How To Make Strawberry Pie With Graham Cracker Crust

If you are interested in how to make strawberry pie with graham cracker crust, you should definitely continue reading.

This strawberry pie recipe with graham cracker crust will outperform any recipe you’ve ever tried. It’s delicious, easy to make, and so eye-catching once it’s finished.

Mom’s Famous Strawberry Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

My Mom’s famous Strawberry Pie has been my favorite dessert for decades! The fresh strawberry filling is absolutely to-die-for! Pile it up in a buttery graham cracker crust and you’ve got THE BEST Strawberry Pie ever!

This is the most requested dessert recipe that I make! I’ve served it dozens of times for birthday celebrations, bbq’s and summer dinner parties. And it’s always a hit!

On a warm summer day at my parents house in Oklahoma, you’ll find my Dad whipping up his famous BBQ Baked Beans and Onion Fried Burgers outside on the grill. While my Mom is in the kitchen whipping up her famous fresh strawberry pie.

Growing up, this was a combination of foods that I came to know and love! Now, I get to share these recipes with my friends and neighbors in California. And virtually with all of you!

Whenever I’m hosting a BBQ or birthday party at my house, I always get asked to make my Mom’s Strawberry Pie. It’s become a hit with my friends and I’m so excited for you all to make it at home!

This strawberry pie recipe contains no jello! It’s filled with fresh berries, a dash of cornstarch to thicken the filling, sugar and fresh lemon juice. This creates the perfect pie filling that tastes both perfectly sweet and fresh!

What you’ll need

• Graham Cracker Crumbs – these crumbs are now conveniently sold in a box at most major grocery stores in the baking aisle. If you can’t find the crumbs, simply purchase whole graham crackers and use a food processor to turn them into crumbs.
• Granulated Sugar
• Unsalted Butter
• Fresh Strawberries
• Corn Starch
• Lemon Juice
• Mixing Bowl & Spatula
• 9″ Pie Plate – this is a standard pie plate size. No need to measure your pie plate, unless it’s not a standard size!
• Knife and Cutting Board
• Large Skillet
• Potato Masher – this is the easiest tool to mash the strawberries. Don’t have one? No worries, you can use a muddler or a fork, if that’s all you have!

Step by step instructions

1. Prepare the graham cracker crust. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until a buttery, crumbly texture forms. Press the crust into the bottom and sides of a pie plate. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes. Set aside and cool completely before adding the strawberry filling. (See image 3 above.)
2. Prepare the fresh strawberries. Remove the stems and slice all of the strawberries in half. Set aside about a dozen of the best looking strawberry halves for topping the pie. Add the remaining fresh strawberries to a large skillet, off the stove.
3. Prepare the strawberry filling. Add sugar and cornstarch to the strawberries in the skillet. Use a potato masher (or muddler or fork) to mash the strawberries into a thick, slightly chunky consistency. (See image 1 above.)
4. Cook the strawberry filling. Place the skillet of mashed strawberries on the stove over medium heat. Stir continuously until the strawberry mixture begins to bubble. Reduce the heat slightly and allow the berries to cook down to a dark, thick consistency. (See image 2 above.) Continue to stir consistently throughout this process, it will take 20-30 minutes. Remove the strawberries from the heat and stir in fresh squeezed lemon juice.
5. Add the strawberry filling to the pie crust. Allow the strawberry mixture to cool, off the stove at room temperature, for at least 30 minutes. Once cooled, transfer the strawberry filling into the prepared graham cracker crust.
6. Finish the pie with fresh strawberries. Add the reserved strawberry halves to the top of the pie. (See image 4 above.) Place the pie in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least one hour before serving.

Frequently asked questions

• Can you make the graham cracker crust ahead of time? Yes, you can make the pie crust up to 3 days in advance. Wrap the crust in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to add the strawberry filling.
• Can you use a traditional pie crust? Sure! Check out my Mom’s Cherry Pie recipe for her traditional pie crust recipe. Bake the crust then allow it to cool before adding the strawberry filling. Or you can use a store-bought pie crust for a short cut. I won’t tell my Mom! 😉
• Can you make the strawberry filling ahead of time? Also, yes! The strawberry filling can be made up to 3 days in advance as well. Store the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the pie.
• Can you add whipped cream? Ice cream? 100%! I’m so obsessed with this pie that I eat it just as it is. But if you were to throw some old fashioned homemade ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top, I wouldn’t hate that either!
• Can you reduce the sugar in the filling? Yes you can! Shhh don’t tell my Mom, but I’ve made this pie filling with only 1/2 cup sugar, instead of 1 cup and it’s still seriously delicious, just not quite as sweet!
• My pie is runny, what happened? I made this mistake the first time I made my Mom’s strawberry pie recipe. It still tasted delicious, but it was a runny mess! Mom’s advice? Cook the pie filling down until it’s thick and then cook it another 5 minutes, just to make sure! It will take 20-30 minutes to cook the pie filling down to the right consistency on the stove.

