When we first made this berry slab pie recipe in 2012, we didn’t realize how popular this beastly thing would be. Now every year readers make one for their Summer gathering and now it’s become a family tradition. It’s not a bad tradition when there’s enough pie for everyone!

platter of slab pie
serving of slab pie

Berry Slab Pie Recipe

The first attempt at this slab pie recipe we had one immediate reaction, “Holy crap this is a big pie!” You’d think we’d intuitively know that based off of a couple factors:

– It’s name is a “slab pie” – generally you wouldn’t associate that with something marginal in size.

– It was filling an entire 1/2 sheet pan – baking cookies on a half sheet gives you a nice amount, but there is a majority of empty space between the cookies. This was FILLING the entire 1/2 sheet!

Yet these subtle indicators did nothing to help our baking math and we way underestimated the amount of dough and berries needed. After rolling out what was thought to be a huge amount of dough, there were barely enough berries for the bottom. And as the mounds of mixed berries scarcely served their purpose, Diane sweetly went on a quick berry run to acquire a proper berry bounty.

After a quick scramble to toss together another batch of dough for the top, the end result was quite tasty. Exquisitely tasty really, and it demanded an immediate remake to refine the quantities. The end result is a dessert fit for a feast! Especially for those summertime backyard gatherings or for those upcoming game day parties.

picnic scene with chocolate berry slab pie

Homemade Pie Dough Recipe

We based the dough loosely on our favorite pie dough recipe, just adding a bit of sugar to sweeten it slightly and adjusting a bit to make it easier to handle, and still having the texture we were looking for. Add a layer of chocolate chips which melt down perfectly when the pie is baked. Then toss together a ton of berries (one can never have too many berries!), then bake, slice and serve. With a dusting of powdered sugar. Delicious!

As long as you have at least a 2’x3′ section of counter space to roll it out, this slab is well worth the monstrous proportions. And if your clan can’t eat it all, hopefully there is a lucky neighbor or two who could use a little sweetening up. 😉

P.S. We love this recipe so much we added it to our cookbook, Bountiful. It was a perfect recipe for our garden focused book.

picnic with chocolate berry slab pie

Mixed Berry Chocolate Slab Pie

Yield: 24 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
We loved this recipe so much we included it in our cookbook, Bountiful. At first it may seem intimidating to roll the dough so large and transfer it to the pans, but this dough handles quite easily, and if you happen to break it, you can patch it with dough scraps. If you have fewer people to feed, you can always halve the recipe and use a smaller pan, but there are always neighbors who will take leftovers, so we encourage you to give the full recipe a shot!
You can finish the slab pie with a brushing of egg wash or heavy cream. Egg wash will give a bit more golden color.
One 13"x18" Pie
5 from 5 votes
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Ingredients

For the Filling

  • 3 pounds (1.4 kg) mixed fresh berries , larger berries halved or quartered
  • 1 cup (200 g) sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1.5 cups (250 g) chocolate chips

For the Crust

  • 8 cups (1 kg) flour
  • 1 cup (200 g) sugar
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) kosher salt
  • 1 pound (455 g) cold salted butter , cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water
  • egg wash (egg beaten with a bit of water) or heavy cream, for brushing the crust
  • Confectioners’ sugar , for dusting (optional)

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Butter one 13 x 18-inch sheet pan. Set aside another to use as a template.
    Preheat oven
  • Start the filling: Put the berries in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of sugar and 3 Tablespoons cornstarch until well combined. Add the sugar mixture to the berries and gently toss. Set aside.
    Berries tossed with sugar
  • Make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the 8 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons salt. Pinching with your fingers or using a pastry blender, incorporate the 1 pound of diced butter into the mixture until no large pieces of butter remain and the mixture has a crumbly texture.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the 3 eggs with the 1/2 cup cold water. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, then pour the egg mixture into the well. Working from the center out, combine the egg and flour mixtures until the dough holds together. If necessary, adjust by adding a little additional flour or cold water if the dough is too sticky or not holding together.
  • Divide the dough into two portions, one twice the size of the other.
  • On a large floured surface, roll out the larger portion of dough to an 18 x 22-inch rectangle (we usually roll it out slightly larger, then trim the edges straight to the correct dimensions). Dust the underside and the top of the dough with flour a few times while rolling out to keep the dough from sticking.
  • Gently wrap the dough around the rolling pin, then unroll it over the first sheet pan. Adjust the dough so it sits evenly in the sheet pan. Dock the pastry by pressing down with your fingertips several times, making indentations across the bottom of the pastry. Spread the chocolate chips in an even layer over the pastry. Spread the berry mixture in an even layer on top of the chips. Set aside.
    Chocolate chips and berries on dough
  • Roll out the smaller dough portion to a rectangle just larger than 13 x 18 inches (32.5 by 45 cm). Flip the second sheet pan upside down and gently press it into the dough, then lift the pan off. Use the impression to cut the dough to size. Gently wrap it around the rolling pin, then unroll it over the slab pie to form a top crust.
    Adding top crust
  • Fold excess dough from the crust bottom up and around to meet the pie top and gently pinch the crust to form the top edge. Brush the top and the edges of the pastry with egg wash or heavy cream (egg wash will give a more golden color). Using kitchen scissors or a knife, cut slits into the top of the slab pie.
  • Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden. Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool. Dust with confectioners’ sugar (if desired), slice, and serve.
    Baked slab pie

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 392kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 206mg, Potassium: 87mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 528IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Fruit
Calories: 392

Recipes for Summer Sharing