This Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie is a stunning nostalgic dessert featuring beloved flavors and simple techniques. The base is a simple-to-make pretzel crust that gets filled with a luscious tangy cream cheese filling that’s reminiscent of cheesecake. It all gets topped off with a very fresh strawberry pie filling (no jello here!). This is the perfect showstopper of a dessert that doesn’t require hours of work or advanced techniques.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- No-bake filling: aside from the crust needing a few minutes in the oven to firm up, this pie is no-bake. The filling is simply spread into the crust and topped with fresh strawberry pie filling.
- Cheesecake pie filling: have you ever made a fresh fruit tart with whipped cream filling? This recipe features a similar filling that’s much easier to make (no gelatin needed). Lightly whip some cream cheese with sugar then fold in whipped cream. It’s that easy.
- Pretzel Crust: make a pretzel crust (instead of the common graham cracker crust) for a sweet and salty pie. The crust is truly heavenly—all you need is pretzels, sugar and butter.
Ingredients Needed
- Strawberries: you’ll need 1 ½ pounds fresh strawberries. Some of them will be cooked down to make the base of the filling while others will be folded into the filling fresh.
- Sugar: you’ll need granulated sugar for each layer of this pie. A total of 1 ¼ cups.
- Lemon: the zest and juice of one lemon will be used in this pie.
- Salt: a dash of salt is all that’s needed to balance out the flavors of this pie. Keep in mind the pretzels will add some salt, so you just need a pinch.
- Cornstarch: this is a key ingredient for setting up the strawberry filling. Don’t skip it!
- Pretzels: shape of pretzel doesn’t matter here since they will get finely ground for the crust. I developed this recipe with regular pretzel twists, if you’re using a different shape, I recommend measuring by weight to ensure you’re using the correct amount.
- Butter: salted or unsalted it doesn’t usually matter. But in this recipe I recommend using unsalted since the butter will be used to make the pretzel crust which already has a fair amount of salt due to the pretzels.
- Heavy Cream: whipped heavy cream is what lightens the cream cheese filling and makes it slightly “mousse-y.”
- Cream Cheese: for the best flavor and texture, use an 8-ounce block of full-fat cream cheese.
- Vanilla Extract: to round out all of the flavors.
- Almond Extract: this is optional but it does enhance the overall flavor of the pie. You just need a tiny splash!
How to Assemble
- Make the Strawberry Filling
Some of the strawberries will be chopped and others will be quartered. Set the quartered strawberries aside—they will be folded into the cooked filling right before assembling the pie.
Cook the chopped strawberries down with a bit of sugar, lemon zest and pinch of salt. Add a cornstarch slurry and cook until the mixture is jammy, this will take less than a minute. Now let the filling cool completely before stirring the fresh strawberries in. If you do this while the filling is hot, the filling won’t set properly and the pie will be very messy.
- Make the Pretzel Crust
Process the pretzels into a fine powder in a food processor with some sugar. Add in melted butter and process until the mixture looks like wet sand.
Pour the crust mixture into a greased 9-inch pie plate and press into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Bake the crust until fragrant and dry to the touch, about 14 minutes.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling
Whip the heavy cream until stiff peeks are formed. I like to use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, but you can also use a hand mixer.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extract until smooth.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in thirds.
- Assemble the Pie
Spread the cream cheese filling into the slightly warm crust. I like to use an offset spatula for this.
Spoon the strawberry filling over top, slightly mounding it in the center.
Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 before serving.
Best Tips for Success
- Spread the cream cheese filling into a slightly warm crust: this will help the cream cheese layer adhere to the pretzel crust.
- Cook the filling until it’s thickened and jammy—but don’t keep cooking it: if you cook the cornstarch too long, it will break down and the mixture will thin out again. The key is to cook the mixture until it’s thick and jammy and then remove from heat and let the mixture cool.
- Cool the cooked mixture completely before adding the fresh strawberries: this is key for achieving a pie filling texture and thickness. If you add the fresh berries while the mixture is hot, it will encourage the berries to release moisture and will in turn thin out the filling that you just worked to thicken.
- Allow the pie to chill for a few hours before serving: a few hours in the refrigerator allows the pie to settle and meld a bit. This also helps the strawberry layer thicken up a bit. 8–12 hours is ideal.
- The first piece is the messiest: this pie can be pretty messy—it’s just that kind of pie! Like with pancakes, the first slice is never the prettiest. And in this case, it’s also the messiest (I always take this slice and dole out the prettier ones to guests). Once the first piece is out of the pie pan, it’s much easier to cut the pie into cleaner slices.
Importance of Chilling before Serving
A few hours in the fridge is key to creating a cohesive pie that stays together. This type of pie is messy, it’s just the kind of pie it is. But a few hours in the fridge will help the cream cheese layer and the strawberry layer set up a bit.
For the best results, plan to refrigerate for 8–12 hours before serving.
Storage Info
Strawberry cream cheese pie will last 3 days in the refrigerator covered in foil or plastic wrap. Do not freeze this pie.
FAQ
I don’t recommend using frozen strawberries. However, if you are, cook all of them down into a filling and double the cornstarch. The pie will not have large chunks of strawberries, but the filling will be jammy and delicious.
Yes! The beauty of this pie is that it can be made ahead of time. This pie is best served within 12 to 24 hours of making.
Though, you can prep some of the components in advance to make your life easier.
– The crust can be baked and stored, covered, at room temperature for 3 days.
– The cooked part of the strawberry filling can be made up to 4 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
– Wait to add the fresh berries to the cooked berries until right before serving.
– Make the cream cheese filling just before assembling.
No, due to the strawberry filling being made with fresh strawberries, the pie filling will come out thing and watery once thawed.
Absolutely, that would be delicious. Substitute some of the chopped strawberries for chopped rhubarb in the cooked mixture.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
Description
Ingredients
Strawberry Filling
- 1 ½ pounds strawberries, washed and hulled
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 lemon, zested (1 teaspoon)
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cornstarch (7 teaspoons)
Pretzel Crust
- 4 cups (150g) pretzel twists
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, melted
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 8 ounces (226g) block cream cheese (full-fat), at room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional
Instructions
Strawberry Filling
- Chop enough strawberries to get 1 cup (150–160 grams). Cut remaining strawberries into quarters (3¼ cups or about 450 grams) and set aside.
- Add chopped strawberries, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and pinch of salt to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, lightly mashing with a potato masher, until mixture comes to a boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Add to strawberry filling and stir to combine, boil 1 minute or until thick and jam-like. Immediately remove from heat and let cool completely.
Pretzel Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177ºC). Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add 4 cups pretzels and ¼ cup sugar to a food processor (or blender) and process until finley ground, about 30 seconds.
- Add 8 tablespoons melted butter and process until mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press mixture into bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate.
- Bake pretzel crust until fragrant and dry to touch, 12–14 minutes (crust won’t change color much).
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Cream Cheese Filling
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip 1 cup 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 attachment, beat 8 ounces cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides and whisk as needed.
- Add ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla and ¼ teaspoon almond extract and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, creamy, and lightly whipped, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
- Gently and slowly fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in thirds until combined.
- Spread cream cheese filling into slightly warm crust.
- Stir quartered strawberries into cooked and cooled strawberry mixture, then spoon over top of pie, leaving a 1-inch border around edge. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
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