How to make mini pies

I’ve made this pie so many times and have found that when I’m taking it to a party, sometimes it’s easier to make mini pies to share! To turn this Strawberry Pie into a dozen mini pies, just follow the simple steps below.

• Prepare the graham cracker crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter to make the graham cracker crust mixture. Press the mixture into the bottom of 12 lined muffin tins. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Prepare the strawberry filling according to the recipe instructions.
• Assemble the strawberry mini pies. Once the strawberry filling has cooled, add approximately 1/4 cup filling to each of the muffin tins with the graham cracker crusts. Top each mini pie with a reserved half of a strawberry.
• Chill then serve. Place the mini pies in the refrigerator for at least one hour to chill. I recommend serving the mini pies with a plate and fork. They don’t stand up like a muffin or cupcake, so I don’t recommend eating them straight out of the muffin liner.

Strawberry Pie

My Mom’s famous Strawberry Pie has been my favorite dessert for decades! The fresh strawberry filling is absolutely to-die-for! Pile it up in a buttery graham cracker crust and you’ve got THE BEST Strawberry Pie ever!

prep time: 1 HR 15 MINS

chilling time: 1 HR

total time: 2 HRS 15 MINS

course: DESSERT

cuisine: AMERICAN

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted

Strawberry Pie Filling

• 4 cups fresh strawberries
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium mixing bowl.
• Mix until it forms a buttery, crumbly texture.
• Press the crust mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9″ pie plate.
• Place in the oven to bake for 6-8 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Set the pie crust aside to cool while preparing the filling.

Strawberry Pie Filling

• Wash the strawberries, then remove the stems and slice the strawberries in half.
• Set aside a dozen of the best looking strawberry halves to top the pie.
• Place the remaining fresh sliced strawberries in a large skillet, off the stove.
• Add the corn starch and sugar to the strawberries in the skillet.
• Use a potato masher (or muddler or fork) to mash the strawberries into a thick, slightly chunky consistency.
• Move the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat.
• Stir continuously until the strawberry mixture begins to bubble.
• Reduce the heat slightly and allow the berries to cook down to a dark, thick consistency. Continue to stir consistently throughout this process, it will take 20-30 minutes. 
• Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
• Allow the mixture to cool off the stove, at room temperature, for at least 30 minutes.
• Once cooled, transfer the strawberry filling into the prepared graham cracker crust.
• Add the reserved strawberry halves to the top of the pie.
• Place the pie in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least one hour before serving.

Notes

• Make Ahead: The pie crust and filling can both be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the pie.
• Pie Crust: A traditional pie crust can be used in place of the graham cracker crust. After the pie crust has baked in the oven, allow it to cool before adding the strawberry filling.
• Less Sugar: The sugar in the pie filling can be reduced to 1/2 cup for a lower sugar/less sweet pie.

FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE

This fresh strawberry pie recipe is a no bake delight that’s made with a graham cracker crust, loads of fresh strawberries and a sweet glaze. Top it with whipped cream for a show stopping finish to any meal!

Anything with strawberries is huge hit in my house.  This fresh strawberry pie is a favorite because the glaze makes the strawberries even more delicious.  Some other great recipes with strawberries are cheesecake stuffed strawberries and strawberry waffles.

I’ve been all about the berry recipes this summer, but I have to say, this fresh strawberry pie is the best yet! It’s a pile of fresh strawberries inside a graham cracker crust, topped with a flavorful glaze. And this strawberry pie also happens to be a no bake dessert, how can you go wrong with that??

HOW DO YOU MAKE FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE?

This fresh strawberry pie starts with a an easy homemade crust. It’s a simple combination of graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter that is mixed together and pressed into a pie shell. If you’re really pressed for time, you can use a pre-made crust, although the homemade definitely tastes better.

After the crust is chilled, a whole pile of strawberries go into it. The glaze is a mixture of cornstarch, sugar, water and strawberry gelatin, which gets poured over the top of the berries to get that classic bright red sheen. The glaze also helps hold the pie together.

TIPS FOR STRAWBERRY PIE

• Look for strawberries that are all similar in size. I like to use small to medium sized strawberries because it makes the pie easier to cut into.
• While I love the look of the whole strawberries, if you prefer you can use sliced strawberries.
• Want a chocolate strawberry pie? Use Oreo cookies for the crust instead of graham crackers.
• You want to chill the glaze to lukewarm temperature before you pour it over the strawberries. If the glaze is too hot, it could heat up the strawberries and make them mushy in the pie.
• While I typically make this pie with just strawberries, you could also try a combination of mixed berries such as blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.

SHOULD STRAWBERRY PIE BE REFRIGERATED?

