• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Deep Roots at Home

  • Home
  • About
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Babies & Pregnancy
    • Beauty
    • Books & Booklists
    • Brain & Gut Health
    • Children At Home
    • COVID-19
    • Detoxing & TRS
    • DIY & Crafts
    • Education & Homeschool
    • Faith & Family
    • Feel-Good Stories
    • Flourishing Marriage
    • Flourishing Womanhood
    • Food & Recipes
    • Food Additives
    • Garden & Homestead
    • Healthy Living
    • Herbs & Remedies
    • Holidays
    • Homemaking
    • My Favorite Products
    • News & Alerts
    • Parental Rights
    • Pharma & Vaccines
    • Play, Toys, & Movies
    • Raising Daughters
    • Raising Sons
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Podcast
  • Shop
  • Popular Blog Topics
  • Alternative Medicine
  • Babies & Pregnancy
  • Beauty
  • Books & Booklists
  • Brain & Gut Health
  • Children at Home
  • COVID-19
  • Detoxing & TRS
  • DIY & Crafts
  • Education & Homeschool
  • Faith & Family
  • Feel-Good Stories
  • Flourishing Marriage
  • Flourishing Womanhood
  • Food & Recipes
  • Food Additives
  • Garden & Homestead
  • Healthy Living
  • Herbs & Remedies
  • Holidays
  • Homemaking
  • My Favorite Products
  • News And Alerts
  • Parenting / Parental Rights
  • Pharmaceutical Warnings
  • Play / Toys
  • Raising Daughters
  • Raising Sons
  • Popular This Week
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    What Are Gooseberries? & A Homemade Gooseberry Pie Recipe

    9.9KViews Modified: Dec 14, 2020 · Published: Jul 27, 2012
    By Jacqueline 22 Comments

    Share592
    Telegram
    Pin1.8K
    2.4K Shares

    What Are Gooseberries & A Gooseberry Pie Recipe. A image of gooseberries and a finished, delicious homemade gooseberry pie.

    Have you ever had gooseberries (they are also known as ‘ribes’)?

    Most of us in the United States have not. ‘During the late 18th and early 19th centuries there was, believe it or not, a “Gooseberry Craze” that began in England and spread to America. At its height, the time, money and passion spent on this humble berry would have made Beatlemania look like a passing fancy.’ (source)

    Recently, out of fascination, I planted 2 chubby little Invicta gooseberry bushes. This year, I’m excited that after two years of drought nearly killing them, we had our first real harvest… and what a crop it was!

    Now there is an old-fashioned gooseberry pie in the oven!

    If I could, I would bottle up the aroma wafting around the kitchen and our house right now! We have never smelled anything quite like it~slightly floral and spicy (like cinnamon)!

    Elderberry Syrup Recipes
    Get your printable elderberry syrup recipes!
     

    What are Gooseberries?

    According to Mother Earth News,

    “When you first bite into a ripe gooseberry, the tartness of the skin is balanced by the burst of sweet nectar from the flesh of the fruit.”

    sweet- tart berries

    I think gooseberries are a little like the Sweet Tarts candies of my teens, but clean and fresh and very healthy! They have significantly high amounts of phenolic phytochemicals especially flavones and anthocyanins. These compounds have been found to have numerous health-benefiting effects against cancer, aging, inflammation, and neurological diseases.

     

     

    big bowl of sweet tart ribes

    Gooseberries (and currants which we also grow here) are used in tarts, jams, and other desserts. Many think they are even better for eating out-of-hand.

    Pulling off those little flower tails from each nickel-sized gooseberry is not necessary at all.

     

    Old-Fashioned Gooseberry Pie Recipe

    For many of our country grandparents and great-grandparents, gooseberry pie represents a long-ago beloved time and place. For those whose childhood was spent on a farm or countryside where rambling through the woods with the dogs and picking berries in summer was part of life, it has special memories.

    My husband’s Grandma made piecrusts from lard rendered from the hog butchering, and she picked her own gooseberries and canned them. This is very much like her recipe.

