Make No‐Bake Strawberry Pie

Strawberry pie is a great summer dessert, but on a hot summer day you may not want to turn on your oven. You can still enjoy a strawberry pie that only needs to be chilled. Create a fresh strawberry pie with a graham cracker crust. Just puree strawberries and combine it with gelatin before spreading it in the crust. Or make a creamy strawberry pie that uses strawberry flavored gelatin, chopped strawberries, and cream cheese. Spread this rich filling in a crust made with crushed sandwich cookies.

Ingredients

Fresh Strawberry Pie With a Graham Cracker Crust

• 8 tablespoons (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 24 graham crackers (395 g) graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
• 3 pounds (1.36 kg) fresh strawberries, hulled, divided
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons powdered unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons water
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Makes one pie

Creamy No-Bake Strawberry Pie

• 22 golden or vanilla sandwich cookies
• 3 tablespoons (42 g) butter, melted
• 1 8-ounce (225 g) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) milk
• 1 3-ounce (85 g) package strawberry gelatin
• 1 cup (170 g) fresh strawberries, chopped
• 16 ounces (453 g) whipped topping, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups (255 g) sliced strawberries

Makes one pie

Steps

Making Fresh Strawberry Pie With a Graham Cracker Crust

1. Crush the graham crackers and mix them with the melted butter. Take 24 graham crackers (395 g) and put them in a food processor or blender. Pulse the crackers until they're fine crumbs. Dump them into a bowl and stir in 8 tablespoons (115 g) of melted butter until they're combined.
   • You can also purchase a pre-made graham cracker crust if you'd like a crunchier crust.
2. Press the graham cracker mixture into a pie pan. Dump the buttered crumb mixture into a 9-inch (22-cm) pie plate. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to firmly press the crust into the bottom and sides of the pan. Chill the crust in the fridge until the filling is ready.
   • Keep in mind that this crust will remain pretty soft because it isn't baked.
3. Trim and blend the strawberries. Wash 3 pounds (1.36 kg) of fresh strawberries and trim the stems. Put 2 1/3 cups (340 g) of the strawberries into a blender or food processor. Put the lid on and blend the strawberries until they're completely smooth. Scoop the puree into a 2-cup (480 ml) liquid measuring cup. Put it aside while you make the rest of the filling.
   • You will have between 3/4 and 1 cup (174 to 232 g) of strawberry puree.
4. Slice the rest of the strawberries and toss them with the sugar. Slice the remaining strawberries into 3/4-inch (19 mm) slices. Place them in a mixing bowl along with 1 cup (200 g) of granulated sugar. Stir the sugar and strawberries until they're combined. Let the mixture rest for one hour.
   • The sugar will help the strawberries release juice.
5. Remove 3/4 cup (180 ml) of the liquid. Stir the strawberries in sugar. Scoop out 3/4 cup (180 ml) of the liquid and pour it into the measuring cup that has the strawberry puree. You should have a total of 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) of puree and liquid.
   • It's fine if you have more puree and less liquid, so long as you have a combined 1 1/2 cups (355 ml).
6. Drain the strawberries. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and transfer the sugared strawberries to it. The extra berry liquid will drain into the bowl and you can discard it or save it for a different recipe.
7. Dissolve the gelatin in water. Measure 2 tablespoons of water into a small microwave-safe prep bowl. Pour 2 1/4 teaspoons of unflavored powdered gelatin over the water. Leave the gelatin mixture alone for 5 minutes before you stir or heat it. After 5 minutes, put it in the microwave and heat it for 10 seconds, so the gelatin melts and dissolves.
8. Whisk the gelatin and strawberry puree together. Scoop the melted gelatin into a mixing bowl and slowly whisk in the strawberry puree/liquid. Keep whisking until the gelatin is combined with the strawberry mixture. Whisk in a pinch of kosher salt.
9. Stir in the sliced strawberries and lemon juice. Add the drained, sliced strawberries to the bowl and stir them into the mixture. Stir in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice until it's completely combined.
   • The lemon juice will give the berries a bright flavor.
10. Pour the filling into the crust and chill it. Scoop the fresh strawberry filling into the chilled pie crust. Use the back of a spoon to spread the filling evenly. Put the pie in the refrigerator to chill for 4 to 6 hours. It should be completely firm and set before you slice and serve it.
    • You can garnish the pie with extra fresh berries or serve it with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Making Creamy No-Bake Strawberry Pie

1. Crush the sandwich cookies with melted butter. Put 22 golden or vanilla sandwich cookies into a food processor or blender. Pulse the cookies until they're crushed. Pour the 3 tablespoons (42 g) of melted butter into the processor and pulse the crust mixture for 10 to 15 seconds.
   • The crust mixture should be sandy and clump together if you squeeze it together.
2. Assemble and chill the cookie crust. Dump the crust mixture into a 9-inch (22-cm) pie plate. Use your fingers or a rubber spatula to firmly press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan. Put the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.
   • You don't need to grease the pie plate, since the crust contains enough butter to keep it from sticking.
3. Beat the cream cheese and sugar. Open an 8-ounce (225 g) package of cream cheese that's at room temperature. Put it into a mixing bowl and add 1/4 cup (50 g) of sugar. Use a hand or stand mixer to beat the mixture until it's light and fluffy. This should take a few minutes.
   • If the cream cheese is too cold, the mixture will become lumpy.
4. Dissolve the strawberry gelatin in milk. Get out a prep bowl and pour 1 cup (240 ml) of milk into it. Add one 3-ounce (85 g) package of strawberry gelatin to the milk and stir it well.
   • The gelatin should dissolve and the milk will turn pink.
5. Whisk the gelatin milk into the cream cheese mixture. Put a whisk attachment onto your mixer and turn it on to low speed. Whisk the cream cheese mixture while you slowly pour the gelatin milk into the bowl. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the mixer on again and whisk until the filling is smooth.
6. Fold in thawed whipped topping. Open a 16-ounce (453 g) package of whipped topping that's thawed. Scoop half of it into the bowl with the filling. Use a metal spoon or rubber spatula to fold the whipped topping into the filling.
   • Use a lifting and twisting motion with your wrist as you combine the whipped topping with the filling. This will keep the volume in the whipped topping.
7. Fold in chopped strawberries. Measure out 1 cup (170 g) of fresh strawberries and trim the hulls off of them. Chop the berries into even pieces and add them to the filling. Gently fold the berries in, so the filling keeps its volume and the berries are combined.
8. Fill the crust and chill the pie. Take the crust out of the refrigerator and scoop the filling into it. Spread the filling evenly and return the pie to the refrigerator. Chill the pie for at least 2 hours before you garnish and serve it.
   • Chilling the pie will give the gelatin time to set up. This will make it easier to slice your pie.
9. Garnish and serve the creamy no-bake pie. Take the chilled pie out of the refrigerator and dollop some of the remaining whipped topping on top. Slice 1 1/2 cups (255 g) of strawberries and arrange them on top of the pie. Slice the pie into pieces and serve it immediately.
   • This pie will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator, but the crust will become softer over time.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Digital scale
• Rubber spatula
• Small knife and cutting board
• Hand or stand mixer
• Prep bowls
• Microwave-safe mixing bowl
• Large mixing bowls
• Fine mesh strainer
• Microwave
• 9 1/2-inch (24-cm) deep-dish pie plate
• 9 inch (22-cm) pie plate
• Food processor or blender
• 2-cup (480 ml) liquid measuring cup

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Pie Crust
• Put a Fancy Edge on a Pie Crust
• Make a Pie Crust in a Food Processor
• Make a Graham Cracker Pie Crust