Glazed Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe
This glazed fresh strawberry pie has a retro feel, but is a delicious Spring or Summer pie. Fresh, ripe strawberries are coated in a glossy homemade strawberry glaze that highlights their natural sweetness without overpowering them. Finished with a generous spoonful of freshly whipped cream, each slice is perfect for an afternoon picnic, a backyard barbecue, or served alongside a cold glass of lemonade.
When people think of fresh strawberry pie, they’re usually picturing one of two versions. There’s this classic glazed fresh strawberry pie made with a cooked strawberry glaze, and then there’s another popular, easier variation, which I call Fresh Strawberry Jell-O Pie, where the berries are suspended in strawberry gelatin instead of a homemade glaze.
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What is Fresh Strawberry Pie?
The name “strawberry pie” can refer to a few different desserts. Most commonly, it means a baked fruit pie made with strawberries and sugar inside a double crust or lattice top, similar to a blueberry pie but made with strawberries instead. While a fully baked strawberry pie made with only strawberries is not as common today, strawberries still show up often in mixed berry pies and strawberry rhubarb pies.
To clearly separate this recipe from a traditional baked fruit pie, I call this pie a “Fresh Strawberry Pie,” a term widely used in blogs and cookbooks. Instead of a baked filling, this version highlights fresh, uncooked strawberries and is especially good when strawberries are at their peak seasonality.
However, to throw one more wrench in the mix, there are two common variations of fresh strawberry pies: one version uses a homemade strawberry glaze, while another version uses strawberry jello. They’re both delicious in their own way: the homemade glaze intensifies the strawberry flavor, while the jello pie provides a lighter, smoother texture and is simpler to make.
This glazed fresh strawberry pie recipe is for a fresh strawberry pie in a fully baked, flaky pie crust filled with fresh strawberries tossed in a sweet, homemade strawberry glaze. The pie is extra delicious when served with some fresh whipped cream to balance the sweetness of the filling.
The History of Fresh Strawberry Pie
Strawberry pie has existed for centuries, and baked fruit pies themselves have been part of American and European cooking for hundreds of years. A traditional baked strawberry pie made with sugar and a double crust would have been familiar from at least the early 1800s. However, fresh strawberry pie in the style we know today is a slightly more modern development.
One of the earliest published versions of a fresh strawberry pie appeared in The Rural Cookbook published in New York in 1907. However, that version was quite different from the versions that we tend to think of today. It calls for a blind-baked pie crust filled with strawberries, sugar, and whipped cream. The filling is topped with meringue and baked briefly, just long enough to brown the meringue. According to the recipe, the berries should not be fully baked if done correctly.
Recipes closer to this glazed fresh strawberry pie, where a blind-baked crust is filled with fresh berries coated in a cooked glaze, begin appearing at the very end of the 1930s. They became much more common in the 1950s. That timing makes sense. As refrigerators became standard in American kitchens, icebox pies and other chilled desserts grew in popularity. This glazed fresh strawberry pie has a bit of a character of a retro American diner dessert, and fits right in with mid-century American cuisine.
At the same time, an easier, retro variation was also gaining traction: fresh strawberry Jell-O pie. Instead of making a homemade glaze, home bakers could rely on packaged gelatin to suspend the berries. It’s a quick and reliable recipe that requires very little hands-on work in the kitchen, while still highlighting fresh strawberries.
Regardless of when fresh strawberry pies reached peak popularity, the appeal of sweet, ripe strawberries has never gone out of style. This glazed fresh strawberry pie is still one of the best ways to showcase fresh strawberries when they are in season.
Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe
Crust:
For a classic fresh strawberry pie, prepare one fully-baked pie shell. Glazed fresh strawberry pie is also equally delicious in a graham cracker crust, biscoff crust, Oreo crust, or any number of crumb crusts.
Glazed Strawberry Pie Filling:
Ingredients
- 2lbs Fresh Strawberries, hulled and divided
- 1c Granulated Sugar (200g)
- 4T Cornstarch (32g)
- 6T Water (90mL)
- 2t Lemon Juice (10mL)
1.
Cut 1¼ pounds of the strawberries in half and set them aside until you’re ready to assemble the pie. Cut the remaining 12 ounces of strawberries into small chunks.
2.
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the chopped strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
3.
Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until the sugar begins to dissolve and the strawberries start to soften, then crush the berries with a fork or a metal potato masher to release their juices.
4.
Add the lemon juice and water, and stir to combine and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the glaze comes to a boil. Once boiling, stir vigorously for 90 seconds to fully activate the cornstarch.
5.
Remove the strawberry glaze from the heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes, or until it is no longer steaming.
6.
In a large mixing bowl, gently fold the warm strawberry glaze together with the reserved strawberry halves until evenly coated.
7.
Pour the strawberry filling into your fully blind-baked pie crust and spread it into an even layer.
8.
