Learn how to make the best concord grape pie with an easy-to-follow, old fashioned family recipe. The fruity, perfectly thickened grape filling is topped with a quick streusel crumb topping, served best with a melty scoop of ice cream. If you are looking for alternative concord grape recipes, check out the variations below, such as making with double crust or even a grape crisp.

an overhead shot of grape pie with a couple slices cut out and grape leaves laying around it

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Old Fashioned Grape Pie

Grape pie has the distinctive, amped up flavor of Welch’s grape juice or grape jelly, but with a buttery crust, thick jammy filling, and a little bit of creaminess from the streusel topping. Growing up we looked forward to my mom’s grape pie every fall when our homegrown bounty came in.

In fact, I loved this pie so much, it was one of the first recipes published in my pie recipe collection, after planting and harvesting my own backyard Concord grapes. It’s easily adaptable to a gluten-free version using my flaky gluten-free pie dough and swapping out flour in the topping and filling with a GF all-purpose blend.

Where Can I Find Concord Grapes?

These grapes come into season in late August through October, depending on your location.

Concord grape vines are commonly grown in backyards, but take several years to become established. If you aren’t lucky enough to have vines in your own yard, check with your neighbors. Often I find them being underutilized on vines because a lot of people don’t take advantage of them.

They can also be found at fruit orchards. Check with your local apple orchard to see if they carry them. During the fall harvesting season, I have come across them at grocery stores as well. 

Let’s Make This Together!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

Slip the the grapes

Concord grapes are slip skin, meaning if you squeeze the grape the pulp will slip out. Inside is a green pulp with large seeds. Even though the process of slipping the skins is easy, it does take some time to work through them all. Enlist some help for this part and it will go a lot faster!

Gently squeeze the grapes so the pulp slips out of the skin into a medium saucepan. Separate the skins into a small bowl and set aside to use in pie filling.

pulp of the grapes in a saucepan, and the skins are in a glass bowl.

Cook and strain

The hard part is over the pie filling comes together much faster! Bring the pulp to a boil over medium heat, cover, and simmer for five minutes. Pour hot pulp into a mesh sieve fitted over a bowl to collect pulp.

Stir and press the grape pulp to separate the seeds from the pulp. Keep stirring until only the seeds remain in the strainer.

the filling in a mesh strainer with seeds.
seeds only left in the strainer with a yellow spoon.

Finish pie filling

Add butter to the hot pulp and stir until melted. Whisk in lemon juice, sugar, flour (I use gluten-free flour here), and salt until smooth. Add grape skins and stir. Pour grape mixture into prepared pie shell and set aside while you make the topping.

the grape pie filling in a glass bowl with the skins being stirred in.

Streusel topping

With a fork mix together flour, sugar, and softened butter for the crumb topping. Sprinkle over the top of the pie filling. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Before cutting and serving the pie allow it to cool 1-2 hours for filling to set. It may be served warm with ice cream or at room temperature.

unbaked pie with crumb topping.
a slice of grape pie on a white plate with a mint leaf on top and a fork laying next to it

More Concord Grape Possibilities

    While this grape pie recipe is the version my mom always made, sometimes I change up how we enjoy it. Instead of a crumb topping, alternatively make a double pie crust recipe for a double crust or lattice option.

    If you’d like to skip rolling out a crust all together, sometimes I place the filling in a 2-quart baking dish and make a grape crisp. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the fruit filling and bake in a 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the grapes bubble all over.

    Can I Freeze The Filling?

    Yes! In fact, grape pie filling freezes very well. This is also a good option since concord grapes aren’t available year round.

    Make as many recipes of filling as your grapes allow. (About 2 1/2 pounds of concord grapes are needed per pie.) Once the filling has cooled completely, place the amount needed for one pie in a glass jar or freezer ziplock bag and freeze up to 6 months. 

    When ready to use thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Pour into prepared pie crust and bake according to recipe.

    a slice of grape pie with ice cream of melting on top

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    an overhead shot of grape pie with a couple slices cut out and grape leaves laying around it
    4.25 stars (24 ratings)

    Vintage Concord Grape Pie with Crumb Topping

    Melissa Erdelac of MamaGourmand headshot in patterned dress.Melissa Erdelac
    Yield: 8
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Learn how to make the best concord grape pie with an easy-to-follow, old fashioned family recipe. The fruity, perfectly thickened grape filling is topped with a quick streusel crumb topping, served best with a melty scoop of ice cream. If you are looking for alternative concord grape recipes, check out the variations below, such as making with double crust or even a grape crisp.
    Print Pin Rate Remove Ads

    Ingredients
     

    Streusel Topping

    Equipment

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Gently squeeze the grapes so the pulp slips out of the skin into a medium saucepan. Separate the skins into a separate bowl and set aside to use in pie filling.
    • Bring grape pulp to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Remove from the heat and immediately pour through mesh strainer fitted over a bowl to separate seeds from pulp. Press and stir so ALL the pulp is extracted into the bowl. Scrape the bottom of the mesh strainer occasionally to get the pulp from there too. When you are done you should be left with only the seeds, and you won't be able to get anymore pulp out. Discard the seeds.
    • Place butter into bowl of hot pulp and let it sit for a few minutes until it melts. When butter is melted, whisk in sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Stir the reserved skins into the pulp mixture.
      2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour or gluten free flour, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt
    • Pour grape mixture into the unbaked pie shell and prepare the streusel topping. With a fork mix all ingredients together until butter is well incorporated. Sprinkle topping over pie filling.
      ½ cup all-purpose flour or gluten free flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 pie crust shell
    • Bake for 40-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and grape filling is bubbly throughout. (You may want to place a foil-lined baking sheet on the oven rack below the pie to catch any potential overflow). Cool for at least an hour before serving. Serve warm with ice cream or at room temperature. See recipe notes for storing tips.

    Notes

    Serving and Storing
    Before cutting and serving allow it to cool 1-2 hours for filling to set. This pie may be served warm with ice cream or at room temperature.
    Do not refrigerator leftovers. It can sit on the counter up to 2 days. Leaving it uncovered keeps the crust crisp and prevents the pie from becoming soggy. If you need to cover it, turn a large bowl over the pie, or loosely tent with foil.
    Freezing Tips
    This pie may be frozen fully assembled, unbaked. Growing up, my mom would always double the recipe making one to enjoy right away and one to freeze for later.
    1. Prepare the pie according to recipe directions, but do not bake.
    2. Place pie with streusel topping on a baking sheet and freeze until solid.
    3. Once the pie has frozen completely wrap securely with plastic wrap. Cover plastic wrap with a double layer of foil. Freeze up to 6 months.
    4. When ready to bake unwrap pie and bake from frozen. The pie will take up to twice as long to bake so make sure to protect the crust with a silicone pie shield or aluminum foil. 
    Calories: 483kcal, Carbohydrates: 89g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 239mg, Potassium: 360mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 65g, Vitamin A: 382IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 2mg
    Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below. It helps others when searching for recipes and I LOVE feedback!