| Prep | 30 minutes |
| Cook | about 10 minutes on the stove for the glaze |
| Total | about 3 hours, including at least 2 hours in the fridge |
| Serves | 8 slices |
| Equipment | 9-inch glass pie plate, small saucepan, whisk, potato masher or fork, measuring cup for pressing the crust |
No oven, one small saucepan and a pie plate. That is all this fresh strawberry pie asks of you. The crust is graham cracker crumbs and melted butter pressed into the plate and set in the freezer. The filling is a heap of whole fresh strawberries held in place by a bright red glaze made from more strawberries, cooked for a few minutes on the stove.
There is no gelatin mix and no food coloring. The glaze gets its color and flavor from the berries themselves, so the pie tastes like ripe strawberries rather than strawberry candy. It needs a couple of hours in the fridge to set, which makes it easy to prepare in the morning for an evening dessert, and it slices into neat wedges with whole berries showing in every cut.
Ingredients
For the no-bake crust
- 1 1/2 cups (about 150 g) graham cracker crumbs – crush whole crackers in a food processor or in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin until fine and even.
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar – a little sweetness to balance the tart glaze.
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted – it binds the crumbs and firms up as it chills, which is what holds the crust together without baking.
- A pinch of salt.
For the strawberries and glaze
- About 2 1/4 lb (1 kg) fresh strawberries, roughly 3 pints – choose ripe, deep red berries; their flavor is the whole point here.
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar – use a little less if your berries are very sweet.
- 3 tbsp cornstarch – thickens the glaze into a clear gel that holds the berries in place.
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water – to dissolve the cornstarch.
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice – brightens the color and the flavor.
- A pinch of salt.
Whipped cream is the usual partner for serving. If you like a graham crust under a cold, creamy filling, our no-bake s’mores pie uses the same kind of crust.
How to Make It
1. Press the crust – then freeze 30 minutes
Stir the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt together, then add the melted butter and mix until every crumb is moistened. Tip the mixture into a 9-inch glass pie plate and press it firmly over the bottom and up the sides, using the flat base of a measuring cup to pack it down. Freeze for 30 minutes. The mixture should look like wet sand and hold together when squeezed; once frozen, the crust should feel hard to the touch.
2. Wash and dry the strawberries
Rinse the strawberries under cool running water, then hull them and spread them on a towel to dry completely. Set aside about 2 cups of the smaller or less pretty berries for the glaze. The berries going into the crust should be fully dry; water left on them thins the glaze and makes it slide off.
3. Make the glaze – about 10 minutes
Chop the reserved berries and mash them in a small saucepan with the sugar and salt until mostly smooth. Whisk the cornstarch into the water until there are no lumps, then stir it into the pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil, then keep stirring for 1 to 2 minutes more. Take it off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. The glaze is ready when it turns from cloudy to glossy and translucent and thickly coats the back of a spoon.
4. Cool the glaze – 15 to 20 minutes
Let the glaze cool in the pan, stirring once or twice. It should be warm, not hot, when it goes on the berries; hot glaze softens fresh strawberries and can loosen the butter in the crust.
5. Fill the crust
Arrange the remaining whole strawberries in the frozen crust, pointed ends up, starting at the edge and working toward the center. Put the larger berries on the bottom and fill the gaps with smaller ones, mounding them slightly in the middle. Halve any very large berries. The berries should be packed snugly so the pie holds together when sliced.
6. Glaze and chill – at least 2 hours
Spoon the warm glaze over the berries, letting it run down into the gaps between them, and use the back of the spoon to coat the tops. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 2 hours, or until the glaze is set. When it is ready, the glaze should look firm and jelly-like and should not move when you tilt the plate.
7. Slice and serve
Cut the pie with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between slices, and lift each wedge out with a pie server. Serve cold, with whipped cream if you like. If the first slice crumbles at the edge, let the pie sit at room temperature for 5 minutes; a very cold butter crust can be brittle.
Getting a Glaze That Sets
The glaze is the only part of this pie that can go wrong, and it almost always comes down to one of three things.
It was not cooked long enough. Cornstarch only reaches its full thickening power once the mixture boils. If you take the pan off the heat while the glaze still looks cloudy, it will stay runny in the fridge no matter how long it chills. Wait for the change to a clear, glossy gel, then give it another minute or two of stirring.
The berries were wet. Even a thin film of water left on washed berries dilutes the glaze where it touches them. The Iowa State University Extension recommends rinsing strawberries just before you use them, removing the caps after washing and patting them dry. Wash the berries first, then give them the time it takes to make the glaze to dry on a towel.
It was stirred too hard after thickening. Vigorous whisking once the cornstarch has set can break the gel down again. Stir steadily while it cooks, then just gently once the lemon juice is in.
If you enjoy desserts where the fruit is the star, our lemon meringue pie relies on the same cornstarch thickening, cooked on the stove until glossy.
Make-Ahead and Storing
Fresh strawberry pie is best on the day it is made. You can press the crust and keep it covered in the freezer for a few days, but assemble and glaze the pie on the day you plan to serve it, for the brightest berries and the crispest crust.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and eat them within 2 days. As the pie sits, the berries slowly release juice and the crust softens. This pie does not freeze well: the fresh strawberries turn soft and watery as they thaw.
For another cool, no-bake pie to serve at a party, try our grasshopper pie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Use them only for the glaze, thawed and mashed. The whole berries in the pie need to be fresh; frozen berries collapse and leak juice as they thaw.
Can I use a store-bought graham cracker crust?
Yes. A ready-made 9-inch crust works, though it is usually shallower, so you may not fit all the berries. Use the extras as a topping or snack.
Why is my glaze cloudy?
It needs more cooking. Return it to the heat and stir until it bubbles and turns clear.
Can I make it without the glaze?
The glaze is what holds the berries together and gives clean slices. Without it, you will have a crust full of loose berries, which is still good with whipped cream but cannot be sliced.
For a different fruit pie with a creamy filling, try our cranberry orange custard pie, and find more ideas among our dessert recipes.
Fresh Strawberry Pie (No Bake)
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt, then stir in the melted butter until evenly moistened. Press firmly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch glass pie plate. Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the strawberries, hull them and dry them completely on a towel. Set aside about 2 cups of the smaller berries for the glaze.
- Chop the reserved berries and mash them in a small saucepan with the sugar and salt. Whisk the cornstarch into the water and stir it into the pan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils, then stir 1 to 2 minutes more until thick, glossy and translucent. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice. Cool 15 to 20 minutes, until warm but not hot.
- Arrange the remaining whole berries in the frozen crust, points up, larger ones first and smaller ones filling the gaps.
- Spoon the glaze over the berries, letting it run into the gaps. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, until set. Slice with a sharp knife and serve cold, with whipped cream if you like.
Notes
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