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!
Table of Contents
- Recipe for Strawberry Pie without Jell-O
- Old Fashioned Strawberry Pie Ingredients
- How to make Strawberry Pie
- Old Fashioned Strawberry Pie Glaze from Scratch
- Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe Tips
- Serving Fresh Strawberry Pie
- Best Strawberry Pie Recipe Storage
- Fresh Strawberry Pie FAQs
- More Strawberry Recipes For Strawberry Season
- Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe Recipe
- More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
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.
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!
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 favorite pie 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
Many strawberry pie recipes use strawberry jello in the filling, but for this fresh strawberry pie filling recipe we are just using pureed fruit, sugar, and corn starch to thicken it. I love the fresh flavor of the natural fruit in this simple strawberry pie!
The most popular options for thickening fruit pies are cornstarch, flour, quick-cooking tapioca, and Instant ClearJel. I have used them all and typically like cornstarch as the thickening agent for most of my pies because of its easy accessibility since I always have some in my pantry.
The most common reason for a pie to turn out runny is not cooking the strawberry filling long enough. It needs to thicken before removing from the heat and cooling to add to the strawberries. But also keep in mind that when cut strawberries are exposed to sugar, it will draw out their natural juices, which could make the pie runny as well.
Blind baking the pie crust until it is golden brown and crisp will help, but if you really need to make your strawberry pie in advance and don’t want it getting soggy, you might try melting some chocolate or white chocolate and spreading a thin layer on the bottom of the cooled, baked crust before filling. Once the chocolate sets up, it creates more of a barrier between the flaky pie crust and the fruit that will help prevent the crust from getting soggy. I sometimes use this technique when making a fruit tart and it would work here as well.
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
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe
Equipment
- 9-inch Pie Plate (My favorite one!)
- Pie Weights (You really need 2-3 sets of these for one pie. No idea why they don't just sell them that way.)
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 1/4 cups (156g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 6 Tablespoons (114g) cold salted butter cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening chilled
- 3-4 Tablespoons ice water
Filling
- 8 cups fresh strawberries washed and hulled
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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).1 ¼ cups (156g) all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt, 6 Tablespoons (114g) cold salted butter, ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- 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.3-4 Tablespoons ice water
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Line the pie shell with a double layer of aluminum foil, 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.
Filling
- Wash and hull the strawberries by removing the green leaves at the top with a small paring knife.8 cups fresh strawberries
- Puree 1 cup of the strawberries in a food processor (affiliate link) or by mashing thoroughly with a fork.
- 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.¾ cup granulated sugar, 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, ½ cup water
- Meanwhile, cut any larger strawberries in halves or even fourths and place in a large bowl. Add the glaze 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 in the pie shell first, then spoon the glaze over the top. Chill for 2 hours until set.
- Prepare the whipped cream by beating the 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 hours of chilling for the best results.1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Video
Nutrition
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Fresh strawberry pie is one of my favorites.
I have been wanting to make this pie forever! Looks like you hit the nail right on the head. Can’t imagine a better-looking strawberry pie!!
I love that this recipe doesn’t use jello! I always love the look of this pie, but the jello turns me off! This is going to be a staple summertime dessert!
Do you think this would work with blackberries? Also, can tapioca work in place of cornstarch? Thanks!!
Yes, I think this could work with blackberries. Although I don’t know that tapioca and cornstarch would work as substitutes in this particular instance. But I haven’t tried it and don’t use tapioca all that often, so I can’t say for sure.
Thank you so very much for posting this recipe! I looked through so many recipes for fresh strawberry pie but each and every one of them used cello. I really didn’t want to make a pie with jello. Like you wrote Jello definitely has its place but I don’t want it in my fresh strawberry pie
Is that a deep dish pie plate?
No, it’s just a regular one.
I’m not sure about the measurements for the strawberry purée. Do you use enough strawberries so you end up with one cup of purée. I’m making two pies and I chopped up two cups. When I puréed them I only had 1 1/4 cups of purée
Yes, you want 1 cup of puree for each pie.
Tapioca is a great thickening agent. I use it regularly. It’s especially good when you make a pineapple cream pie. Doesn’t change the flavor but it does add a little texture so I wouldn’t recommend using for the satiny gloss of a strawberry glaze.
Thank you! That’s good to know!
To prevent a soggy crust, brush an egg wash on the crust and bake for 3-5 minutes until dry. Cool and fill as instructed.
Awesome! I made two of these strawberry pies last night and nothing but rave reviews. I had whole wheat crusts in the freezer, so of course used them. The pies were so fresh and just the right amount of sweetness.
I made this today. The flavor was perfect. My only problem was that the glaze was slightly thick. So next time I will add a little more water. I am so happy to find this recipe. I may try it with fresh peaches. It reminds me of the pie from Marie Callender’s restaurant
This pie instantly became my all-time favorite dessert. That is no easy feat, i love dessert!! It’s so simple, but the strawberry flavor is amazing! My first time making it i had subpar strawberries, but it was still phenomenal!
I’m so glad you loved it!
This looks glorious! I’m making this pie for my birthday today! Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Turned out amazing! Recipe is a keeper!
This pie is chilling in my fridge right now. I used Sweet Sweet Strawberries from my farmer and made my own crust. Otherwise, I didn’t change a thing. Sadly, I had glaze issues. It became a concrete mess that couldn’t be spooned over my berries even after I thinned it out with OJ. I had to dump my gorgeous arrangement and settle for a gloppy mess covered in pink mud. Not sure what I did wrong in the process, but I’m hoping the taste is there: I usually don’t bake for aesthetics, but in this case, I actually braided the top crust to compliment the pretty berries, so I was especially bummed when I had to dump the berries out to coat them- I decided I can cover my mishaps with whipped cream. I will make this recipe again, just to see if the second times a charm.
