool, done.

Surely you’ll get finer crumbs in a food processor, just didn’t wanna drag it out.  Regardless, keep this crust recipe if nothing else. It rocks.

Heh, it looked exactly the same baked and unbaked.  This is baked.  I think.

Ok!  Cheesecake pie time.  

Whip up the room temp cream cheese for a minute or two, until it’s nice and fluffy.

Whippy whippy.

Next, add the sour cream.  Or, I used plain yogurt as that sounded more appealing to me and well, I had it and not sour cream though if I had had sour cream, I personally would have chosen the yogurt.  Heh.  But use whichever you prefer!  Add the sugar and cornstarch too, beat that around until fluffier. 

Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and zest, stir that around then add one egg, mix that in thoroughly on low then add the other egg.

About to add the eggs here.

After everything is nicely combined, pour the cheesecake batter into the pre-baked crust and bake.  Try to contain your excitement.

Ready for the oven!

Now.  I know.  If you’ve ever made a cheesecake before, you know it’s difficult to tell when it’s done.  This one was tricky too and I may have gone a hair too long but it was still exceptional.  

The edges on this one will be puffy, look somewhat dry and a bit set, and the middle jigglier than a typical cheesecake.  None of it will look ready but try to avoid the longer baking time.

I’m not sure I understand the purpose of the direction to turn off the oven, open the door wide, and let the cheesecake sit in there for an hour but I followed it.  Weird.

Difficult shot to get for you, sorry it sucks.

Anyway, let it next cool on the counter until room temp then chill that bad boy in the fridge, preferably overnight.  Six hours is a bare bare minimum but it’s better overnight.

Tada!   I imagine you could, wow, use this as a base for, goodness, many a topping idea or serve as is with maybe some whipped cream.  Endless possibilities here!

Make the blueberry pie filling next which is as simple as heating up the first few ingredients, adding most of the blueberries and bringing that to a gentle boil.

A mere coupla’ ingredients and you’re in blueberry splendor.

Once that mix has gotten to your desired thickness, pull it off the stove and add the remaining goodies.  Cool to room temp then chill in the fridge if you’re not using it right away.

It does look a bit cloudy and swimmy; this is before the rest of the blueberries.

When you’re ready, and ooooh boy, you better be ready, pile on all, yes all of the pie filling, slice and serve.  This is, after all, a Blueberry Cheesecake Pie ya know.

It is gonna seem a TON of blueberries but just do it.  Do it.

After a gushing email from my mom who’s not a blueberry fan but she ate a piece anyway because it was soooooo delicious she said, and an email from my dad saying how much he enjoyed it, followed by an email from my mom saying it’s a sad sad day at their place, the pie is gone?  Bam, decision rendered:  winner!  “That’s the best crust ever,” my mom raved.

Seriously.

The final test was Mike the Requester.  

“Whaddya think there, babe?”

All I got was a look and he turned back to eating.  I asked again.  Got another look but with the addition of a s’up type nod.  Like I’ve said before, he’s not effuse with the comments.  

“Is it….”  Interrupting, he blurted, “very good,” combined with half a coveting-it side glance, don’t come near me or I’ll stab you with my fork.  Nicely.

Not satisfied on what, how…where this pie fits into my canon, I exasperatedly queried a very specific question, “babe, where does this pie belong in the grand scheme of All Things I’ve Ever Baked?”

“Top five for sure.  Easily top five.”  Oh.  Oh!  Ok then.  What else is in that top 5, babe?  “Uhh….I’m drawing a blank but it’s definitely top five.  Definitely.”

There we have it, solid gold.  Or blue.  Blueberry Cheesecake Pie, who woulda thought?!

Go forth and inundate yourself with blueberries!

Note:  This content originally appeared on Flaky Bakers.