Fresh Strawberry Pie

Fresh Strawberry Pie — This EASY strawberry pie is bursting with juicy, fresh strawberries and covered in a delicious glaze! Use a homemade flaky crust OR a refrigerated store-bought crust for this amazing pie that everyone LOVES! Only SIX main ingredients!

Easy Strawberry Pie Recipe

If you’ve ever wanted to make fresh, summery-looking strawberry pie but have been worried that it’s too complicated, think again! This easy strawberry pie uses just six main ingredients (because water doesn’t count!).

One of the ingredients is pie crust, but you can cheat and use a refrigerated store-bought pie crust to save yourself time. I am always a fan of shortcuts!

I adore that this pie is bursting with fresh strawberries and that it has a classic, almost retro vibe to it. It tastes like something out of grandma’s kitchen, and I promise everyone will go nuts for a sweet slice of pie.

Topped with whipped cream, whipped topping, or vanilla ice cream, you will just amp up the delicious factor.

If you happen to have gone strawberry picking or your eyes were bigger than your stomach at your local market, this strawberry pie recipe will take six cups of strawberries right off your hands.

Ingredients in Fresh Strawberry Pie

For this simple and pie (including the strawberry pie glaze), you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Crust  — a flaky homemade buttery pie crust is unbeatable or you can use a refrigerated pie crust
• Egg whites — brushed over the pre-baked crust to help seal it
• Granulated sugar
• Water
• Cornstarch — needed to thicken the glaze
• Strawberry Jell-O — lends added flavor and helps gel and set up the glaze
• Strawberries — this pie use lots of delicious, fresh, juicy strawberries. You can cut the strawberries, in half, quarters, or slice them up.

How to Make Fresh Strawberry Pie

Begin by baking the pie crust according to package directions. If you’re using a homemade pie crust recipe, check what it needs to be blind-baked but normally 15 to 20 minutes is all. Brush the baked crust with an egg wash and bake for another 3 minutes.

Then, add all your fresh strawberries to the baked crust and set it aside.

To a small saucepan, add the sugar, water, cornstarch and heat over medium heat until everything dissolves. Stir in the Jell-O.

Allow the strawberry pie glaze to cool until it is barely warm. However, you don’t want the sauce to set, so keep an eye on it.

Pour the strawberry pie glaze over the berries, making sure to try to coat them all.

Refrigerate the fresh strawberry pie with Jell-O for at least 1 hour before serving. Top with whipped cream, whipped topping, or ice cream before diving in! 

What Kind of Pie Crust Should I Use? 

You can use either a homemade pie crust or a store-bought crust. I recommend an all-butter flaky crust like my Easy Flaky All Butter Pie Crust, or feel free to use a refrigerated pie crust.

What Size Pie Plate Should I Use? 

This pie will make one large 9.5-inch pie baked in a 9.5-inch glass pie plate. Or, you can use two disposable 9-inch foil pans since they are much more shallow.

Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Strawberries?

I have only made this recipe with fresh strawberries and highly recommend going with them. Make the pie in the spring and summer when strawberries are juicy, plentiful, and much more economical than at other times of the year.

I’ve never tried using frozen berries so I can’t comment as to how they will work or not.

Do I Have To Use Cornstarch?

Yes, corn starch is necessary. While all-purpose flour is a great thickener, you will need to use cornstarch in this recipe because it keeps the glaze nice and bright whereas flour would cloud the strawberry pie glaze.

Apart from the appearance, cornstarch also helps the sauce set up and have body so it’s not runny.

Can This Pie Be Made with a Graham Cracker Crust? 

Yes, but I haven’t personally tried so can’t say for 100% certainty. If you’re doing it that way, I would use my key lime pie recipe as a guideline as it uses a graham cracker crust. 

Can I Add Other Berries? 

Most likely, yes. I should think any fresh berry would pair well with the strawberries. 

Is Strawberry Jell-O Required?

