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    Home » Recipes » Sweets

    Fresh Strawberry Cream Pie

    June 24, 2022 • Updated: June 24, 2022 • by Renée • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Strawberry Pie, decorated with fresh Strawberries and pastry leaves. Pin text reads: Strawberry Cream Pie, Made with Fresh Strawberries & No Jello

    This fresh strawberry cream pie is light, fluffy, and so delicious! With a premade pie crust and just five simple ingredients, this easy-to-make no-bake favorite is ready to chill in under 15 minutes. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, and backyard barbecues!

    Fresh Strawberry Cream Pie, decorated with fresh Strawberries and pastry leaves.
    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love this Recipe
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make this Recipe
    • FAQs & Expert Tips
    • Strawberry Recipes
    • Fresh Strawberry Cream Pie

    Why You Will Love this Recipe

    This strawberry cream pie is light, airy, creamy, and smooth as silk. Full of fresh strawberry flavor, it is one of our favorite warm-weather treats!

    Not only is it delicious, but it's easy to make, with a no-bake filling that takes just five simple ingredients. A true cream pie, it has no artificial flavorings or colors from prepackaged Jello, no cream cheese, and no cornstarch.

    In the course of developing this recipe, Mr B and I ended up making about ten strawberry cream pies. The last five (at least) weren't about fine-tuning the recipe; they were about all that delicious strawberry cream! Oh, my gosh! We could not get enough! (Just so you know, we did not eat ten pies by ourselves. We shared with family and gave a few away to friends for taste-testing.)

    What Goes into this Recipe

    ★ Fresh strawberries: Use fresh strawberries if at all possible. You can also make this pie with frozen strawberries.

    fresh strawberries in a colander

    ★ Heavy cream: If you are looking for a lite strawberry pie recipe, this ain't it.

    This recipe employs all-natural ingredients, and heavy whipping cream is at the heart of it. You can use regular whipping cream, but the pie won't turn out quite as firm.

    ★ Gelatin: Use unflavored gelatin. Gelatin is a pure, natural protein derived from collagen. No artificial flavors or colors.

    ★ Sugar: Use white granulated sugar.

    ★ Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract. (You can leave this out if you need to.)

    ★ Pie Crust: Use your favorite sweet pie crust. You can make strawberry cream pie with any baked pastry crust (packaged or homemade), or with a graham cracker, or even a chocolate pie crust.

    How to Make this Recipe

    Pie Crust

    If you need to bake your pie crust, do that first and allow it to cool completely before making the filling.

    For reference, we baked the empty pie shell below using our Basic Sweet Pie Crust recipe at 400°F | 232°C for 28 minutes (fully baked). We weighted it (with navy beans on parchment) for the first 17 minutes, and then remove the weights and bake it empty for the remaining time.

    Blind baked pie shell, ready to fill.

    For best results, chill your mixing bowl, cream, and strawberries before starting the filling.

    Strawberry Purée

    Puree enough cold strawberries in a blender to make 1½ cups. Set aside.

    In a small sauce pan, sprinkle 3 teaspoons of gelatin over 5 tablespoons of cold water and let stand for 1 minute.

    Gently heat over medium-low, whisking until the gelatin has completely dissolved. Pour gelatin into a batter bowl or mixing bowl with a spout.

    Add the strawberry puree to the gelatin, and whisk together. Set aside.

    Mixing cup with strawberry puree, small whisk, and gelatin.

    Strawberry Whipped Cream Filling

    Be sure to start with COLD whipping cream.

    In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the cold whipping cream on medium until it thickens to the no peaks stage, when the cream changes from runny with big bubbles to thicker and smoother, and has the look and feel of melting ice cream.

    Whipping cream in stand mixer.

    Reduce the mixer speed to Low and slowly add ⅓ cup of sugar and the vanilla. You won't add all the sugar yet because strawberries vary wildly in natural sugar content, and each pie will need a little more or less sugar.

    Once all the sugar has dissolved in the cream, increase the mixer speed to medium.

    When the cream begins to make very soft peaks, start pouring the strawberry puree mixture into the cream in a slow stream.

