No Bake Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie is The BEST STRAWBERRY PIE you will ever have! No bake delight that’s made with a graham cracker crust, filled with lemony cream cheese layer and topped with a mountain of juicy fresh strawberries.
Summer is the time for all things strawberry.
The fruit vendors on the street and the farmers markets are bustling with pints of ripe, bright red, juicy strawberries. The best berries are the ones that you can smell before you see, the berries that, regardless of size, are firm and juicy and vibrant ruby red throughout the entire berry. They’re succulent, not crunchy, with an intensity of flavor that explodes in your mouth. Indeed, those are the kind of berries you want for this pie.
Just don’t be afraid to ask for a sample before you buy. 🙂
I’ve taken to buying extra pints because I have big plans for strawberries this summer, and they start now.
HOW DO YOU MAKE NO BAKE CREAM CHEESE 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, place cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk into bowl of stand mixer or food processor, and blend until smooth and without lumps. Add in vanilla and lemon juice and blend until mixed. Pour immediately into crust and allow to set about 10 minutes.
After the filling is set, 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 NO BAKE CREAM CHEESE 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.
- You can also find deep dish pie pans, which will give you space for more berries than my shallow little tin will. Hence the range of berries in this recipe. Use your best judgement.
- The variation in the amount of berries in the recipe below considers a few factors: how big your pie pan is, and how towering you want your pie to be.
- While I typically make this pie with just strawberries, you could also try a combination of mixed berries such as blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.
No Bake Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 16-18 full sheets, crushed
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 8 ounce Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1/3 cup Lemon Juice
- 1-2 tsp Vanilla
- 2 cup Cold Water
- 3 ounce strawberry Jell-O gelatin dessert
- 5 tbsp Corn Starch
- 4-5 cups Fresh Strawberries
Instructions
- Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup of sugar and butter.
- Press into the bottom and sides of a buttered 9-inch pie pan. Place in refrigerator to chill.
- Blend cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth and without lumps. Add in vanilla and lemon juice and blend until mixed.
- Pour immediately into crust and allow to set (10 minutes).
- Place water, 1 cup of sugar, cornstarch, and jello into a small saucepan and whisk until cornstarch is disolved. Place over med-high heat, and heat until glaze is thickened and you can see a ‘faint line’ after pulling the spoon through the glaze.
- Allow glaze to cool about 10 minutes before pouring over fruit.
- Make sure the berries is well drained and heap onto pie. Pour glaze over fruit.
- Let cool in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until set.
