The Perfect Strawberry Pie (and Tart!)

This is a great summer recipe. The secret is in the cream cheese/powdered sugar layer between the crust and the strawberries. This layer is so different from other berry pies and gives it a fresh sweet taste that makes you want to eat the whole dang thing. SO easy to make and actually pretty fast but it does need to sit in the fridge to cool down and set up.

This recipe comes from my Grandmother, we used to look forward to this pie every summer with fresh strawberries, which make all the difference! The fresher the better and the sweet/tart combination is incredible. Try it with peaches too! That’s my sisters fave!

Love at first bite, I swear. The buttery flaky crust, sweet cream cheese layer and sweet/tart fresh strawberries make this a home run in every bite!

Ingredients & Preparation

The Usual Suspects:

• One 9-inch pie crust, store bought or your favorite homemade crust
• Cream Cheese Layer
  • 1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, to make spreadable
• Strawberry Filling
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 2 cups cut strawberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Additional 2 cups cut up strawberries or more if you like for filling

The Plan:

• Bake the crust and let cool.
• While the crust is cooling, make the cream cheese layer.
• Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together until it is a mixed thoroughly and no lumps remain, mix in 1 tablespoon of the milk and check consistency. The cream cheese should be spreadable but not runny. If needed, add the second tablespoon to make it creamy and spreadable but again not runny.
• Spread the cream cheese mixture into the crust.
• Place some strawberry slices into the cream cheese covered crust and press just slightly.
• Make the strawberry filling.  In a heavy saucepan; add the water, cornstarch, strawberries and sugar.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat, let cook until thickened. Stirring constantly to prevent scorching. About 5 minutes.
• Let cool slightly and add the remaining strawberries and fold gently until well coated, being careful not to break the strawberries, you want them to retain their shape.
• Pour the strawberry mixture into the pie crust.
• Set in refrigerator until completely cooled and set. This pie tends to be a little jiggly, it’s part of its charm, but it tastes so fresh and fantastic, best when fresh in season strawberries are available.
• Slice and serve. Keep refrigerated.

So….Lesleigh, my little chef, took this recipe and made it into a tart.

Substitute the pie crust for sugar cookie dough. Use a tart pan with removable bottom. Press sugar cookie dough into the pan and bake according to package directions or your recipe directions.  TIP:  After the dough has started to cook you may want to add some pie weights or beans to the dough to keep it from bubbling up and having big poofs in your crust.

Let cool, spread the cream cheese mixture on the cookie dough and then add the strawberries filling.

Let set in the refrigerator until completely cooled. Then push the tart out of the tart pan and serve.
It really was a tasty change-up.  Kids always love to modernize old family recipes. I loved that she liked this recipe and wanted to make it her own with a little inspiration from her Great Grandmother. The only problem was that we couldn’t wait until it set and just dove right in. It was GREAT!!

Print Recipe

The Perfect Strawberry Pie (and Tart!)

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Dessert – American

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 30 Minutes – Cooking Time: 1 hour – Total Time: 1 hour 30 Minutes

Ingredients

• One 9-inch pie crust, store bought or your favorite homemade crust
• 1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, to make spreadable
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 cups cut strawberries
• 1 cup sugar
• Additional 2 cups cut up strawberries or more if you like for filling

Instructions

1

Bake the crust and let cool.

2

While the crust is cooling, make the cream cheese layer.

3

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together until it is a mixed thoroughly and no lumps remain, mix in 1 tablespoon of the milk and check consistency. The cream cheese should be spreadable but not runny. If needed, add the second tablespoon to make it creamy and spreadable but again not runny.

4

Spread the cream cheese mixture into the crust.

5

Place some strawberry slices into the cream cheese covered crust and press just slightly.

6

Make the strawberry filling. In a heavy saucepan; add the water, cornstarch, strawberries and sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, let cook until thickened. Stirring constantly to prevent scorching. About 5 minutes.

7

Let cool slightly and add the remaining strawberries and fold gently until well coated, being careful not to break the strawberries, you want them to retain their shape.

8

Pour the strawberry mixture into the pie crust.

9

Set in refrigerator until completely cooled and set. This pie tends to be a little jiggly, it’s part of its charm, but it tastes so fresh and fantastic, best when fresh in season strawberries are available.

10

Slice and serve. Keep refrigerated.