Strawberry Cream Pie
Strawberry cream pie is a no bake dessert made with a sweetened cream cheese filling. Chill it over night for the perfect make ahead party dessert.
I love cool and creamy party desserts, give me a spoon and let me dig in if the recipe involves sweetened cream cheese and whipped topping.
This juicy strawberry cream pie with a buttery graham cracker crust is on the top list of favorite options, especially when fresh strawberries are in season.
Lucky for us, frozen strawberries are available all year round. You may need an alternate garnish if you plan to use them, be sure to see my easy variations for suggestions!
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Why This is the Best Recipe
Strawberry cream pie is such a popular southern recipe for good reason.
I think no bake desserts are the perfect party dessert to make ahead but this is the best strawberry cream pie recipe because:
- Easy Prep: There is very little hands-on time to prep this recipe, most of the work comes in just waiting for it to chill overnight!
- Fresh Strawberries: There is nothing as delicious as a fresh, in-season strawberry when it comes to a strawberry dessert.
- 6 Ingredients: There are so few ingredients to this recipe, they all just help to make that strawberry flavor shine through.
- Cool and Creamy: When the heat rises, a refreshing chilled pie is the perfect answer to a family dessert.
Ingredients
To make this easy strawberry cream pie, all you need to have on hand is:
- Graham Crackers
- Fresh Strawberries: You could substitute frozen strawberries for this recipe but you'll need to thaw them first. You'll also need a different way to garnish the pie.
- Cream Cheese: I strongly recommend a full-fat cream cheese so the pie holds its shape.
- Whipped Topping: I strongly recommend a full-fat whipped topping so the pie holds its shape.
- Powdered Sugar
- Regular Sugar
- Fresh Lemon: Optional. I think the fresh lemon zest gives this strawberry pie an extra-summer flavor, but you could omit it if you don't have a lemon handy.
- Kosher Salt
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
The graham cracker crust will need one hour to chill before you can fill it so you'll want to prepare this first.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, pinch of salt, sugar, and melted butter with a fork.
Press it into a 9-inch pie plate and chill for one hour. You can read even more step by step tips on making a perfect graham cracker crust here.
Macerate the Strawberries
First, wash all the fresh strawberries. Choose the 4 prettiest berries to garnish the top of the pie and set them aside.
Chop the remaining strawberries and place them in a mixing bowl with the sugar. Stir together and let them sit.
The sugar will draw out the strawberry juices, otherwise known as "macerating the strawberries."
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Prepare the Strawberry Cream Filling
When you're ready to fill the pie crust, finish the strawberry cream filling.
First, place the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat them together with a hand mixer until smooth.
Add the lemon zest and macerated strawberries with all of their juices to the bowl and blend them together.
You want to see bits of fresh strawberry in the filling, so don't puree the strawberries. Just blend them together until the mixture is smooth.
Gently fold in the whipped topping.
Spoon the strawberry cream into the prepared graham cracker crust and smooth it out with the back of a spatula or knife.
Garnish the Pie
Slice the reserved fresh strawberries in half lengthwise and place them around the perimeter of the pie:
Chill the Pie
Now comes the hardest part . . . waiting for the pie to chill before serving!
The pie will slice best if it has a chance to chill for 8 hours. Even better, chill it overnight.
If you just can't wait, you can enjoy the pie right away but expect the strawberry cream to be much softer and not hold its shape very well.
Make Ahead Tips
This strawberry cream pie is the perfect make ahead dessert because it needs 8 hours of chill time. You're smartest to make it the day before.
To make the actual assembly of the pie go faster, you could prepare the graham cracker crust on Day 1.
Then prepare the strawberry cream filling on Day 2.
Serve the pie on Day 3.
You could assemble and freeze the strawberry cream pie but not with the fresh strawberry garnish on top.
Variations
This easy recipe is so delicious just as it is but you could have fun playing with some simple variations:
Chocolate Strawberry Cream Pie: Stir in mini chocolate chips to the strawberry cream filling or sprinkle them over the top instead of the fresh strawberry garnish.
Strawberry Lemonade Pie: Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the cream cheese mixture instead of just using the lemon zest.
Serving Suggestions
I served this easy strawberry pie for a fun family dessert. It was a refreshing treat on a hot summer day.
This would make an excellent potluck dessert or party dessert at almost any time of year.
More No Bake Pies
Looking for more easy no bake desserts? Don't miss these other family favorites:
More Fresh Strawberry Recipes
Looking for ways to use up all your fresh strawberries this season? Don't miss some of my favorite strawberry recipes:
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Cream Pie
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Pie Crust:
- 9 graham crackers about 1 sleeve of graham crackers, crushed
- 3 tbsp sugar
- Pinch kosher salt
- 6 tbsp butter melted
Strawberry Cream Filling:
- 1 (16 oz) container fresh strawberries
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 (8 oz) bricks of cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 (8 oz) container whipped topping like Cool Whip
- 1 lemon zested
Instructions
Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust
- Crush the graham crackers. In a large mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter with a fork until evenly combined.
- Pour the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and press firmly into place. Chill the crust for 1 hour.
Prepare the Strawberry Cream Filling
- Wash the fresh strawberries and choose 4 of the prettiest ones to garnish the top of the pie. Set them aside. Chop the remaining strawberries into small pieces and add them to a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Add the sugar to the strawberries and stir. Let them sit for 15 minutes so the sugar can draw out the juices.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth.
- Add the lemon zest and fresh strawberries with all of their juices. Blend together until the strawberries have been mostly broken up in the mixture.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping to the strawberry cream.
Finish the Strawberry Cream Pie
- Spoon the strawberry cream filling into the prepared graham cracker crust. Smooth it out into a pretty, even layer.
- Cut the reserved fresh strawberries in half lengthwise and place each strawberry half cut side down around the perimeter of the pie.
- Chill the pie for 8 hours or overnight before slicing and serving.
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