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 4-5 cups of any color gooseberries (plus we threw in a large handful or red currants and red jostaberries for more color)
    • 1 1/4 cup sweetener (we used 3/4 cup of our own honey)
    • 2 teaspoons orange rind (zest)
    • 4-5 TBSP tapioca starch, cornstarch or arrowroot powder (see how to thicken a sauce) 
    • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 TBSP butter or virgin coconut oil
     

    Rustic Crust:

    (we loved the Rustic Pear Tart crust so much we used it for this)

    • 1 1/3 cups organic all-purpose unbleached flour or favorite healthy GF recipe
    • 3 TBSP sugar (we used coconut sugar)
    • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    • 7 TBSP cold butter, cubed (no substitutes) Grandma used lard rendered from their own hogs
    • 2 to 3 TBSP cold water

     cooking currants for pie

     

    Directions for Gooseberry Pie Filling:

    • Combine all filling ingredients except butter and cornstarch in a large saucepan and place over medium heat
    • Cover until gooseberries begin to soften and burst (about 5 minutes.)
    • As the berries soften, gently add the cornstarch by first making a slurry
    • Add slowly and keep on heat until the filling becomes translucent and has a glossy sheen (approx. 10 minutes)
    • Remove from heat, add 2 TBSP butter, and allow to cool while rolling out pastry

    Note: I forgot to make the cornstarch ‘slurry’, *Humph!* and had to mash out the resulting lumps, so the poor gooseberries sustained a beating! I think it would be prettier if you could retain more of the appearance of berries.

     

    Directions for the Crust:

    • Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl
    • Cut in butter until crumbly
    • Gradually add cold water, tossing with a fork or hands and finish using hands to form a ball
    • Roll out to a circle and transfer to the pie pan
    • Crimp edges and add filling. (You may have some extra pie dough for adding stars, hearts, or even your initials)
    • Bake at 375°  for 40-45 minutes or until your crust is golden brown and flaky
    • Check crust to keep from burning

    Another note: this isn’t the kind of pie that is perfectly sliceable. You might need to scoop out servings with a spoon. Even so, it’s such an enjoyable treat especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

     

    To grow gooseberries:

    Gooseberries do well in cooler climates. It’s best if they are planted in zones 3-5.

    If you have room for a shrub that is about 3-4? tall and wide, you should be able to plant your own currants and gooseberries.

    Gooseberries and currants are not at all difficult to grow, and they tolerate a wider range of conditions than most fruit plants. Choose a location that receives some afternoon shade. Our plants were purchased at Edible Landscaping.

    A friend who lives in Sweden sent me the link to the berry picker they use there!

    berry picking

    (Source)

    Elderberry Syrup Recipes
    Get your printable elderberry syrup recipes!

    “…each tree is known by its own fruit.” ~Luke 6: 44

    What Are Gooseberries & A Gooseberry Pie Recipe. A image of gooseberries and a finished, delicious gooseberry pie.

    Print Friendly, PDF & Email
    Share592
    Telegram
    Pin1.8K
    2.4K Shares
    « A Big Picture View Of Feminine Dress: First Installment
    17 Best Easy Grow Plants for Attracting Beneficial Garden Pollinators »

    Related

    Hi! I’m Jacqueline!

    Thanks for being part of this journey with me.
    Welcome to my own little place on the internet! Home is where I love to be. I feel there is no greater place to incubate souls. These days you’ll find me using my experiences here to write about herbal remedies and natural health research — a big passion of mine. But being a wife and mother is not easy. It is challenging and potentially lonely. I get that. I wanted to create a place to connect with and support other moms for creating a natural, healthy, and fulfilling home life.
    Join the newsletter:

    Sent in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judith at WholeHearted Home

      June 27, 2013 at 10:07 pm

      I got happily distracted as I scrolled down to linkup 🙂 so who knows if I will get there?! I would love to find some gooseberries as they sound so delicious!! Thanks so much for sharing this today.

      Reply
    2. Marilyn K

      June 28, 2013 at 6:04 am

      I worked at a farm through my teen years during the summers, and they had some gooseberries growing there. I now have my own large space to grow things, and a friend who is an avid gardener and expert on what grows well in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, has given me jostaberries and currants to grow. I also planted elderberries, which I got from Jung’s online but have not seen any sign of life yet. Thanks for this article!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        June 28, 2013 at 9:30 am

        Marilyn, just a thought: for elderberries, they need a LOT, LOT, LOT of water maybe for the first year. Most plants will need watered and mulched, but it seemed the elder was even more so! Have fun growing!

        Reply
      • Christel

        June 28, 2013 at 10:35 pm

        I live in the Northern lower of Michigan currently and used to live in the UP. Try planting some service berries (aka sugarplum, shadbush, juneberries). They are amazing and a beautiful landscape decoration between the lovely blossoms in the spring, the colorful summer berries, and the bright orange fall leaves. In fact I think the bare branches are even beautiful in the winter! I have about 10 trees around our yard and they are just starting to ripen and I have picked GALLONS of berries already, with many many more to come. My favorite edible Michigan landscape. These were here when we moved in, but I’d love to add elderberries to the yard as well.

