Description
This No Bake Strawberry Pie with Cream Cheese Filling is a delightful, easy-to-make dessert perfect for warm days or when you want a quick yet impressive treat. Featuring a creamy cheesecake layer topped with fresh strawberries and a homemade strawberry sauce poured over a crunchy graham cracker crust, this pie combines luscious textures and fruity flavors without requiring any baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 9-inch graham cracker crust (store-bought or homemade)
Strawberry Layers
- 1 quart strawberries, hulled and divided (approximately 3 pounds; 2 pounds whole reserved, 1 pound blended)
Strawberry Sauce
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Water to make 2 cups when combined with blended strawberries
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 3/4 cups sweet whipped cream (fluffy whipped cream, not liquid whipping cream)
Garnish
- Additional whipped cream
- Extra strawberries
- Fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Prep strawberries: Set aside 2 pounds of hulled strawberries for decoration and topping. Blend the remaining 1 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) of strawberries until smooth. Add water to the blended strawberries to reach a total volume of 2 cups, then pour this mixture into a small saucepan.
- Make strawberry sauce: To the blended strawberry mixture in the saucepan, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly for about one minute until it thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Make cream layer: While the strawberry sauce cools, beat 8 ounces of softened cream cheese until smooth. Gently fold in 1 3/4 cups of fluffy sweet whipped cream until the mixture is smooth and well combined without deflating the whipped cream.
- Assemble the pie: Spread the cream cheese filling evenly on the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Arrange the whole reserved strawberries on top, standing them pointy end up to fill the pie’s surface. Pour the cooled strawberry sauce over the arranged strawberries, spreading gently to fill all nooks and crevices. Slice remaining strawberries into rounds and layer them decoratively on top of the sauce.
- Chill the pie: Refrigerate the assembled pie for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, to allow it to set properly. For easier slicing, freeze the chilled pie for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, garnish with additional whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and mint leaves if desired.
Notes
- Use fluffy whipped cream and not liquid whipping cream to ensure the cream cheese filling maintains its light texture.
- Freezing the pie for a short time before serving helps achieve clean slices.
- If making your own graham cracker crust, pre-bake it for a crisp base before assembling the pie.
- The pie must chill long enough to set the filling, so plan ahead for at least 6 hours refrigeration.
- Fresh mint is optional but adds a nice fresh aroma and color contrast as a garnish.
