Strawberry Pie is the perfect summer dessert - fresh strawberries swimming in sweet strawberry filling, nestled in a buttery, flaky crust.
It took me a lot of testing and experimenting to figure out the most foolproof method to make a perfect fresh strawberry pie - and how to avoid all the most common mistakes. I tested a lot of popular versions of strawberry pie and kept ending up with a strawberry filling that was too runny or too gelatinous.
After all that testing, now I can confidently say this is the best strawberry pie recipe out there - and it's going to help you nail it the very first time!
I'm convinced there is no better dessert to celebrate fresh strawberries during strawberry season. Though there are many fresh strawberry pie recipes out there that all use the same base ingredients, the methods can vary drastically and leave you wondering why your easy pie didn't turn out.
This fresh strawberry pie recipe goes deep into the science of why each small step is important, so you can master this queen of strawberry desserts with confidence.
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Why You'll Love This Strawberry Pie
- No strawberry jello or gelatin, just fresh, natural ingredients.
- Uses fresh, seasonal strawberries at their best for the perfect summer dessert.
- Flexible crust options - homemade, store-bought, or no-bake.
Ingredients for Strawberry Pie
We'll be using just a few simple, fresh ingredients to create this sweet Strawberry Pie.
- Strawberries - Fresh strawberries for a real strawberry flavor. Frozen strawberries won't work well because they release too much liquid, which can make the filling runny. Look for ripe, red strawberries for the best results. The farmers market will often have better quality strawberries than the grocery store.
- Sugar - Use white granulated sugar.
- Cornstarch - This will thicken the strawberry sauce so the pie will hold its shape.
- Lemon Juice - The citrus adds a touch of acidity to brighten up the pie and balance out the sweetness.
- Pie Crust - Use my flaky pie crust recipe, which goes really well with the strawberries, or a store-bought pie crust for ease. Alternatively, use a Graham Cracker crust instead to make this a completely no-bake pie.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Pie
This easy strawberry pie recipe has very simple steps, with a few important notes to pay attention to. Follow the step-by-step guide, and I'm sure this will be your new favorite pie!
Bake Pie Crust
Fully bake your pie crust, according to the instructions, until golden brown.
My flaky pie dough recipe is the perfect homemade crust, but you can also use a store-bought pie shell or a graham cracker crust for a no-bake version.
Prepare Strawberries
Wash and dry your strawberries, hull them (remove the green leaves on the top), and slice them in half.
Put half of the strawberries into a bowl for later, then place the other half in a medium saucepan with the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the water.
Cook Strawberries
Heat the strawberries on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and the berries start to release juices. At this point, you can mash them slightly with a fork or potato masher (it's easier to do once they are warm).
Let the strawberry mixture boil, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced slightly and has a syrupy consistency. This should take about 5-8 minutes of boiling. Don't reduce the liquid so much that the mixture becomes thick and jammy.
Thicken the Strawberry Filling
In a small bowl, mix the remaining cold water with the cornstarch to make a slurry. Gradually pour the cornstarch mixture into the mashed strawberries, stirring constantly but not vigorously. The strawberry mixture will begin to thicken almost immediately.
Keep boiling for 1-2 minutes until it has noticeably thickened, there are big bubbles bursting on the surface, and it is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch. Once the mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Cool and Combine Strawberries
Let the strawberry mixture cool until it is no longer hot to the touch (about 15 minutes). Then, pour it over the remaining strawberries and gently stir until all the berries are evenly coated.
It's important not to do this when the mixture is too hot, as it can cause the fresh berries to release extra juices, which will mess up the consistency of the filling.
Assemble the Pie
Pour the delicious strawberry pie filling into the baked pie crust, and spread it out evenly. Feel free to arrange the top strawberries into a pretty pattern, or just line them up to look a bit neater.
Let the strawberry pie cool to room temperature, then chill, uncovered, for at least 4 hours before serving.
Topping
For a final flourish, top with a dollop of homemade whipped cream - my Chantilly cream recipe works gorgeously with this pie.
Strawberry Pie Science
The thickening agent in the strawberry pie filling recipe is cornstarch. When cornstarch is heated, the starches bond with liquid and begin to swell, which creates a gel-like structure. This is the same process that happens when you add cornstarch to thicken a sauce when cooking.
However, cornstarch is a bit of a diva. It will only work properly if:
- It's brought to a full boil for 1-2 minutes
- There is enough free liquid in the filling for it to bond with.
- It isn't overcooked or exposed to too much acid, both of which can cause the gel to break down.
This is why in this recipe we reduce the liquid of the strawberries first, but only until slightly syrupy, so there is enough liquid to bond with the cornstarch. This means the strawberry flavor is intensified by reducing the liquid without overcooking the cornstarch, then the cornstarch is able to do its job before the lemon juice can interfere with the acidity.
They all seem like insignificant steps, but they happen this way for very calculated reasons!
Common Mistakes
This homemade strawberry pie recipe is incredibly easy, but there are a few common mistakes I see people make that are useful to know:
- Adding cornstarch incorrectly - Some recipes tell you to add the cornstarch at the beginning, along with all the other ingredients. Not only does this risk overcooking (see below), but cornstarch needs to be mixed with a cold liquid first, then gradually added to the hot liquid. Adding it at the beginning or straight into hot liquid can cause lumps or prevent it from working properly.