        Reply
        • Jacqueline

          June 29, 2013 at 12:11 am

          Christel,
          I planted 2 Princess Diana Juneberries and they are both getting pretty good size (4 1/2′ x 28″ wide).the berries form after the flower petals drop, but the berries dry up and drop off. I am wondering if they are too young to bear yet…they are almost 4 years old now.
          Thanks for stopping by and telling me about your service berries. Any ideas?

          Reply
    3. Toni

      June 28, 2013 at 7:40 am

      I’ve never had gooseberries, too far south, but I loved this post. The picture with the berry picker is very cool as I’m always interested in old-time homesteading tools. Sometimes more modern ones don’t work exactly as one would expect, and I love when tools have no plastic about them.
      Have a great weekend!

      Reply
    4. Amy Jo

      June 29, 2013 at 9:34 am

      I have never seen a gooseberry until today. I always think of the 7 dwarfs in Snow White….”Gooseberry Pie!!! Hurray she stays” I always wondered what it was. Thanks for sharing this bit of knowledge.

      Blessings,
      Amy Jo

      Reply
    5. Patricia Hultman

      June 29, 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Dear Jacqueline
      I love how God answers our prayers even as we speak them! I was so craving a delicious home made pie after our excursion in the backcountry around us. However, we did not come across a cute little corner store selling homemade pies and ice team so i determined I would just have to make one ! For the first time in perhaps 20 years. So receiving your recipe for this yummy pie and crust is an answer to my prayer ! Thank you !
      Sincerely Momma Patricia

      Reply
    6. Nanasknoll

      June 30, 2013 at 1:00 am

      As a child in Illinois my mom would look for these wild in the woods. She always made a gooseberry pie for my dad. It was a little sour for me as a kid, but with a spoonful of sugar sprinkled on it, it was good.
      After moving to the west I once looked for gooseberries and did not find them. They did have them raised in Oregon and finally got to have a pie about 10 years ago.
      Nice child hood memories.
      Nana

      Reply
    7. Debi

      July 03, 2013 at 5:28 pm

      Do you know what that tool is called shown for picking gooseberries? Looks like it would make them much easier to pick!
      I am making a gooseberry pie tonight, but mine has a double crust.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        July 03, 2013 at 10:55 pm

        Hi, Debi,
        I do not know, but isn’t it a beauty? I’m sorry…if you ever find out would you let me know?

        Reply
    8. Sarah

      July 04, 2013 at 6:23 pm

      One word … yum!

      I’m splashin’ around for ideas to splatter some joy into our summer. I would love to hear your creative ideas to add a bit of zest to our scorchin’ summer. Join me in splashing.

      http://justsarahdawn.blogspot.com/2013/07/splatter-it-up.html

      Splashin’
      Sarah

      Reply
    9. Renee T.

      August 03, 2019 at 4:16 pm

      I have more wild gooseberry bushes than I know what to do with! I live in western Wisconsin and just recently found out what all those berries were! Lol My question is, “do you pick them when they look like white or red grapes?” And does it make a difference? Thanks,
      Renee T.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        August 03, 2019 at 5:16 pm

        Hi, Renee!!! Our bushes are a green variety, but there are pink and redder ones, too! Our green ones became translucent and whitish green when at the peak of sweetness! Wonderful to pop in the moth fresh! Enjoy..I am jealous 😉

        Reply
      • Please let me know your thoughts on this and see if we can work something out. It would be so very much appreciated. Thank you again! Gina

        September 24, 2021 at 8:00 am

        Good morning Renee! I live in Indiana and grew up picking gooseberries at my grandmas house. My mom and grandma used to make the best gooseberry pie. I am having trouble trying to find gooseberries. Would you consider selling any of yours as I would like to make a pie for my aging mama as a reminder of her younger days when she did it for us? I know this would require shipping. Please let me know your thoughts on this and see if we can work something out. It would be so very much appreciated. Thank you again! Gina

        Reply
    10. Judy

      June 23, 2020 at 2:37 pm

      I live in eastern Tennessee, zone 7, and started out with two bushes. My husband kept on planting more from the original two. The last two years the branches are laden with berries. I use them for pie and various jams like blackberry with gooseberry jam, or regular gooseberry jam. I don’t use pectin, and the sweet tart flavor is Devine. If not using pectin, be sure they are about 20 per cent green. Under-ripened fruit has more pectin.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        June 23, 2020 at 2:53 pm