My recipe, yes, calls for Strawberry Jell-O. You need one 6-ounce box or two 3-ounce boxes.

Strawberry Jell-O boosts the overall strawberry flavor, and apart from that it also helps the glaze to gel and set up. 

If you live in an area of the world where you don’t have access to Jell-O, I am not sure if you can simply use, for example, double the amount of cornstarch or not.

Because yes, the strawberries have natural pectin which will help the pie set but again, I’m not sure if that is quite enough using the ingredient ratios I use here.

Plenty of fresh strawberry pie recipes exist on the internet without using Jell-O and perhaps you would want to consult one of those if you’re averse to Jell-O or can’t find it. However, my family loves this fresh strawberry pie with Jell-O as written!

Can I Use Another Flavor of Jell-O? 

I imagine you could mix and match the Jell-O flavor if you don’t mind your strawberry pie not tasting just like strawberries. However, I recommend making this strawberry pie with Jell-O as written the first time before your begin experimenting. 

Can I Use Sugar-Free Jell-O? 

I’ve only made this strawberry pie recipe with regular Jell-O, but sugar-free would likely work too. I can’t say for certain though.

How to Store Strawberry Pie 

Cover the pie with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for best results. Not to mention, there is something about chilled strawberry pie when the weather is warm that is such a perfect contrast.

Fresh strawberry pie will keep for 1 to 2 days if left out at room temperature. However, it will keep for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator, which is why I recommend refrigerated storage.

Can This Recipe Be Made in Advance? 

There is no harm in making this pie the night before if you’re serving it for an event, and allowing it to chill overnight in the fridge and really solidify.

Tips for Making Strawberry Pie with Jell-O 

When baking the pie crust, fill the bottom of the crust with dry beans. Or you can place a piece of tinfoil down first and then add the beans. They weigh the crust down so it bakes more evenly.

Make sure the glaze has cooled to just slightly warm before pouring over the strawberries.

If the strawberry pie glaze is too warm, the strawberries will start to actually cook, and then release their natural juices, sometimes called “weeping,” which causes the pie to seem runny and the crust to get soggy.

Let the pie chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before cutting into it so the glaze has time to really set up.

More Easy Pie Recipes:

ALL OF MY STRAWBERRY RECIPES! 

Easy Flaky All Butter Pie Crust — This perfect pie crust is so FLAKY and BUTTERY! It’s EASY, no-fuss, and foolproof! It’s great pre-baked to use in no-bake pies or for double-crust pies!

Rhubarb Berry Pie – A classic, EASY, fruit pie made with rhubarb, strawberries, and blueberries! Sweet yet a bit tart, very juicy, and a PERFECT spring or summer dessert! Use a store bought pie crust to save time!

Cherry Cream Pie — An old-fashioned pie with homemade scratch crust topped with NO-BAKE layers of sweetened cream cheese along with juicy cherry pie filling!!

Key Lime Pie – This sweet and tart pie is a family FAVORITE!  The recipe has been handed down from my grandma who made this pie for 40 years! An EASY graham cracker crust is filled with a creamy lime filling and topped with a fluffy meringue! Not too tart, not too sweet, just PERFECT!

Sugar Cream Pie— This sugar cream pie reminds me a bit of crème brûlée. The filling is custard-like, and when topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon it’s irresistable! 

Crustless Fresh Strawberry Pie — FAST, super EASY, no-mixer dessert that’s perfect for summer entertaining, picnics, or potlucks!! Somewhere in between pie, cake, and blondies is what you get with this FABULOUS recipe! Take advantage of those FRESH strawberries!!

Crustless Blueberry Pie – a FAST, crustless, no-mixer dessert that’s perfect for summer entertaining, picnics, or potlucks!! Somewhere in between pie, cake, and blondies is what you get with this FABULOUS blueberry dessert recipe! Take advantage of those FRESH blueberries!!