This fresh strawberry cream cheese pie combines a crumbly, buttery graham cracker crust, mousse-like whipped cheesecake filling, and a jammy strawberry topping made without artificial flavor. This is a great make-ahead recipe because it takes a while to set up, so it’s actually best made a day ahead.
No lie, when I first tasted this summery strawberry cream cheese pie, I said out loud to an empty kitchen: “Well this is the best pie I’ve ever had.” And, well, I’ve made many pies before.
Today’s pie closely resembles this blueberry cream pie; the filling is a light cheesecake/whipped cream hybrid, and we’re cooking the strawberry topping into a preserves-like consistency, before folding in more fresh strawberries.
Tell Me About This Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Texture: Oh, this pie sure delivers on texture! Enjoy 3 layers of very different textures in every magnificent bite. It has a crunchy, crumbly graham cracker crust, a creamy-yet-light whipped cheesecake filling, and a jammy topping made with plenty of fresh strawberries.
- Flavor: Do you like strawberries? Do you like graham cracker-crusted cheesecake, and cream pies? You’re in the right place. The filling is similar to no-bake cheesecake and has a delightful tang from the cream cheese and lemon juice. Lemon zest in the sweet topping keeps the natural strawberry flavor bright and fresh. I use it in the filling for these strawberry shortcake cupcakes, too. You could even mix up the flavor by using a Biscoff pie crust instead.
- Ease: You’ll bake the graham cracker crust and cook the strawberry topping on the stove, but the cheesecake filling doesn’t need to bake—just set up in the refrigerator. Since there’s a few different layers, read through the recipe before starting so you don’t get stuck in the process. A homemade whipped cream garnish is optional, if you want to dress it up a bit before serving.
One reader, Paula, commented: “The best pie my family has ever had! We all loved it. It was perfect! Two pies gone in two days!! Followed the directions and it came out just like the picture. ★★★★★”
Another reader, Mary Rose, commented: “This was perhaps the best pie I’ve ever made. Absolutely over the top. ★★★★★“
Success Tip: Temperature is Everything
You have 3 layers in this recipe and you need 10 ingredients total. Here are the layers:
- Fully Baked Homemade Graham Cracker Crust
- Mousse-Like Cream Cheese Filling
- Fresh Strawberry Topping
Even though it’s the topping on the pie, your first step is to make the strawberry mixture. The topping must completely cool before layering on top of the cream cheese mixture otherwise your pie will be runny and fall apart. Also, it’s ideal that the baked crust is still slightly warm when you spread in the filling so the filling can adhere. Follow the recipe below and you’ll be all set.
The great news is that many of the ingredients are repeated in each layer. Not pictured are 2 of the 3 graham cracker crust ingredients (the graham cracker crumbs and the butter).
Recipe Testing: Strawberry Topping
When I tested this recipe, my first attempt at the strawberry topping was too runny. I found what works best is using a mix of mashed, cooked strawberries (we’re basically making a simple homemade jam, or strawberry sauce), and fresh sliced strawberries. Let me break it down for you.
- Start with 1.5 lbs (24 ounces or about 680 grams) of fresh strawberries.
- Rinse and hull all the berries.
- Chop some of the strawberries until you have 1 cup, or 150–160 grams/5.5 ounces. We’re going to mash these (use a pastry cutter, potato masher, or a fork) and cook them with sugar, water, and cornstarch. Mix in the lemon zest and then cool completely. This will act as a binding to hold the rest of the berries together.
- Quarter the remaining strawberries. Strawberry size varies greatly, so if your strawberries are massive, you might need to slice the quarters again. You should end up with about 3.5 cups, or about 500 grams/18 ounces, of quartered strawberries.
- Once the cooked topping has cooled, fold in the quartered strawberries. Now we have a strawberry pie topping that will set up nicely in the refrigerator.
Roughly mash your chopped strawberries (below left) and then cook down on the stove according to the instructions (below right). Cool the mixture completely.