This pie doesn’t have a lot of active prep time, but you do need to chill it in between steps. After the glaze goes onto the berries, the pie needs to chill for at least an hour so that the glaze can set. I recommend storing the finished pie in the refrigerator so that the berries stay fresh and the glaze stays firm. This pie can be made up to 3 days before you plan to serve it.

CAN YOU FREEZE A STRAWBERRY PIE?

I don’t recommend freezing this pie because the fresh strawberries will retain a lot of moisture and be soft and mushy upon thawing. Cooked pies are a better candidate for the freezer.

Right before you serve your pie, add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of fresh mint as garnish if you like. Then slice, serve, and wait for the rave reviews to come in!

STRAWBERRY PIE VIDEO

Fresh Strawberry Pie

This fresh strawberry pie recipe is a no bake delight that’s made with a graham cracker crust, loads of fresh strawberries and a sweet glaze. Top it with whipped cream for a show stopping finish to any meal!

 CourseDessert

 CuisineAmerican

 Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes

 Cook Time5 minutes

 Total Time1 hour 35 minutes

 Servings

 Calories310kcal

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 7 tablespoons melted butter
• cooking spray

For the glaze:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 3-ounce package strawberry gelatin
• 1 cup water

For the filling:

• 5 cups strawberries tops sliced off

For garnish:

• 3/4 cup whipped cream or whipped topping
• mint sprigs

INSTRUCTIONS

• For the crust: In a bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until thoroughly combined. Coat a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray and firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan. Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
• For the glaze: Place the sugar, cornstarch and water in a medium saucepan. Stir until smooth. Turn the heat on medium-high and bring to a boil, cook for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. 
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the gelatin, mixing until gelatin is completely dissolved. Chill the glaze for 20-30 minutes to cool.
• Arrange the berries in the pie crust and pour the glaze evenly over the top. Chill for at least one hour, or up to 3 hours.
• Top with whipped cream and mint if desired. Cut into slices and serve.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

A simple homemade strawberry cream cheese pie made with an easy graham cracker crust, a sweet cream cheese layer, and topped with fresh strawberries.  This pie uses no Jello, gelatin, or artificial add-ins, and a quick strawberry sauce serves as a sweet glaze for the berries.

When it comes to sweets, it’s pretty well-known in my household that I have a complete and utter lack of restraint.  Cookies, cakes, and pies (particularly strawberry cream cheese pies) need to be removed from the premises posthaste, or else it’s just a matter of time before I no longer fit through our doorways.  Zach must take care to monitor the ice cream in our freezer closely, otherwise I’ll whittle it down to nothing, one sneaking spoonful at a time (he’s actually really bad at this, there’s a carton of ice cream in our freezer with a single spoonful of chocolate ice cream left because I’ve eaten nearly all of it).

But my inability to control myself is possibly most evident during strawberry picking season.

Because when it comes to strawberry picking, I just cannot stop myself.  I will pick, and pick, and pick (and maybe sample a few, for, you know, quality control) until my arms are aching from the weight of my berries.  Zach and I brought home more berries than two people can be realistically expected to eat in a year, but within a week we’d worked our way through all of them — mostly courtesy of this Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie.

Strawberry picking is a tradition with Zach’s family that I’m grateful to have been absorbed into, and each year for the past three years I’ve shared a strawberry dessert with you.  First it was my Strawberries & cream daiquiris (I know, the photos could use a re-shoot), my homemade strawberry pop-tarts last year, and now this strawberry cream cheese pie.

Originally this year’s recipe was going to just be a plain Strawberry Pie, but when Zach’s mom mentioned that she’d had one before with a layer of cream cheese, I made the quick decision to re-route, and a fluffy layer of whipped cream cheese filling was the first thing to go into my homemade graham cracker crust.

It’s just four ingredients, and actually served as the inspiration for my no-bake cheesecake, which I shared with you last week.

We are using no Jello or gelatin in this strawberry cream cheese pie — no artificial flavors, just the pure juicy taste of fresh berries.  However, that means that we have to get to work making a simple strawberry sauce, and while this pie is no-bake, you will have to whip out a saucepan for that — don’t worry, it will only take a few minutes.

We’re going to cook the berries with some sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch (a thickener), releasing the fresh juice of the berries and reducing the amount of liquid for a strawberry sauce that we will toss even more fresh strawberries into.  Allow it to cool completely (once it’s finished cooking I usually pour the jam into a new heatproof container, that seems to speed up the process a bit since you don’t have to wait for the pan to come back down to temperature) and then stir in your berries.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

A simple homemade strawberry cream cheese pie made with an easy graham cracker crust, a sweet cream cheese layer, and topped with fresh strawberries in a homemade jam glaze.

