Gooseberry pie is a simple way to enjoy fresh summer gooseberries in season!

Gooseberry pie is an old-fashioned treat, and a delicious way to enjoy this tart, pectin-rich fruit.

We grow gooseberries at home, and we’re generally buried in fruit during their short season each July.  I’m always looking for new gooseberry recipes, and there are always new ones to try.

They were cultivated in Britain since at least the 13th century, and they came to the US early on with some of the first settlers.  There are really old recipes out there…but this one is most commonly associated with the pioneers, at least in the US. 

Since gooseberries are naturally tart, they do well when sweetened inside a pie.  Since they’re also naturally full of pectin, gooseberry pie thickens nicely as well.

Preparing Gooseberries for Pie

The first step to making gooseberry pie is preparing the gooseberries.  The fruit has what’s known as “tops and tails” which are just the stem ends, and blossom ends on each fruit.

Use a paring knife, or your fingernails, to gently pinch off the top and tail from each gooseberry.

You’ll be left with a bowl of clean fruit ready to make into gooseberry pie.

Making Gooseberry Pie

Once your gooseberries are prepared, it’s time to mix them with sugar and a thickener for the gooseberry pie filling.

It’s going to go into the pie crust raw, so no need to cook anything, at least not at this point.

Mix the following ingredients:

• 6 cups gooseberries, washed, tops and tails removed (about 800-900 grams, or 1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp tapioca powder (or white flour)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Basic Pie Crust

Once your gooseberries are prepared, the next step is making a pie crust.

You can use any crust you’d like, but I generally use a basic all-butter pie crust recipe.  My simple recipe for a double pie crust includes:

• 1 cup butter, very cold
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• big pinch sugar
• small pinch salt
• 1/2 cup ice water (+/- 1 or 2 tablespoons)

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt.  Dice the butter up very finely, or grate it while frozen.  Cut the butter into the flour, until it looks like sand.

Add ice water slowly, and stir until it’s just incorporated.  Bring the dough together into one disk, and then cut it in half to make two.

Roll each out into a large disk that’s about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick to make your two pie rounds.

Place one on the bottom of your pie pan and then fill with the gooseberry pie filling mix.  Place 1 to 2 tbsp butter on top of the filling, and then top with the other half of the pie crust.

Crimp edges and prepare to bake.  (For a prettier pie, brush with milk or egg white, and then sprinkle sugar on the top before baking.)

Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C).  Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375 (190 C) and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is bubbling hot and the top is golden brown.

Cool the pie completely before serving so the fruit can set up.

Gooseberry Recipes

Looking for more ways to use gooseberries?

• Gooseberry Jam
• Canning Gooseberries

This gooseberry pie recipe is adapted from The Art of Pie by Kate McDermott.

Yield: Makes one 9'' pie

Gooseberry Pie

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Old fashioned gooseberry pie is the perfect way to use these beautiful tart fruits.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Gooseberry Pie Filling

• 6 cups gooseberries, washed, tops and tails removed (about 800-900 grams, or 1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• 3 Tbsp (35g) Tapioca powder (or white flour)
• 1/4 tsp (2g) salt
• 1 to 2 Tbsp Butter

Basic All Butter Pie Crust

• 1 cup butter, very cold
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• big pinch sugar
• small pinch salt
• 1/2 cup ice water (+/- 1 or 2 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Wash the gooseberries and remove tops and tails.
2. Make the pie filling by mixing the prepared gooseberries, sugar, salt and tapioca flour (or regular flour). Don't add the butter yet. Set aside.
3. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt.  Dice the butter up very finely, or grate it while frozen.  Cut the butter into the flour, until it looks like sand.
4. Add ice water slowly, and stir until it's just incorporated.  Bring the dough together into one disk, and then cut it in half to make two.
5. Roll each out into a large disk that's about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick to make your two pie rounds.
6. Place one on the bottom of your pie pan and then fill with the gooseberry pie filling mix.  Place 1 to 2 tbsp butter on top of the filling, and then top with the other half of the pie crust.
7. Crimp edges and prepare to bake.  (For a prettier pie, brush with milk or egg white, and then sprinkle sugar on the top before baking.)
8. Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C).  Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375 (190 C) and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is bubbling hot and the top is golden brown.
9. Cool the pie completely before serving so the fruit can set up.

Pie Recipes

Why stop at gooseberries?  These easy old-fashioned pies will keep your table set with delicious desserts!

• Pumpkin Pie without Evaporated Milk
• Amish Rhubarb Custard Pie
• Elderberry Pie