Here are the quartered strawberries. Mix them with the cooked & cooled strawberry mixture:
Let Me Show You How to Assemble the Pie:
Crust: Mix your graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together. Press into your pie dish and bake for 15–16 minutes. This is the only baking the strawberry pie requires.
Filling: Have you ever made cookies & cream pie or no bake cheesecake jars? Today’s filling is similar. Whip heavy cream into peaks and then set aside. This unsweetened whipped cream adds a stable, yet creamy foundation without the need for gelatin or other thickening ingredients. Then mix cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice together (below left). Fold in the whipped cream (below right).
Spread filling into your slightly warm graham cracker crust. I like using a large or small offset spatula to make this step easier. Finally, pile on the strawberry topping. The topping would be excellent on regular cheesecake too!
Chilling & Serving Your Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
This pie takes at least 8 hours to set up in the refrigerator, so plan ahead. Between cutting up the strawberries, making and baking the crust, cooking and chilling the topping, and whipping up the cheesecake filling, prep time is about 50–60 minutes. This pie is a great choice if you don’t have time to make dessert the day you plan to eat it, because it’s best made a day ahead.
Be warned: slicing into this pie can be messy. The first slice is never the prettiest!
Special Tools
- Pastry cutter, potato masher, or a fork
- Electric mixer (handheld or stand)
- Food processor for graham crackers
- 9-inch pie dish (this is my favorite pie dish)
- Offset spatula
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 9 hours (includes refrigeration)
- Yield: one 9-inch pie
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Whipping
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is fresh strawberry cream cheese pie made without artificial strawberry flavor. To ensure your pie not only looks nice, but stays intact, it’s important to follow the instructions closely. Read through the recipe and review the step-by-step photos before starting.
Ingredients
Strawberry Topping
- 1.5 lbs (24 ounces or about 680 grams) fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) water
- 1.5 Tablespoons (11g) cornstarch
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 1 cup (240ml) cold heavy cream
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- optional for topping: homemade whipped cream
Instructions
- Make the strawberry topping first so it can cool: Chop some of the strawberries until you have 1 cup, or 150–160 grams/5.5 ounces. Quarter the remaining strawberries (you should end up with about 3.5 cups, or about 500 grams/18 ounces, of quartered strawberries) and set aside until step 5. Lightly mash the chopped strawberries with a pastry cutter, potato masher, or a fork. Using a fork, mix the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until the cornstarch has dissolved. Warm the mashed strawberries, cornstarch mixture, and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until boiling, stirring often. Mixture will be cloudy. Boil 1 minute or until it’s thick like a jam (no longer liquid-y). Remove from heat, stir in the lemon zest, and cool completely. (Must completely cool, so transferring to a bowl out of the saucepan helps speed that up. Feel free to refrigerate it. You can complete a few other steps in the recipe as the mixture cools.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Make the crust: If you’re starting out with full graham crackers, use a food processor or blender to grind them into fine crumbs. Stir the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl, and then stir in the melted butter. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy. Try to smash/break up any large chunks. Pour the mixture into an ungreased 9-inch pie dish. With medium pressure using your hand, pat the crumbs down into the bottom and up the sides to make a compact crust. Do not pack down with heavy force because that makes the crust too hard. Simply pat down until the mixture is no longer crumby/crumbly. For more shaping technique tips, see the graham cracker crust recipe page. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, remove from the oven, and cool for just 15 minutes as you prepare the filling in the next step.
- Make the filling: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and beat on medium-high speed until combined. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese. If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth. Using your mixer on low speed or a silicone spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined. This takes several turns of your rubber spatula. Combine slowly as you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.
- Assemble layers: Spread cream cheese filling into slightly cooled crust. Use an offset spatula to smooth down the top. Fold quartered strawberries into cooled strawberry mixture from step 1 and then spoon evenly on top of the cream cheese filling.
- Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. I usually just carefully lay aluminum foil on top so the topping doesn’t get messed up. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours. The longer refrigerated, the better the pie will set up. Do not exceed 2 days because the topping begins to break down.