- Not chilling for long enough - The strawberry filling will continue to thicken as the mixture cools, so it's vital that it has long enough to chill, or else you will have messy, runny slices of pie. Let it chill for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, before slicing.
- Cooking for too long after adding cornstarch - Once the cornstarch has been added to the strawberries, limit cooking time to no more than 2 minutes. Cooking it for too long can break down the starches, preventing the pie from setting properly. This is why you want to reduce the liquid of the strawberries first before adding the cornstarch.
- Adding lemon juice too early - lemon juice brightens the flavor but lowers the pH of the mixture, which can weaken the starch gels. Add your lemon juice after the cornstarch has done its job to avoid interfering with the thickening.
- Adding the hot strawberry mixture to fresh strawberries straight away - If the mixture isn't allowed to cool slightly, the heat can cause the fresh strawberries to release excess juices, resulting in a runny pie.
Fresh Strawberry Pie Variations
There are lots of ways to change up this classic strawberry pie to make it your own! Try these next time:
- No-bake Pie - If you don't feel like turning your oven on in the hot summer heat, substitute the flaky homemade pie crust in this recipe for a Graham cracker pie crust. It's super quick and easy to put together and tastes just as good. Or for something a little special, try an Oreo pie crust for a chocolatey crunch.
- More Fresh Berries - Adding other types of berries to the fresh strawberry pie filling is a great way to really change up the flavor to make this dessert even punchier!
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie - Rhubarb and strawberry are always an incredible pairing, as the tartness of the rhubarb balances out the sweet berry flavor beautifully. It's a classic twist that takes this dessert to a whole new level.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mixing Bowls
- Potato Masher - Or a fork.
How To Store Fresh Strawberry Pie
Store your fresh strawberry pie in the refrigerator, covered loosely with plastic wrap. It is best consumed within 2 days of making it, as the strawberry filling can cause the bottom of the crust to go a bit soggy after that.
Homemade Strawberry Pie FAQs
If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered here, feel free to write it in the comment section, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Strawberry pie is best made with fresh strawberries. Frozen strawberries contain more liquid, which can cause the pie to be too runny to hold its shape.
Strawberry pie is thickened with cornstarch, which can be a little fickle if not used correctly. If the cornstarch is undercooked, overcooked, or introduced to something acidic, it can affect how well it thickens and sets. See my Strawberry Pie Science section above for tips on how to make sure your pie thickens properly.
You can make this pie the day before serving. The pie crust can be made a few days ahead of time, but I recommend pouring the prepared strawberry filling into the pie crust as soon as it is ready, as it will set in shape as it chills.
More Pie Recipes
Are you all about pies? Me too! Check out these sweet pie recipes:
Recipe
Strawberry Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Deep Dish Pie Crust Try my flaky pie crust recipe or a store-bought crust.
- 2 ½ pounds Strawberries 1200g (fresh)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar 200g
- ⅓ cup Water (cold)
- 4 tablespoon Cornstarch 32g
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Equipment
Instructions
- Fully bake your pie crust according to the recipe instructions. You can use my flaky pie dough recipe, or a store-bought pie crust. Alternatively, use a graham cracker crust for a completely no-bake pie. Let it cool.1 Deep Dish Pie Crust
- Wash and dry your strawberries, then hull them and slice them in half.2 ½ pounds Strawberries
- Put half of the strawberries in a bowl for later, then put the remaining half in a medium saucepan along with the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the water.1 cup Granulated Sugar
- Heat the strawberries on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and the berries start to release juices. At this point, you can mash them slightly with a fork or potato masher (it's easier to do once they are warm). You don't need to mash them completely to a pulp, just help to break them down a bit and the heat will do the rest.
- Let the strawberry mixture boil, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced slightly and has a syrupy consistency. This should take about 5-8 minutes of boiling. Don't reduce the liquid so much that the mixture becomes thick and jammy.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining cold water with the cornstarch to make a slurry, make sure all the cornstarch has incorporated in the water and there are no lumps. Gradually pour the cornstarch mixture into the mashed strawberries, stirring constantly but not vigorously. The strawberry mixture will begin to thicken almost immediately. Keep boiling for 1-2 minutes until it has noticeably thickened, there are big bubbles bursting on the surface, and it is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch.⅓ cup Water, 4 tablespoon Cornstarch
- Once the mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Let the strawberry mixture cool until it is no longer hot to the touch (about 15 minutes). Then, pour it over the remaining strawberries and gently stir until all the berries are evenly coated. It's important not to do this when the mixture is too hot, as it can cause the fresh berries to release extra juices, which will mess up the consistency of the filling.
- Pour the strawberry filling into the baked pie crust, and spread it out evenly. Feel free to arrange the top strawberries into a pretty pattern, or just line them up to look a bit neater.
- Let the strawberry pie cool to room temperature, then chill, uncovered, for at least 4 hours before serving, preferably overnight.
- Top with a dollop of homemade whipped cream for a finishing touch.
Savannah Sagretnem
The perfect Summer bake! Looks fab - thanks for posting ❤️
Lewis
What an amazing looking pie!
Chris Radwanski
As someone who has tried this firsthand, I can happily say it's the best strawberry pie I have ever tasted. I tried it with the chantilly cream and oh my goodness it was heaven.
Jules Grasekamp
I really hope you enjoy the extra science info and tips that went into this recipe. I'd love to hear how your strawberry pies turn out!