Fresh Strawberry Pie
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There is nothing like a sweet slice of my 4-ingredient homemade fresh strawberry pie recipe, made with juicy strawberries and strawberry jello in a perfectly textured pie crust.
If any of you have ever had the strawberry pie at Shoney’s or Big Boy restaurants, this is likely looking pretty darn familiar. As well it should because it is very similar to that pie, only better. Using my quick and easy mix in the pan pie crust, you can throw together this gorgeous pie quick as a wink!
You only need 4 ingredients to make my fresh strawberry pie recipe: strawberries, strawberry jello, cornstarch, and sugar. All it takes is a little patience and a little mixin’, and in no time at all your fresh strawberry pie will be ready to enjoy. I just can’t get enough of the flaky pie crust texture when it’s combined with the sweet-as-pie strawberry pie filling. This would be a beautiful dessert on any table, especially at family gatherings such as reunions, Mother’s Day, or cookouts!
I’m a pretty big fan of strawberry pies, which is evident by the number of different recipes I have on Southern Plate! Don’t forget to check out my strawberry jello pie and strawberry cream pie too.
Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh strawberries
- Strawberry gelatin powder (I use Jell-O)
- Cornstarch
- Sugar
- Pie crust (cooked and cooled)
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Pie
Rinse your strawberries, cut the tops off, and remove any bottoms that are on the un-pretty side.
Slice each strawberry in half.
In a saucepot, place your sugar, strawberry gelatin mix, and three heaping tablespoonfuls of cornstarch.
Stir that up.
Add water and place the saucepot over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
Yes, this means you’re going to have to stand there for a minute. I like to take this time to close my eyes and have a little mental recollection session as I go over all of the thoughts I haven’t been able to complete on that particular day because they were interrupted by family members.
Continue cooking and stirring this until it becomes clear and translucent as you’ll see in the next photo.
Remove this from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
If you want to do this quicker, you can always fill a bowl with ice water and dip the bottom of your saucepan down in it while you stir. You can also stick it in the fridge for a little bit.
Layer your sliced strawberries in the . Again, this is my homemade mix in the pan homemade pie crust, and it’s easy as…well, easy as pie, of course.
Yes, I’m corny sometimes but in this day and age, corny can be refreshing. Don’t you think?
When your liquid has cooled (room temperature is fine), pour it over the strawberries, making sure to cover them all.
I couldn’t leave out this photo, either. Isn’t this a beautiful pie?
I cover this and refrigerate it for several hours before serving.
In fact, it works beautifully if you make it the day before. Right before serving, you can top with dollops of whipped cream (here’s my ), if you like. Nothing wrong with gilding the lily!
This is my piece. But if you really want…
I’ll share. 🙂
Storage
For best results, eat your fresh strawberry pie within 24 hours. However, you can store pie leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Recipe Notes
- For added flavor, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the strawberry glaze.
- For a decadent dessert, serve your pie slices with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
Recipe FAQs
What pie crust do you use?
You can purchase a ready-made pie shell or make my mix in the pan pie crust, which is what I did. It works out wonderfully with this pie! I wanted a bit thicker crust so I made a double and then had room to play with it a bit at the top edges and make it prettier.
How do you thicken strawberry pie filling?
The cornstarch acts as a thickening agent for this strawberry glaze, to make sure the filling isn’t runny.
You may also like these recipes with strawberries:
How To Make Strawberry Jam; No Cooking, No Canning!
Strawberry Cobbler Recipe by Mama
Cream Cheese Strawberry Cobbler
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 3 tbsp strawberry gelatin mix
- 1 pint fresh strawberries
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 pie crust, cooked and cooled The recipe for my crust may be found here. I made a double recipe for a thicker, fluted crust.
Instructions
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and dry gelatin mix in a saucepot and stir together. Add the water and cook over medium-high heat until thick and clear, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.1 cup sugar, 3 tbsp strawberry gelatin mix, 3 tbsp cornstarch, 1 cup water
- Set this pie filling aside and let it cool.
- Wash and hull strawberries, cut them in half, and then arrange them in the pie crust. When the filling is cool, pour it over the strawberries. Cover and chill the pie in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve with whipped cream. Think of me when you eat a piece :).1 pie crust, cooked and cooled, 1 pint fresh strawberries
Nutrition
Hello Christy,
You were so kind to mention my new MannersMentor blog in your post! Already SoutherPlate readers have come knocking on my door. You’re right, you do have the nicest blog family ever!
I’m truly honored to partner with you, and I look forward to meeting you on your front porch next week!
Until then…
Blessings,
Maralee
PS: There will be Strawberry Pie on the McKee dinner table Tuesday night! Yummy!
Hey Maralee!!
Aren’t they the best??
I don’t know how I got so lucky but I am not about to question it!
I’m the one who is honored! You’ve already added grace and joy to my life and I am thrilled to know you’re going to be doing the same for my readers!!
Hope you’re having a great weekend, Maralee!