- Feel free to garnish the pie with whipped cream right before or a few hours before serving (keep pie refrigerated after adding whipped cream). I used Wilton 1M piping tip for the whipped cream in the pictured pie. Using a clean sharp knife, cut into slices for serving. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean between each slice. Tip: The first slice is never pretty! Much easier to slice after that 1st piece is out.
- Cover and store leftover pie in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can prepare the cooked strawberry mixture (step 1) 1–2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate before using. (I recommend folding in the quartered strawberries when you’re assembling the pie and not in advance.) You can prepare the crust (step 3) up to 2 days in advance. Cover and store baked and cooled crust at room temperature. It must be slightly warm when you spread in the filling so the filling can adhere, so warm in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 1–2 minutes before adding the filling. You can prepare the filling (step 4) 1 day in advance before spreading into the crust in step 5. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Pastry Cutter, Potato Masher, or Fork | Glass Mixing Bowls | Small Saucepan | Food Processor | 9-inch Pie Dish | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Offset Spatula | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M Piping Tip
- Can I Use Frozen Strawberries? Frozen strawberries work in a pinch, but the topping holds MUCH better shape using fresh strawberries. I strongly recommend using fresh. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry before starting.
- Cream Cheese: Make sure you are using brick cream cheese and not cream cheese spread. Bricks of cream cheese are typically 8 ounces each, so you need 1 brick.
- Other Pie Crust: Feel free to swap the graham cracker crust for traditional pie crust. This is my favorite pie crust and I also have this all butter pie crust too. You will need to fully par-bake the pie crust shell.
- Non-US Readers: If graham crackers are not available where you live, we have also tested this pie with a crust made from digestive biscuits, and it turned out great. Use 200g ground digestive biscuit crumbs (about 2 cups; 13–14 biscuits), 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar, and 6 Tablespoons (85g) melted butter. Pre-bake the crust for a bit longer, about 16-17 minutes. And from what I understand, spreadable cream cheese sold in a tub in countries outside of the US is a little different from the spreadable cream cheese in the US. It’s thicker, sturdier, and more solid and should be OK to make this pie. I have no experience with it, but this is what I’ve heard from other non-US readers. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
- Can I make this with other berries? Yes. I recommend blueberries and you can make this similar blueberry cream cheese pie instead. Strawberries are so heavy, so I had to slightly reduce the filling for today’s strawberry version.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I LOVED this recipe but want to make another pie in a Pinch have lasted eight hours. Can I refrigerate it for four or five hours and then pop it in the freezer to help it set up?
Outstanding! Loved this pie. The flavors complement each other so nicely: graham cracker crust, creamy filling, strawberry topping with a hint of lemon zest. YUM! This phenomenal pie is perfection! So sad to finish the last bite. So looking forward to making it again! Thank you, Sally for this recipe! You said, “Well this is the best pie I’ve ever had.” I second that!
Made this recipe using my deep dish pie plate and my homegrown strawberries ! It was a hit and they keep asking for more! Was wondering if I can make just the strawberry sauce and the can’t using a water bath method?
I made this pie several times and each time it gets great reviews. I’ve also made it into small tart shells and this was also a great hit. Thanks you Sally for all your great recipe’s ❤️
Loved this recipe. It set great! Made it last night and ate it this morning LOL
So glad you loved it, Jennifer!
I noticed the recipe does not require any gelatine powder. Would the filling set firmly without the gelatine powder?
Hi Chrissie, that’s correct. The topping relies on cornstarch and reduction on the stove. Mix the jam-like mixture will quartered strawberries as instructed.
Can’t wait to try it! Would it be a sin to use a pre-made graham cracker crust??
Not at all! Go right ahead. You will still have to pre-bake it as instructed though.
Made this recipe twice now and it is EXCELLENT.
For fellow gluten-free bakers out there, I used Pamela’s Gluten-Free Honey Grahams. I used 8 squares, leaving 3 in the package. This was the perfect amount for making the crust with the given instructions and measurements of other ingredients. 🙂
Tip: Don’t skimp (or skip!) on the lemon zest. It really makes the strawberries sing!
