Fresh Strawberry Pie
This is the classic American summer pie: a crisp, buttery crust piled high with fresh, barely-cooked strawberries suspended in a glossy ruby glaze made from the berries themselves. Because only the glaze meets heat, the whole berries stay bright, juicy and fresh-tasting, while cornstarch sets everything into clean, sliceable wedges. A cloud of lightly sweetened whipped cream is the only finish it needs.
Blind-bake a single all-butter pie crust at 200C/400F until deep golden, then cool it completely. Hull 900 g (2 lb) fresh strawberries, mash about 1 cup and leave the rest whole. Whisk 1 cup water, 150 g sugar and 3 tbsp cornstarch in a saucepan, stir in the mashed berries, and boil 1-2 minutes until the glaze turns thick and glossy-clear; off the heat, stir in a squeeze of lemon. Pile the whole berries into the crust, pour the warm glaze over to coat every berry, then chill at least 4 hours until sliceably firm. Serve cold with softly whipped cream.
- Cook the glaze until it is fully clear and thickened - undercooked cornstarch is the number-one cause of a runny, weepy pie.
- Dry the hulled berries well and use a fully cooled crust so the filling sets instead of sliding.
- Chill for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is better); slicing too early gives you strawberry soup.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie plate
- Rolling pin
- Medium saucepan
- Pie weights or dried beans
- Potato masher
- Whisk
Ingrediënten
All-Butter Crust
- 180 g All-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 12 g Granulated sugar
- 3 g Fine salt
- 115 g Unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 45-60 ml Ice water, as needed
Strawberry Filling & Glaze
- 900 g Fresh strawberries, hulled (about 6 cups)
- 240 ml Water
- 150 g Granulated sugar
- 30 g Cornstarch
- 15 ml Fresh lemon juice
- Fine salt
Whipped Cream
- 240 ml Heavy cream, cold
- 15 g Powdered sugar
- 5 ml Vanilla extract
Bereiding
- STAP01
Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and rub or cut it in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Drizzle in ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing, just until the dough holds together when squeezed. Press into a disc, wrap, and chill.
- STAP02
Roll the disc into an 11-inch round and ease it into a 9-inch pie plate; trim and crimp the edge. Prick the base all over with a fork, line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 200C/400F for 18 minutes, remove the weights, then bake 4-6 minutes more until the base is dry and golden. Cool completely.
- STAP03
Hull all the strawberries and pat them thoroughly dry. Set aside about 1 cup (150 g) of the softest or smaller berries for the glaze and mash them with a potato masher or fork until juicy and mostly smooth. Halve or quarter any very large remaining berries so they sit level in the crust.
- STAP04
In a saucepan off the heat, whisk together the water, sugar and cornstarch until smooth, then stir in the mashed strawberries. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and cook 1-2 minutes until the mixture turns thick, glossy and clear (not cloudy). Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Let cool 10 minutes.
- STAP05
Arrange the whole and cut strawberries in the cooled crust, mounding them slightly in the center. Spoon the warm (not hot) glaze evenly over the berries, gently turning a few with a spoon so every berry is coated and the gaps fill in.
- STAP06
Refrigerate the pie, uncovered, until the glaze is fully set and the pie slices cleanly, at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Do not rush this step or the filling will run.
- STAP07
Just before serving, whip the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Slice the chilled pie with a thin, sharp knife and top each wedge with a generous spoonful of whipped cream.
Make ahead
The crust can be blind-baked up to 2 days ahead and kept wrapped at room temperature, and the glaze can be cooked a day in advance and refrigerated, then gently rewarmed until pourable. For the freshest result, assemble and glaze the pie on the day you plan to serve it and give it at least 4 hours in the fridge to set.
Storage
Keep the pie loosely covered in the refrigerator. It slices best within the first 24 hours; after that the crust softens and the berries begin to release liquid, though it still tastes good for 2 to 3 days. Avoid freezing, as thawed berries turn mushy and the glaze weeps.
Variations
Strawberry Gelatin Glaze (extra-set, extra-red)
Skip the mashed berries and instead stir 3 tablespoons of strawberry-flavored gelatin powder into the hot cooked cornstarch mixture until dissolved. This gives a firmer, brighter-red, sweeter glaze - the diner-style version many people grew up with.
No-roll graham cracker crust
Swap the pastry for a pressed crust: mix 200 g graham cracker crumbs with 85 g melted butter and 2 tbsp sugar, press into the plate, bake at 175C/350F for 10 minutes and cool. Faster and no rolling required.
Gluten-free
Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the pastry, or build the pie on a gluten-free graham crust. The strawberry filling and glaze are naturally gluten-free.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Veelgestelde vragen
Why is my strawberry pie runny?
Almost always the glaze was undercooked. Cornstarch only thickens once it reaches a boil and turns from cloudy to clear, so let it bubble and stir for a full 1-2 minutes. The other culprits are wet berries and too little chilling time - dry the fruit well and give the pie at least 4 hours in the fridge before slicing.
Can I make strawberry pie ahead of time?
Yes, with a caveat. A fresh strawberry pie is at its peak the day it's assembled, once it has set for about 4 hours. You can blind-bake the crust and cook the glaze a day or two early, but hold off on filling and glazing until serving day so the crust stays crisp and the berries stay plump.
Do I have to use strawberry Jell-O?
No. This recipe builds its glaze from real mashed strawberries, sugar and cornstarch, which tastes fresher and less candy-sweet. Strawberry gelatin is only a shortcut for a firmer set and a more intense red color - see the variations if that's the look you want.
What are the best strawberries for strawberry pie?
Small to medium, deeply red, fragrant local berries in peak season are ideal because they hold their shape and taste sweet. Save any bruised or overripe ones for mashing into the glaze, and always taste first - out-of-season berries may need an extra spoonful of sugar in the glaze.
How long does fresh strawberry pie keep?
Store it loosely covered in the fridge and enjoy within 2 to 3 days. The first day is best; after that the crust gradually softens as the fruit releases moisture. Freezing isn't recommended because the thawed berries lose their texture.
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