Let me know how you like the Pie!!! I may sneak down there and show up with Mickey to have a slice! hehe
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
So obviously I’ve not made a strawberry pie before so bear with my ignorance.
I picked bunch of my home grown strawberries yesterday. Washed them off in colander then let drain off water. No room in frig so put bowl under colander, placed plate over top and laid large plastic freezer block on plate. Then placed in front of air conditioner overnight. Kept them cool just great. So cut off tops and sliced them up today thinking of making pie. Some weren’t as ripe as others but thought ok
because (here’s my ignorance part) thought fruit baked in pie crust not added to baked shell. That or cook them in a sauce of some kind and pour into baked pie. SO now I’m stomped since don’t have any of gelatin mix you mentioned in your recipe unless small pig of dry strawberry jello powder will work instead. I was going to freeze the prepped berries and buy pie crust but now decided will use you pie crust in one pan recipe and make today.
Was concerned if didn’t cook berries down some on top of stove first the not as ripe berries would sour the filling, no? So PLEASE guide me on what I should do so don’t ruin all my strawberries that are cut up ready to do something with them! Thanks!
The strawberry jello powder is perfect and I’d just use them fresh just as the recipe calls for. There are always some that are sweeter than others so they balance one another out. The gelatin mix helps as well (jello powder = gelatin mix). Hope this helps! You got this!
Hi,
this looks fab!
Do you have a recipe that you can use sugar free jello instead of full sugar jello?
Thanks, Puppydogs
You know, I don’t and I really need to find time to adapt this one because I could happily eat the whole thing!
I’m not sure how the cup of sugar in the filling would do with splenda as a replacement but my guess is that it would still gel as long as you used the sugar free gelatin.
Whoever gets to try it first be sure and let us know and if its me you know I’ll report back!!
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
I made this pie when you first published it years ago and loved it. Then a friend dying of cancer invited some of her close friends over to say goodbye and we all brought desserts. She was able to eat and so so loved this pie. Thank you for playing a part in this sweet memory.
you can buy the glaze in sugar free. but here is a recipe that I have had for years . The thing that I remember is that is a little cloudy
Diet Strawberry Pie
12-oz can diet 7-up
1 small pkg. sugar-free strawberry jell-o
3 T. cornstarch
4 pkgs sweetener
strawberries
Mix 7-up and cornstarch, stir over medium heat until bubbly and thick. Sprinkle Jell-O and sugar substitute over mixture. Stir well until cool. . Finish as you would the regular pie
we’ve been on a strawberry pie kick here lately though after our last one I think we are burnt out for now. haha we make ours differently though, instead of the jello mix we just buy a strawberry glaze that they sell around here. I don’t know if they sell it elsewhere but I could probably just eat the stuff with a spoon. haha :p
I’ve seen that glaze! I have never bought it and primarily because, like you, I’m afraid I would just eat it all up myself!
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
Delicious! This pie looks so good and not hard to make at all!
Strawberries aren’t in season here though, I don’t know if it would work as well with frozen?
If you thawed them and drained them, the texture would be a little different but I bet it would work! I’d be sure to get the frozen whole ones, not the ones sliced and frozen in sugar and juice.
Can’t wait to have you stateside, Su!
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
Wow an easy semi healthy summer treat! Thank you so much! *drools* Even if My Son won’t touch it I will!
Hey, this is one time that picky kids come in handy – more for you!!!
Thank YOU!
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
Lol, picky son and my hubby didn’t want any!! I made two pies, (one was for someone else) I wound up using it as an excuse to go visit some people and had a great evening!
Oh boy! I can remember the Shoney’s Strawberry Pie now! And of course, the Hot Fudge Cake! I just bought 2 quarts of strawberries today. I can’t wait to try this pie.
Thanks, Christy!
Hey Norma!
You know, we still have one in our town. I haven’t been there in ages but we used to LOVE going for weekend brunch or on Wednesday nights when they have the breakfast bar! I need to go again!
When I was in sixth grade, my birthday fell on a school day and Mama and Daddy told me I had a dentist appointment that day and checked me out around lunch. I honestly thought I was going to the dentist but instead, they took me to Shoney’s for lunch :).
I always remember the hot fudge cake that day!
Gratefully,
Christy
I used to work at Big Boy! People went crazy for this pie!
I wonder what vegan gelatin is. I wonder if the Glucoman thickening stuff you recommended for the keto recipes would work. My Mom used tapioca but that can be tricky.
I believe they use Agar but that is just off the top of my head. I think the glucomanan is a brilliant idea! It would take some work to get it right but I’m not sure where you’d get the strawberry flavor for the gel then. You have me thinking on this!
Thanks Christy … you’re a sweetheart!
You’re not gonna believe this – I just made a strawberry pie too!! Ours are slightly different, but I told you we were separated at birth LOL…
Have a great week!! 🙂
You know, the day I made that pie two other friends made a strawberry pie as well!!!
We are definitely all on the same wavelength!!
I’m totally with you on the separated at birth thing! Reckon there is any chance that our natural parents were incredibly rich and we have some inheritance waiting to be claimed ? ~grins~
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