I made this last week for a Family BBQ…it was a hit, EVERYONE loved it.
This will definitely become a staple of summer.
Everyone loved this pie. It was not difficult and it tasted wonderful. I made it just like the directions said. The crust was fabulous.
Hello, I made this recipe yesterday for a gathering today for my husbands step mom. It turned out beautiful! It was super easy to make. And they loved it!!!! My husband is not a fan of cheesecake. And let me tell you he not only loved this recipe… He asked if i had made another one for our home. ☺ Will definitely make it again. Only thing i did different was use orange zest and juice instead of lemon because i ran out. It was amazing!!! Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Any chance you could use IQF (fresh frozen strawberries)? I had a bunch of strawberries I didn’t want to go bad so I flash froze them and vacuum packed them. It would seem possible, but…fingers crossed?!
Hi Michelle, absolutely. Frozen strawberries can work in a pinch. Thaw and pat dry before starting with the recipe.
I don’t know why I bought them, but I had a bag of freeze dried strawberries in my cupboard. I ground them up in the food processor, and added some to the cream cheese mixture until I got the right pink color I wanted. That is not a precise measurement, but I like throwing stuff together. The taste was fabulous and I reluctantly assembled the pie. I could have eaten a whole bowl full of that cream cheese mixture with the powdered strawberries in it. I bought them at Aldi, and they are all natural. I can’t wait until tomorrow to eat pie!
What a great idea. I’m going to try it. How much powdered strawberries do you think you used? A couple tablespoons or more? Thanks
I discovered your recipes during a snowstorm in 2016 !!!! The first recipe of yours that I tried was the soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. My son and husband love them !!!! I’ve been hooked ever since !!!!! You are awesome !!!! This pie is soooooooo delicious!!!!! The crust yum, and the light cream cheese filling double yum !!!!
Another yummy recipe!!!! Thank you, Sally!!! 🙂
Hi Sally! I’m trying this recipe today! Would you please advise how much strawberry topping we should end up with at the end of step 1?
Also, THANK YOU for responding about marscapone as a substitute. I’m using half cream cheese and half marscapone and so far so good! 🙂
Hi Kathryn, I don’t think my team and I actually measured that exact amount. It’s likely around 1 cup.
XOXO thanks so much!!
We really enjoyed this pie! I loved that it was easy and quick to put together, and it was the perfect summer dessert. It’d be perfect for taking to summer BBQs. It reminded me a lot of strawberry pretzel salad, and I could see even subbing the crust for a pretzel crust sometimes. I’m already thinking I’ll need to try this with peaches when they’re in season here in GA this summer. It’ll be another recipe I repeat often. Thanks Sally!
5 stars for sure- 5th star was not working.
Smooth, superb balance of flavors.
My daughter is allergic to strawberries- could I substitute raspberries ? Thanks Sally. Sure enjoy baking your creations.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I don’t suggest raspberries because they are too soft and delicate. However, blueberries are excellent. See recipe note about that!
Hi Sally. I live and work in Turkey and often use your recipes. They always turn out perfectly. I’m planning to make this recipe for colleagues this week. I use a cream cheese here (taze peynir) which is spreadable but has a similar consistency to Philadelphia block cream cheese. It consistently works beautifully in cheesecakes both baked and no bake.
We hope you enjoy it, Arlene! Let us know how it goes for you.
The taste is fabulous, but mine never set up. I followed the recipe and let it sit overnight in the fridge. I think I will add more cream cheese and lessen whipped cream to see if I can achieve the right consistency.
Do you think I could make it into mini pies, i.e., cupcakes the same way your key lime tarts work? If so, how much filling should go into each cupcake and how long to bake? Thanks
Hi Shereen, we haven’t tried making this recipe as mini pies, but it would probably work! Follow the instructions in the mini key lime pies recipe for making and baking the graham cracker crusts in lined muffin pans. For the cheesecake filling, there’s no bake time, you just need to give it at least 8 hours to set up in the fridge. The strawberry topping instructions would stay the same. Let us know how they turn out!
