Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
Total Time
9 hours (includes refrigeration)
Prep Time
55 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(42)
Ingredients
one 9-inch pie
- 1.5 lbs (24 ounces or about 680 grams) fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) water
- 1.5 Tablespoons (11g) cornstarch
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (240ml) cold heavy cream
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Optional for topping: homemade whipped cream
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Preparation
Step 1
Make the strawberry topping first so it can cool: Chop some of the strawberries until you have 1 cup. Quarter the remaining strawberries and set aside. Lightly mash the chopped strawberries. Mix cornstarch and water together until dissolved. Warm mashed strawberries, cornstarch mixture, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until boiling, stirring often. Boil 1 minute until thick like jam. Remove from heat, stir in lemon zest, and cool completely. Transfer to a bowl out of the saucepan to speed cooling.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Step 3
Make the crust: If starting with full graham crackers, use a food processor to grind them into fine crumbs. Stir crumbs and sugar together, then stir in melted butter. Pour into a 9-inch pie dish and pat down evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, remove, and cool for 15 minutes.
Step 4
Make the filling: Whip cold heavy cream into stiff peaks and set aside. Beat cream cheese until smooth, then add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat until combined. Fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined.
Step 5
Assemble layers: Spread cream cheese filling into slightly cooled crust. Fold quartered strawberries into cooled strawberry mixture and spoon on top of filling.
Step 6
Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours. The longer refrigerated, the better the pie will set up.
Step 7
Feel free to garnish the pie with whipped cream before serving. Using a clean sharp knife, cut into slices for serving. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean between each slice. Tip: The first slice is never pretty!
Step 8
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Chef's notes
Make Ahead Instructions:
You can prepare the cooked strawberry mixture 1–2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate before using. Prepare the crust up to 2 days in advance. Cover and store baked and cooled crust at room temperature. Warm in the oven before adding the filling. Prepare the filling 1 day in advance and refrigerate.
Special Tools:
Pastry Cutter, Potato Masher, or Fork | Glass Mixing Bowls | Small Saucepan | Food Processor | 9-Inch Pie Dish | Electric Mixer | Silicone Spatula | Offset Spatula | Piping Bag | Wilton 1M Piping Tip
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries? Frozen strawberries work, but fresh strawberries hold better shape. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry before starting.
Cream Cheese:
Use brick cream cheese, not spreadable cream cheese.
Other Pie Crust:
Swap the graham cracker crust for traditional pie crust. Fully par-bake the pie crust.
Non-US Readers:
If graham crackers aren't available, use digestive biscuits. Use 200g ground digestive biscuit crumbs, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 6 Tablespoons melted butter. Pre-bake the crust longer, about 16-17 minutes.
Can I make this with other berries? Yes, try blueberries or the similar blueberry cream cheese pie.