        Oh, Judy, you are making my mouth water! I have so loved our gooseberries through the years! It is good to remember the high pectin content!! Divine, indeed!
        Blessings, ~Jacqueline

        Reply
    11. Bonnie Soderqvist

      July 28, 2020 at 11:10 am

      https://www.amazon.com/Linden-Sweden-Jonas-Berry-Picker/dp/B00176HU90 I live in Sweden and it is blueberry picking time. They are only a couple inches from the ground so these berry pickers are a wonderful thing to save you from backaches. I am sure we bought ours cheaper and I would google around first. I think they are just called Berry Pickers.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        July 29, 2020 at 11:45 pm

        Thank you, Bonnie, for telling me about that berry picker! I added a link to the one you recommended to the post!

        Reply
    12. NATURE PLANTICIA

      February 13, 2021 at 8:25 am

      Thanks for your article provided a lot of information. I like your post, keep going to bring good things to life. They are extremely beautiful.

      Reply
    13. Lois Luckovich

      March 04, 2023 at 7:10 pm

      I first had gooseberries when I was 4 and I really like them. Thanks for the pie recipe!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        March 04, 2023 at 10:11 pm

        I hope you get to make a gooseberry pie! Very much one to win a state Fair prize!
        Blessings,
        jacque

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Footer

    About Deep Roots at Home

    What is Deep Roots at Home?
    Jacqueline’s Story
    Article Archives
    Contact
    Stay Updated

    Weekly updates on the topics that matter the most to you!

    Sent in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

    Popular Posts This Week
    • 9 Clear Signs You’re Magnesium Deficient: Pls Don’t Ignore This!
    • Don’t Eat or Touch “Apeel” Produce! This Applies To Organics, too
    • 4 Ways To Keep Monsanto Out Of Your Home Garden
    • Biotin for Hair, Nails=False Lab Results for T4, T3, Troponin & More

    Affiliate Disclosure  •  Medical Disclosure  •  Privacy Policy  •  Cookie Policy

    The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. By accessing or using this website, you agree to abide by the Terms of Service, Full Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, Affiliate Disclosure, and Comment Policy. Content may not be reproduced in any form. Website by Imperative Co.



    © 2006–2023 Deep Roots at Home • All Rights Reserved

    Many people don’t see me on the Deep Roots at Home Facebook page these days due to censorship.

    Come straight to Deeprootsathome.com instead and find out what you’re missing!

    You can even make DRAH your browser homepage.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “5 Easy, Homemade Remedies to Beat Coughs & Colds” printable PDF.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “5 Easy + Healthy Lifestyle Drinks” printable PDF.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Make Your Own Elderberry Syrup — with Easy Recipes!” printable PDF.

    Subscribe to Email Updates

    By adding your email address below, you agree to receive email updates from Deep Roots at Home. You’ll get 2-6 emails per month with info that we can’t share on social media and important updates. We may send occasional marketing / sales emails.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Treasured Old Books” printable guide.

    Get the printable ebook!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Dyslexia Tips” ebook from Sarah J. Brown.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Starving Brains & Poor Attention Spans in Boys: 30 Tips for Parents” printable PDF.

    Get your free ebook!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “Vital Vaccine Info” printable e-book.

    Get your free printable guide!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “31 Days of Praying Scripture for Newlyweds” printable guide.

    Get the freebie of the season!

    Fill in your email address to receive the free “100 Wholehearted Books to Take Back the Culture” printable guide.

    Praying for newlyweds is perhaps the best gift we can give them! Receive this printable PDF: “31 Days of Praying Scripture for Newlyweds.” 

    Prayers for Husbands

    View our privacy policy.

    The PDF will arrive in your inbox! You’ll also get about 1-2 emails a month (including the seasonal freebies!) and can unsubscribe at any time.

    ¡Nos gustaría mantener en contacto! Y usted recibirá un obsequio importante de la temporada: “Cerebros Ambrientes y Escasa Atención En Los Niños” PDF imprimible.

    Spanish Boys Attention Spans

    Ver nuestra política de privacidad.


    ¡El PDF llegará a su buzón de entrada! ¡Usted recibirá 1 – 2 correos electrónicos al mes (incluyendo los regalos de temporada!) y puede cancelar su suscripción en cualquier momento.