    Do not pour too fast, or the strawberries may overwhelm the whipping cream.

    Once all the strawberries are mixed in, stop the mixer for a moment and taste the strawberry cream. If your strawberries are summer sweet, you may not need anymore sugar. If they are very tart, you may need more. Adjust according to your own tastes.

    Once you are satisfied with the level of sweetness, whisk the mixture on medium-high until it barely reaches the firm peaks stage. (Do not overwhip!)

    HINT: The cream mixture will easily stay on an upturned spoon when it is ready.

    Collage: Adding strawberry puree to whipped cream; Spoon held upside down to demonstrate thickness of finished strawberry whipped cream.

    Fill & Chill

    Fill the prepared pie shell with the strawberry cream mixture.

    Baked Pie shell half filled with strawberry cream.

    This is totally optional, but I like to fill the pie shell about halfway with the filling, and then add a handful of whole strawberries to the pie, and cover them up with the remaining strawberry cream. This makes for a little more texture and concentrated strawberry flavor inside the pie.

    Using whole strawberries instead of sliced ones prevents the fruit from leaking into the whipped cream and watering it down. It also gives the slices a pretty profile.

    Slice of strawberry pie on a dessert plate.

    Refrigerate the prepared pie for a minimum of 4 hours, until firm. (Overnight is even better.) Top with additional strawberries and whipped cream as desired.

    If your cream wasn't cold enough, or you make this pie on a particularly warm day, the whipping cream may not get as lofty as it could. Never fear. Just pour it into the pie and chill. Literally.

    FAQs & Expert Tips

    Stages of Whipping Cream

    ✿ No Peaks: The cream thickens, and changes from runny with big bubbles to smoother with small bubbles, and has the look and feel of melting ice cream.

    ✿ Soft Peaks: When the beaters are lifted, the cream will barely its shape, and peaks will fall over immediately.

    ✿ Medium Peaks: When lifted, the cream will form stiff peaks that curl on the end.

    ✿ Firm (or Stiff) Peaks: When lifted, the cream will form stiff peaks that stand straight up and do not curl.

    ✿ Over-Beaten: The cream will become granular in appearance. (Keep beating and you'll have butter.)

    Why do the strawberries and cream need to be cold?

    If the cream is too warm when you start, the fat becomes ineffective as a stabilizer, and the whipping cream falls flat. You will not be able to whip it into peaks, and the pie will not be as lofty or light. (It will still firm up as it chills, so all is not lost.)

    Both the friction of the mixer whisk and the temperature of the strawberries will warm the cream as you mix it, so you want everything start out as cold as possible. (Including the mixing bowl!)

    Close-up of edge of finished strawberry cream pie.

    Strawberry Recipes

    If you love strawberry cream, you will love our easy-to-make Fresh Strawberry Crepes!

    • Creamy Fresh Strawberry Crêpes
    • Homemade Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream (Best Ever!)
    • Triple-layer Strawberry Cake (from Scratch)
    • Strawberry Freezer Jam {Step-by-Step Tutorial}

    For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

    Fresh Strawberry Cream Pie, decorated with fresh Strawberries and pastry leaves.
    5 from 5 votes

    Fresh Strawberry Cream Pie

    This fresh strawberry cream pie is light, fluffy, and so delicious! With a premade pie crust and just five simple ingredients, this easy-to-make no-bake favorite is ready to chill in under 15 minutes.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time:15 minutes
    Chilling Time:4 hours
    Total Time:4 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 16 servings
    Calories: 116kcal
    Author: Renee

    Equipment

    • 1 Electric Stand Mixer
    • 1 Whisk mixer attachment
    • 1 batter bowl or spouted mixing bowl
    • 1 Spatula
    • 1 Blender immersion blender

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 3 teaspoons plain gelatin
    • 5 tablespoons water
    • 3 cups strawberries chilled
    • 1⅔ cups heavy cream chilled
    • ½ cup sugar divided
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 9½-inch deep dish pie shell baked; or two standard 8-inch pie shells

    Instructions

    • For best results, chill mixing bowl, whipping cream, and strawberries before starting.