Refrigerate the pie for at least 3 hours, or until the glaze is fully set.
9.
Top with dollops of freshly whipped cream just before serving.
Strawberry Glaze: Crushing Strawberries vs Using a Food Processor
When making the strawberry glaze for this fresh strawberry pie, it can be tempting to reach for a food processor or blender to get an ultra-smooth texture. However, crushing the strawberries by hand with a fork or potato masher gives better results for this recipe. Blenders and food processors whip air into the glaze, which creates tiny bubbles and can dull both the texture and the color. Hand-crushing the strawberries keeps the glaze clearer and gives it a brighter, more vibrant strawberry color.
If you prefer a completely smooth glaze and do not like any bits of fruit, you still have options. An immersion blender can smooth the glaze without incorporating as much air, since the blade stays fully submerged while blending. This helps maintain a better texture and color. Another option is to make a fresh strawberry Jell-O pie instead, which uses gelatin to suspend the strawberries rather than relying on a cooked fruit glaze.
How to Serve Fresh Strawberry Pie
- Whipped Cream: Whipped cream is the classic pairing for fresh strawberry pie. It gives the pie that slightly retro, summer picnic feel. You can top the pie with store-bought whipped cream if you prefer convenience, but homemade whipped cream comes together quickly and tastes much fresher. You can find my recipe for homemade whipped cream here. Serve each slice with a generous dollop.
- Ice Cream: On a hot summer day, a slice of pie à la mode is hard to beat. Serve with a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream for a classic flavor pairing, or use your favorite ice cream for a cool and simple finish.
Other Kinds of Strawberry Pie
Strawberries are a plentiful and popular summer berry, and there are many different summer pies that feature strawberries.
- Fresh Strawberry Jell-O Pie: Very similar to this glazed fresh strawberry pie, this variation uses strawberry Jell-O instead of a homemade strawberry glaze. It is a great beginner pie and a good option if you want a pie with a clear filling that holds its shape well.
- Strawberry Fruit Pie: Fruit pies are one of the oldest types of sweet pies and have been made for centuries. Strawberries have long been baked into double-crusted pies, either on their own or combined with other fruits.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie: Although the original “strawberry rhubarb” pies didn’t actually have strawberries in them, rhubarb pie with strawberries is a delicious and popular fruit pie flavor.
- Mixed Berry Pie: When you see “mixed berry pie” or “triple berry pie,” the usual berries are raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. That said, the pie is just as good if you replace the blackberries with strawberries or add strawberries as a fourth berry for extra flavor and color.
- Strawberry Cheesecake Pie: New York style strawberry cheesecake is a classic dessert. Making the dessert in a graham cracker pie crust eliminates the need for a water bath but keeps the same deliciousness.
- Frozen Strawberry Pie: Frozen pies are served straight from the freezer. The filling is sometimes ice cream, but not always, and they are an easy way to serve a chilled dessert without making ice cream from scratch. Strawberry is a classic flavor for frozen pies.
How to Store a Glazed Fresh Strawberry Pie
Fresh strawberry pie tastes best when it is well chilled. After assembling your glazed fresh strawberry pie, store it in the refrigerator between servings. The pie will keep well for 1 to 2 days in the fridge. For the best texture and appearance, it is best to enjoy this pie soon after making it. Over time, the cut strawberries will begin to release moisture and slightly shrivel. The homemade strawberry glaze helps slow that process compared to storing plain sliced strawberries, but the pie is still at its peak within the first day or two. Glazed fresh strawberry pie does not freeze well. Fresh strawberries lose their texture when frozen and thawed, which will negatively affect the filling.
We’d love to see your fresh strawberry pie creations! If you give this recipe a try, tag @doggone_baking on social media so we can share in the baking fun.
Fresh Strawberry Pie
Ingredients
- 1 Fully-Baked Pie Shell
- 2 lbs Fresh Strawberries, hulled and divided (900g)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar (200g)
- 4 tbsp Cornstarch (32g)
- 6 tbsp Water (90mL)
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice (10mL)
Instructions
- Cut 1¼ pounds (566g) of the strawberries in half and set them aside until you’re ready to assemble the pie. Cut the remaining 12 ounces (334g) of strawberries into small chunks.
- In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the chopped strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until the sugar begins to dissolve and the strawberries start to soften, then crush the berries with a fork or a metal potato masher to release their juices.
- Add the lemon juice and water, and stir to combine and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the glaze comes to a boil. Once boiling, stir vigorously for 90 seconds to fully activate the cornstarch.
- Remove the strawberry glaze from the heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes, or until it is no longer steaming.
- In a large mixing bowl, fold the strawberry glaze together with the reserved strawberry halves until evenly coated.
- Pour the strawberry filling into your fully blind-baked pie crust and spread it into an even layer.
- Refrigerate the pie for at least 3 hours, or until the glaze is fully set.
- Top with dollops of freshly whipped cream just before serving.
