What thickens a cream pie?

Cornstarch as Pie Filling Thickener Just like the name suggests, cornstarch is derived from corn. Cornstarch is faster-acting than flour and forms a smooth, relatively clear filling. Just be aware that too much cornstarch can create a slimy texture.

Why is my strawberry pie not setting?

If it's warm or hot, it'll cook the berries, causing them to leak moisture, causing your pie to be runny, weepy, or not set up . This also happens if you let the pie sit too long in the refrigerator, which is why it's best eaten the day it's assembled.

Why is my strawberry pie soupy?

Why is my strawberry pie runny? There are a few ways to prevent your strawberry pie from coming out runny. First, your recipe needs the right amount of cornstarch . Second, the cornstarch needs to be dissolved first in a cold liquid, then heated to its boiling point in order to fully activate its thickening power.

What is the best ingredient to use in thickening the filling of cream pie?

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed.

Is cornstarch or flour better for fruit pies?

Which one you use is a matter of personal preference. Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling . A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish.

How to thicken no bake pie filling?

Cornstarch: Mix with cold water, add to filling, and cook until thick. Flour: Stir a few tablespoons into the filling. Tapioca: Use instant tapioca as a thickener. Reduce Liquid: Cook the filling on the stovetop to evaporate excess liquid. Sep 25, 2022

How do you keep strawberry pie from getting soggy?

Blind Bake The most common way to ward off a soggy pie crust is by a process called blind baking. Blind baking means you pre-bake the crust (sometimes covered with parchment or foil and weighed down with pie weights to prevent the crust from bubbling up) so that it sets and crisps up before you add any wet filling.

What is strawberry pie filling made of?

It's really simple. Add strawberries to a saucepan and mash them with sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, almond extract, lemon juice, and salt . Simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the glaze thickens. Cool the glaze on the counter, stir it with fresh strawberries, and then add to your prebaked pie shell.

What do I do if my cream pie is runny?

To fix this, you can cook the pudding mixture over low heat until it thickens, or add a thickener such as cornstarch or tapioca flour . Another possible reason for a runny banana cream pie is that the pie filling was not chilled properly before being added to the crust.

How do you make a pie filling firmer?

Cornstarch has thickening power similar to Instant ClearJel . Like flour, it lends a cloudy, semi-transparent look to filling. It can also give filling a starchy taste. For full effectiveness, make sure the pie filling is bubbling up through the crust before removing your pie from the oven.

What can I add to cream to thicken it?

Flour, butter, eggs, and cornstarch are simple ingredients that can make your cream sauce thicker.

How do you make pie filling less runny?

Experiment with different thickeners If you usually use flour to thicken your apple pie and it's not doing the job, try something different: cornstarch, tapioca, and arrowroot are other established fruit pie thickeners. For more on specific thickeners and how to use them, see our Pie Filling Thickeners Guide.

Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

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Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie – Homemade strawberry pudding, cream cheese, and whipped cream are combined to create a silky, light, and fluffy no-bake strawberry pie recipe that’s perfect for spring and summer.

Strawberry Cream Pie

Ah, spring.

The days are longer, the weather is getting warmer, and the flavors of fresh produce are sweet and bold.

Is there anything better?

I don’t know about you, but as soon as the first seedlings start to sprout I’m ready to do away with the heavy comfort foods of winter, and dive head-first into light, bright, no-baking-required recipes.

This Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie is exactly what you need for welcoming the changing seasons. It’s easy to make, airy, yet creamy, and is packed with sweet strawberries.

Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2)

The Best Strawberry Cream Pie

The secret to making the BEST Strawberry Cream Pie is to first and foremost use real strawberries to make a simple homemade strawberry pudding.

To achieve that heavenly fluffy consistency, the pudding is combined with cream cheese and freshly whipped cream. The result is a slightly tangy, wonderfully fruity, and refreshing cream pie.

And you’ll love how easy it is to make the terrifically crumbly no-bake crust for this Strawberry Cream Pie recipe!

You can even whip up this pie a day or so in advance of enjoying and keep in the fridge, making it perfect for spring and summer picnics and potlucks.

Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (3)

What Ingredients You Need

You’ll be amazed at how simple the ingredients are to make this impressive, decadent Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie recipe.