ADDING REPLY: pie was absolutely delicious – everyone loved it and the thicker glaze was not a problem.
If I wanted to make ahead. How many days would it stay good for?
I wouldn’t make this pie more than 1 day in advance.
Are you using a 10 inch pie pan or a 9 inch?
Mine is a 9-inch.
I’ve made this pie twice this summer. It is simple and delicious. A hit with my family and teenage kids.
This pie was delicious, but my glaze was thick and gloppy. It had the consistency of jam. I see from other comments that I was not alone in having this problem. I think next time, I will reduce the cornstarch down to 2 tablespoons and maybe even only one tablespoon. I’d prefer my glaze to be pourable.
My gel did not turn translucent what happened
If it stayed cloudy that means it needed to cook a bit longer.
If I knew how easy this pie is to make I would have made open long ago. As it is, this is my first and it is delicious! I will be making vegan whipped cream to make it all plant-based. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
This is approx the same recipe I use every summer. This year I have not had a chance to make it, and I am finally getting around to making one today with some beautiful fresh local berries I have obtained! A nice little flavour twist- replace the vanilla with almond extract. Delicious!
I made your recipe for strawberry pie today and it was fabulous. My guests said that it was the most amazing pie they ever tasted! That is saying a lot because I have to uphold my reputation as THE BAKER whenever there is a get-together or a party!!! Thank you for this recipe. Now I will have to try some of your other ones.
I love hearing this! Thank you so much for letting me know!
The first time I made this recipe, the filling didn’t turn translucent. I just used a fork, so I tried my small electric hand held food precessor, and it still didn’t turn translucent, even after I cooked it for over half an hour. I’m going to make it again and if the Vitamix we have can’t even blitz the strawberries enough to turn them translucent, I just really think it’s a fluke then that the filling turned in the first place. Or maybe something with the water. Either way though, I’m still rating this 5 stars because it tastes phenomenal and just like how I remember Marie Callender’s tasting when they had the restaurant here! If I was any good with breads, I’d do that from scratch too, but I can do every other form of cooking, so that doesn’t bother me too much haha
I think I overcooked the glaze — it was too thick and didn’t pour over the strawberries; I had to spoon it over them. I am anxious to see how it tastes though. Thank you for this non-jello recipe!
Why did my purée when boiled did not turn trancusate ,,It did thicken but it seemed jelly like, iS this the way it’s suppose to be,…..?Thank you,
“If that’s what you have to work with,” was that totally necessary? I can’t afford an expensive food processor and that comment really hurt my feelings. You kind of sucked the excitement out of trying this recipe.
I’m so sorry Jenny! I really didn’t mean it that way at all! I didn’t have a food processor for YEARS and was more trying to just express how it’s not necessary to have one and that this recipe (like so many) can be made without the fancy gadgets and tools that some bakers rely on. A good old fashioned masher can definitely do the trick and just requires a little extra elbow grease than blitzing things in a food processor.
Amy, any thoughts on those of us whose glaze was too thick and not pourable as yours is in your wonderful video? The pie is absolutely delicious but I want a pourable glaze as my glaze overly congeals. Thank you!
thanks for this great simple recipe and video, amy. it all came together so easily. i made the pie crust last night and also the puree. my blender left little bits of pieces of strawberry, which were fine. i put it together this morning and my husband is inhaling it right now. the only change i’ll make next time (probably next weekend after a trip to the farmer’s market) will be to halve the sugar. he likes things less sweet. thanks again!
My syrup after cooled down seems too thick what can I do to make it more pourable heat it up?
If it thickens too much, you can thin it out by stirring in a couple tablespoons of water at a time.
Delicious but didn’t hold shape when cut. Totally sloppy on a plate. It was in the fridge for 5hrs.
I’ve made this recipe several times. It’s soooo good! Perfect summer pie. I really love that It’s a no jello recipe. Sometimes I make extra sauce to go on the strawberry filling. We love it! Thank you
Looked at many recipes before I decided on yours. My daughter and I are going to make it tomorrow. Sounds easy and looks good!!
The filling was great! However I used the grams measurements for the flour on the crust and ended up having to remake it. It was super wet and I only added 1 Tablespoon of water. Otherwise it was great!
This pie reminds me of a Tippin’s pie I used to eat growing up in the Midwest. I now live in the AZ, so no Tippin’s pie around. I’ve been searching for a recipe to try and create my favorite pie and this is the closest I’ve found. Most recipes call for jello and my favorite pie did not have jello. I had trouble with the glaze but I had enough strawberries to attempt it a second time and it was much better. I think I let it boil too long and it turned into a thick mess that did not pour. This is a recipe I will be in my favorites for sure. Definitely a five star pie!
Sounds like you made an amazing pie! I love that this one is Jell-o free. I’m glad this is now a favorite!
Have have made this multiple times and every time my gel has been think in the pan but gets thin and runny in the pie.
Are you using frozen strawberries? They can make it runny but the most common reason for a pie to turn out runny is not cooking the strawberry filling long enough. I would maybe try cooking the glaze a little longer and let it cool completely to hep it set. But also keep in mind that when cut strawberries are exposed to sugar, it will draw out their natural juices, which could make the pie runny as well especially if you have big juicy strawberries.