5 from 80 votes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 515kcal

Ingredients

• ▢1 9-10″ graham cracker crust prepared (click on link)

Strawberry topping

• ▢5-6 cups quartered strawberries, stems removed divided (840g)
• ▢½ cup sugar (100g)
• ▢2 Tbsp cornstarch
• ▢1 Tbsp lemon juice

Cream Cheese Layer

• ▢8 oz cream cheese softened (225g
• ▢½ cup powdered sugar (65g)
• ▢½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢1 cup heavy cream (235ml)

Cook Mode

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Instructions

• In small saucepan, combine 2 cups strawberries (280g), sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice over medium-low heat.
• Stir frequently until strawberries release their juices.
• Use a potato masher to crush the strawberries until mostly liquid (it’s fine if small pieces are remaining).
• Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Boil (still stirring constantly) for 1 minutes and remove from heat, place in new heat proof container to cool faster.  Set aside while you prepare your cream cheese layer
• In a medium-sized bowl, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until combined.  
• In a separate, clean bowl, beat 1 cup heavy cream to stiff peaks
• Fold into cream cheese mixture — the resulting mixture will be thick and fluffy.
• Spread evenly into prepared graham cracker crust and place in refrigerator while your strawberry mixture continues to cool.
• Once strawberry mixture has cooled completely, add remaining srawberries and stir well. 
• Pour over cream cheese layer, piling/mounding strawberries towards the center.
• Return to refrigerator and allow to set at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) before slicing and serving.

No Bake Strawberry Pie

No Bake Strawberry Pie with graham cracker crust is one of the best desserts for summer. Made with fresh strawberries in a sweet strawberry glaze, this is a go-to summer dessert.

An Easy Summer Dessert

Summertime isn’t complete without a tasty summer fruit pie (like a classic Strawberry Rhubarb Pie); the easier, the better. This fresh Strawberry Pie with a no-bake graham cracker crust fits the bill perfectly.

My FAVORITE thing to make with freshly picked strawberries is this easy Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie, it’s the best way to kick off the strawberry season but having a great no bake pie in my collection is essential for hot summer days too!

Easy Strawberry Pie Recipe

This easy Strawberry Pie recipe is so simple to make with easy to find ingredients. The simplicity really allows the strawberries to shine all on their own making it the best way to enjoy any and all of your fresh strawberries.

How to Make Strawberry Pie

This easy pie has two simple parts, the crust and the filling (and of course whipped cream for serving).

How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust:

A homemade graham crust is thicker and holds up better than a store bought crust.

1. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl until moistened.
2. Press the graham cracker crust into a standard 9-inch pie plate to coat the bottom and up the sides.
3. Refrigerate to set.

How to Make Strawberry Pie Filling:

1. Puree strawberries in a food processor or blender.
2. Heat the puree with remaining ingredients except Jell-o (be sure to stir constantly).
3. Remove from the heat and stir in Jell-o. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir the remaining strawberries into the glaze to coat completely.
4. Fill the pie and refrigerate 4 hours.

Once chilled serve with whipped cream, if desired.

You can make this easy Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries (but fresh is best)! The strawberries won’t be as firm if you use frozen and the pie may weep a bit after a day or so. In a pinch, frozen berries will work.

This pie filling is easy to make, sets up beautifully and it tastes like summer!

How to Store Fresh Strawberry Pie

To keep your Strawberry Pie fresh, cover lightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Your pie will last up to 5 days in the fridge….if you don’t eat it all first.

This Homemade Strawberry Pie recipe is a great make-ahead dessert for your summer parties. It’s even better when made up to 24 hours in advance.

No Bake Strawberry Pie

 PREP TIME35 minutes

CHILLING TIME6 hours

TOTAL TIME6 hours 35 minutes

 SERVINGS8

Easy to make No Bake Strawberry Pie recipe with graham cracker crust is like a big bite of summer!

Ingredients

• ▢8-10 cups fresh strawberries about 3 lbs – rinsed, dried and hulled
• ▢3 tablespoons corn starch
• ▢1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ▢⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ▢⅔ cup water
• ▢3 ounces strawberry Jell-o

Crust

• ▢6 tablespoons butter melted
• ▢1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ▢¼ cup sugar

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, stir together crust ingredients until moistened.
• Press the mixture evenly into a standard 9″ pie plate being sure to coat the bottom and the sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Pick approximately 2 cups undesirable berries. In a food processor, process the strawberries until smooth until you have ¾ cup of puree.
• Whisk the ¾ cup strawberry puree with cornstarch, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan.
• Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly and bring to a boil. Let boil 2 minutes.
• Turn off heat and stir in Jell-o. Cool mixture to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Cut remaining berries in half if large. Stir together the berries and the glaze in a large bowl. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Spoon the berries into the pie shell. Turn the cut side of the strawberries down. Rearrange the berries to fill any holes.
• Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours.

Recipe Notes

Strawberry Pie can be made up to 24 hours in advance.