To Make the Graham Cracker Crust:

Graham crackers
Melted butter
Sugar
Salt

For the Strawberry Cream Pie Filling:

Sliced strawberries in syrup
Whole milk
Cream cheese
Sugar
Cornstarch
Vanilla extract
Salt
Heavy cream

Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (4)

How to Make Graham Cracker Crust

1. Place the graham crackers in a large food processor, and pulse into fine crumbs.

2. Next, add the melted butter, sugar, and salt to the food processor. Pulse again a few times to combine. Pour into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, and use your fingers to gently press the mixture up the sides of the pan and flat on the bottom to create a smooth crust.

Refrigerate the crust until ready to fill.

Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (5)

How to Make Strawberry Cream Pie Filling

1. First, make the whipped cream: Wash the food processor bowl to reuse. (Or, use an electric stand mixer with a whip attachment.) Pour the heavy cream into the food processor and add 3 tablespoons sugar. Turn on high to whip the cream into firm peaks. Scoop the firm whipped cream into a separate bowl and refrigerate.

Tips & Tricks

For ease, use a store-bought graham cracker pie crust!
For extra fruity flavor, garnish with diced strawberries and other berries like blueberries or raspberries!
If you prefer a pastry crust, you can totally make (or buy) a pastry crust and bake it before adding the strawberry cream pie filling!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Make This a Gluten-Free No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe?

You can use Gluten-Free graham crackers is you like. Just make sure you have a full 1 ½ cups of crumbs.

What If I Can’t Find Frozen Sliced Strawberries in Syrup?

The sweetness from the fresh strawberries in syrup is pretty essential for getting the bold and bright strawberry pie flavor. You can easily make your own at home; I recommend putting together several batches at once to have on hand!

How Long Does No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Last?

This strawberry pie will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator! Keep it covered tightly until you are ready to serve.

Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (11)

Looking for More Easy Dessert Recipes?

Fresh Strawberry Bundt Cake Recipe
Meyer Lemon Tart
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Fresh Strawberry Pie
Fluffy No-Bake Chocolate Banoffe Pie

Print Recipe

Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 34 minutes minutes

Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie – Homemade strawberry pudding, cream cheese, and whipped cream are combined to create a silky, light and fluffy no-bake strawberry pie recipe that's perfect for spring and summer.

Servings: 8 pieces

Ingredients

For the Crust –

1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers crumbs about 12 whole graham crackers
7 tablespoons melted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

For the Strawberry Cream Pie Filling –

10 ounces frozen sliced strawberries in syrup thawed
2 cups whole milk
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar + 3 Tb for the whipped cream
3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups heavy cream

Instructions

For the Crust:

Place the graham crackers in a large food processor. Pulse into fine crumbs. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can place the graham crackers in a large zip bag and use a rolling pin to smash them into crumbs.)
Add the melted butter, sugar, and salt to the food processor. Pulse again to combine. Once the mixture is smooth, pour it into a 9 inch deep-dish pie pan.
Use your fingers to press the crumb mixture up the sides of the pan, and flat on the bottom. Try to make the crust as even and smooth as possible. Then refrigerate until ready to fill.

For the Strawberry Pudding Filling:

Wash the food processor bowl to reuse. (Or use an electric stand mixer with a whip attachment.) Pour the heavy cream into the food processor and add 3 tablespoons sugar. Turn on high to whip the cream into firm peaks. Scoop the firm whipped cream into a separate bowl. Refrigerate.
Next add the strawberries in syrup, whole milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt to the food processor. Puree until very smooth.
Pour the pudding mixture into a small sauce pan. Heat over medium heat. Stir and simmer for 3-5 minutes to thicken the pudding. It’s ready when it coats a spoon with thin opaque layer that stays separate when you run your finger through it.
Then pour the pudding back into the food processor and add the cream cheese and vanilla extract. Puree until smooth. (Adding the cream cheese later helps to bring down the pudding temperature.)
Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to bring the pudding temperature down to room temperature.
Once the pudding has cooled to room temperature, scoop HALF the whipped cream into the pudding mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula. Once the whipped cream is fully combined and the filling is smooth, scoop the mixture into the graham cracker crust. Spread the filling to the sides of the crust.
Scoop the remaining whipped cream on top of the pie filling. Use a spatula to spread it into a visually pleasing mound.
Refrigerate for 4+ hours, before serving.

Notes

You can use Gluten-Free graham crackers is you like. Just make sure you have a full 1 ½ cups of crumbs.

The longer the pie chills, the better the filling will set. Firm filling makes it much easier to cut and lift out of the pan.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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