    Pie Crust

    • If you need to bake your piecrust, do that first and allow it to cool completely before making the filling.

    Strawberry Puree

    • Puree enough strawberries in a blender to make 1½ cups. Set aside.
    • In a small sauce pan, sprinkle 3 teaspoons of gelatin over 5 tablespoons of cold water and let stand for 1 minute.
      Gently heat over medium-low, whisking until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
    • Pour gelatin into a batter bowl or mixing bowl with a spout.
      Add strawberry puree to gelatin and whisk together. Set aside.

    Whipped Strawberry Cream Filling

    • Be sure to start with COLD whipping cream.
      In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the cold whipping cream on medium until it thickens to the no peaks stage.
    • Reduce the mixer speed to Low and slowly add ⅓ cup of sugar and the vanilla.
      You won't add all the sugar yet because strawberries vary wildly in natural sugar content, and each pie will need a little more or less sugar.
    • Once all the sugar has dissolved in the cream, increase the mixer speed to medium.
      When the cream begins to make very soft peaks, start pouring the strawberry puree mixture into the cream in a slow stream.
      Do not pour too fast, or the strawberries may overwhelm the whipping cream.
    • Once all the strawberries are mixed in, stop the mixer for a moment and taste the strawberry cream.
      If your strawberries are summer sweet, you may not need anymore sugar. If they are very tart, you may need more. Adjust according to your own tastes.
    • Once you are satisfied with the level of sweetness, whisk the mixture on medium-high until it barely reaches the firm peaks stage. (Do not overwhip!)
      HINT: The cream mixture will easily stay on an upturned spoon when it is ready.

    Fill & Chill

    • Fill the prepared pie shell with the strawberry cream mixture.
    • OPTIONAL: Fill the pie shell about halfway with the filling, and then add a handful of whole strawberries to the pie, and cover them up with the remaining strawberry cream.
    • Refrigerate the prepared pie for a minimum of 4 hours, until firm. (Overnight is even better.)
    • Top with additional strawberries and whipped cream as desired. Serve cold.

    Notes

    Makes one 9½-inch deep dish pie, or two standard 8-inch pies. 

    Stages of Whipping Cream

    ✿ No Peaks: The cream thickens, and changes from runny with big bubbles to smoother with small bubbles, and has the look and feel of melting ice cream.
    ✿ Soft Peaks: When the beaters are lifted, the cream will barely its shape, and peaks will fall over immediately.
    ✿ Medium Peaks: When lifted, the cream will form stiff peaks that curl on the end.
    ✿ Firm (or Stiff) Peaks: When lifted, the cream will form stiff peaks that stand straight up and do not curl.
    ✿ Over-Beaten: The cream will become granular in appearance. (Keep beating and you'll have butter.)

    Nutrition facts include filling only; they do not include values for pie shell. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 367IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

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    About Renée

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tayler Ross says

      July 13, 2022 at 6:49 am

      5 stars
      I made this pie over the weekend and it was a huge hit with all of my friends and family! I will definitely be making it again!

      Reply
    2. Chenée says

      July 08, 2022 at 4:36 pm

      5 stars
      This is the perfect recipe for summer! I love strawberry desserts so I know I'll love this pie!

      Reply
    3. Amy says

      July 08, 2022 at 3:35 pm

      5 stars
      So, so good! This is our new favorite pie of the summer! Love the classic crust (although it would be good with a graham cracker or biscoff crust too) and the filling is so light and fresh and divine!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        July 08, 2022 at 4:01 pm

        Oh my gosh, a Biscoff crust would be fabulous!

        Reply
    4. Janessa says

      July 08, 2022 at 3:26 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great way to use my fresh garden strawberries! So simple yet delicious.

      Reply
      • Renée says

        July 08, 2022 at 4:02 pm

        One of the things we love most about this recipe is how simple and easy it is.

        Reply
    5. Shadi says

      July 08, 2022 at 2:30 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazing and such a treat! Thank you! Everyone in my family loved it.

      Reply
      • Renée says

        July 08, 2022 at 2:40 pm

        That fresh strawberry cream gets me every time!

        Reply

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