Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe - House of Nash Eats (2024)

Make this Fresh Strawberry Pie without Jell-O before summer is over! A classic buttery crust gets loaded with juicy, fresh strawberries coated in a strawberry glaze made from scratch and then topped with plenty of sweetened whipped cream. It's so good!

I love making homemade pies with fresh fruit when it is in season! Some of our other favorites are Fresh Peach Pie, Razzleberry Pie, and Homemade Blueberry Pie!

Recipe for Strawberry Pie without Jell-O

This simple dessert recipe is made with only delicious natural flavor from actual strawberries. I don't have anything against Jell-O (I mean, there are quite a few classic Jell-O recipes on here like my favorite mandarin orange Jell-O and lemon pineapple Jell-O), but when it's so simple and easy to make a homemade pie with plenty of strawberries drenched in a thick, sweet glaze from scratch, I'm more than happy to save my box of Jell-O for some other use.

This fresh strawberry pie may have been made famous by restaurants like Shoney's or Frisch's Big Boy - they certainly are well-known for this beloved dessert that only comes around certain times of the year. The seasonal spring or summer strawberries make all the difference and you just can't get the same results with frozen berries.

And if you are new to making your own homemade pie crust, be sure to check out my video tutorial on YouTube where I show you how!

Old Fashioned Strawberry Pie Ingredients

• Fresh strawberries - You could technically make this pie with frozen strawberries but the texture won't be the same as using fresh and its much more likely that the filling will be runny.
• Sugar - You'll use granulated sugar in the pie filling and a little powdered sugar to sweeten the whipped cream for decorating the top of the pie.
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Butter & shortening - A combination of both types of fat results in a flaky crust that is also buttery tasting.
• Cornstarch - For thickening the strawberry glaze.
• Heavy whipping cream
• Vanilla extract

How to make Strawberry Pie

1. Make the pie crust. Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a food processor (affiliate link), cut the shortening and butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. It is only about 10 pulses with a food processor (affiliate link) but a bit more work by hand. One trick to make the process a little easier is to freeze your butter beforehand, then grate it into the flour mixture before cutting it in with the pastry cutter if not using a food processor (affiliate link). Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ice water over the mixture. Using a fork, gently stir the water in to the flour mixture, then repeat with the remaining water, adding only 1 tablespoons at a time, just until the dough starts to come together.
2. Chill. Turn the pie dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling out.
3. Roll out pie crust. Roll out the pie dough with a rolling pin (affiliate link) on a floured surface and carefully transfer it into a 9-inch pie plate (affiliate link). Trim any excess dough and fold under the edges. Use your fingers or a fork or other tool to decoratively crimp the edges of the crust. Chill for 15-20 minutes in the freezer. This helps set the crust and prevents it from shrinking as much. Preheat oven to 375°F while the crust is chilling.
4. Blind bake. Line the pie shell with a double layer of aluminum foil or a piece of parchment paper, covering the edges to prevent burning. Fill the shell with pie weights and bake for 15-17 minutes. Carefully remove the pie weights and the foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool before filling.
5. Puree. Wash and hull the strawberries by removing the green leaves at the top with a small paring knife. Add 1 cup of the strawberries in a food processor (affiliate link) or by mashing thoroughly with a fork.

6. Cook. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, then add the water and strawberry puree. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 3 more minutes, until the strawberry mixture turns thick and translucent. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

7. Glaze. Meanwhile, cut any larger strawberries in halves or even fourths and place in a large bowl. Add the glaze to the remaining strawberries and gently fold with a spatula until the berries are evenly coated. Fill the cooled pie crust with the strawberry pie filling, piling them into a mound and turning any cut sides to face down. If you want a "prettier" pie, you can arrange the strawberries decoratively after glazing and pour any remaining glaze from the pan over the top. Chill for 2 hours until set.
8. Make whipped cream. Prepare the whipped cream by beating the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, forming soft peaks. Serve the pie with the fresh whipped cream within 5-6 hours of chilling for the best results.

Old Fashioned Strawberry Pie Glaze from Scratch

To make the strawberry glaze, just wash and hull one cup of strawberries and puree them in a food processor (affiliate link). You could also just blend them or mash them really well with a fork, if that's what you have to work with.

Then it is just a matter of whisking together sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan and adding the strawberry puree and water. Cook the mixture until it comes to a boil, then continue to cook, stirring almost constantly for three minutes until the glaze thickens and turns translucent. Cool completely before spooning over strawberries in a prebaked pie crust and chilling for 2 hours until the pie is set.

Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe Tips

• I used my favoritepie crust recipe and blind-baked until it was golden, but you could use a store-bought pie crust or go with a graham cracker crust instead if you prefer.
• In a pie like this fresh, high-quality strawberries like the ones you get at the farmer's market are definitely the way to go. Depending on the size of your strawberries, you may want to halve or even quarter them so they are easy to eat in the pie.
• You can either arrange the strawberries in the pie and pour the glaze over them, or fold the strawberries into the glaze to make sure they get evenly coated. I usually take the latter approach, but for purposes of a prettier picture for this post, I arranged the strawberries first, then spooned the glaze over the top and jiggled it down into the pie. Both ways work.
• Definitely plan to eat this pie on the day you make it. The juicy fresh strawberry pie filling will make the prebaked crust soggy if the pie sits too long. I think it's best within 3 hours of assembly.
• Keep the pie refrigerated until you are ready to serve it and be sure to top it with whipped cream for pure strawberry pie perfection!

Serving Fresh Strawberry Pie

This easy strawberry pie recipe is best served the day it is made. Over time, the moisture from the fresh berries and glaze will soften the crust and it will lose some of it's crispy flakiness, which is why I recommend serving it within about 5-6 hours of making it.

To serve, use a long, sharp knife to cut slices. I recommend going over each slice twice to make sure to cut all the way through the crust on the bottom of the pie pan. Use a pie server to lift each slice onto a plate and add a little more whipped cream, if desired. This isn't the easiest pie to slice and serve because the large chunks of strawberry have a tendency to fall as you transfer slices to plates, but the sturdy baked pie crust underneath and the sweet glaze should help hold them together.

Best Strawberry Pie Recipe Storage

How long does fresh strawberry pie last in the fridge?

I've kept this as long as 2 or 3 days in the fridge and it is still delicious, although not as good as it is on Day 1. The crust starts to soften and can get a little soggy over time. It's still a tasty pie, but just be aware that this isn't the best option for making ahead, unless you want to make your crust in advance so all you have to make the day you want to serve the pie is the filling.

Fresh Strawberry Pie FAQs

More Strawberry Recipes For Strawberry Season

• Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
• Strawberry Pretzel Icebox Pie
• Spring Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

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