Made the strawberry filling a day in advance and when I pulled it out of the fridge to use it the next day it was all broken down, liquidy, and mushy. Very disappointed- maybe next time I’ll try waiting to mix in the fresh strawberries closer to serving time?
Hi Lindsey, thank you for trying the recipe! Yes, it’s ideal the quartered strawberries are mixed into the cooled strawberry mixture soon before assembling the pie.
Do you think this would work with an oreo crust?
You could definitely try that! You can grab the recipe from the Cookies & Cream Pie.
Thanks! I made it with that oreo crust and it was delicious. My 16 year old said it’s his new favorite pie 🙂
I have some farm fresh strawberries in the fridge, but I won’t need the pie until next weekend. Can I make the strawberry topping now with the berries are fresh? Will it keep a week?
Hi Sally, we haven’t actually tested it that far in advance, but because you’re essentially making a jam, it will probably keep for a week in the fridge, in an air-tight container. You’ll need to save the step of folding in the quartered berries until the day before you plan to serve the pie, though; the cut fresh berries won’t stay fresh that long. Best of luck, and hope you enjoy the pie!
Am anxious to try this, but rhubarb season has just started here. Wondering if I can substitute cooked rhubarb for the topping instead of strawberries
Hi Chris, we haven’t tested the recipe this way, but substituting some rhubarb for some of the strawberries in the topping and making it a strawberry-rhubarb pie would probably work. You may need to add some extra sugar, as rhubarb is quite tart, and it may take a bit longer to cook down. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
Oh my, this looks amazing!! Cannot wait to try. Now, a question though : I am allergic to all citrus fruits – so annoying :-(, can I substitute the lemon with anything else? Or maybe just omit it?
You can simply omit it. 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract, if you enjoy that flavor, would be delicious in the filling though.
Great ! Thanks Sally. Will try that.
This sounds really good, can i substitute fresh blueberries for the strawberries or use the blueberry portion in your blueberry cheesecake swirl recipe?
Hi Karen, I recommend making this blueberry & cream pie instead. Blueberries don’t need quite as much fuss because they jam up quite nicely. There’s a bit more cream cheese filling in that recipe because there’s slightly less topping. (Strawberries are so heavy, so I had to slightly reduce the filling for the strawberry version.)
This sounds so delicious and I’m making it this weekend! Have you ever tried pressing the quartered or halved strawberries into the top of the cream cheese layer and then putting the jammy strawberries over them? I used to make a pie like that in the past.
Have not tested that! Let me know if you try it or if you try it as written.
This looks very similar to a recipe that my mother in law uses expect she puts almond extract instead of vanilla in hers. It’s such a good pie and perfect summer dessert.
I’m probably around the age of your MIL, and you’re right. I used to make this in the early’70s.
Yes! this sounds like a 70s recipe that my mom made.. cream cheese and cool whip for the filling, canned cherry pie for the topping. It was good..but I think I’ll like this better.
This sounds so good and I will be making ASAP! I’m wondering if a deep dish pie plate would work, is there enough filling for a deep dish?
Hi Sandra, how deep is your pie dish? It should be fine.
I cannot wait to try this for the weekend especially since the berries are on sale. Love that the strawberries are cooked because plain strawberries on top of desserts, just don’t always have enough taste. And since it’s a Sally recipe I know it will be perfect!!! Thanks Sally!!!
Hope you enjoy it, Lulu!
Can I use frozen raspberries ?
I cannot wait to try this. I know so many people I need to take one to
If I use aluminum pie pan to I adjust the baking time on the crust?
Thank You.
Hi Carol, hope everyone enjoys a slice! No, you don’t need to change the crust bake time if you use an aluminum pie pan.
Hi Sally, I just discovered marscapone cheese in my local grocery store and lobe the mellow flavor. Will that work in place of cream cheese? Sometimes cream cheese is too cheesy for my taste!!
Though I haven’t tested it, I think that would be fine in this filling. Let me know if you try it!