This Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie is a dreamy dessert that combines luscious creaminess with the bright, juicy sweetness of fresh strawberries. The velvety cream cheese filling, whipped to perfection, sits atop a crisp, buttery crust for a delightful contrast in textures. Each bite is a harmonious blend of tangy, sweet, and indulgent flavors that will leave you reaching for seconds. With just 15 minutes of baking and a bit of patience for chilling, this pie is surprisingly simple to make yet feels impressively elegant.
Perfect for any occasion, this pie is a crowd-pleaser that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. The vibrant strawberries add a pop of color and a refreshing burst of flavor, while the creamy filling melts in your mouth. Whether you’re hosting a summer gathering or simply treating yourself, this dessert is sure to impress. Plus, the make-ahead nature means you can prepare it in advance and let the flavors meld for a truly unforgettable treat. Ready in just over an hour of hands-on time, it’s a dessert that’s as easy as it is irresistible.
Ingredients for Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- 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
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the Strawberry Topping:
- Chop 1 cup (150–160 grams/5.5 ounces) of strawberries. Quarter the remaining strawberries (about 3.5 cups or 500 grams/18 ounces) and set aside.
- Mash the chopped strawberries with a pastry cutter, potato masher, or fork.
- Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl until dissolved.
- In a small saucepan, combine mashed strawberries, cornstarch mixture, and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until boiling. Boil for 1 minute or until thick like jam. Remove from heat, stir in lemon zest, and cool completely. (Refrigerate to speed up cooling.)
- Preheat Oven: Preheat to 350°F (177°C).
- Make the Crust:
- Grind graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or blender.
- In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in melted butter until the mixture is thick and sandy.
- Press the mixture into an ungreased 9-inch pie dish, patting it down with medium pressure to form a compact crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then cool for 15 minutes.
- Make the Filling:
- Whip cold heavy cream into stiff peaks using a hand mixer or stand mixer (about 3 minutes). Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice, and beat until combined and smooth.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture gently until fully combined.
- Assemble the Pie:
- Spread the cream cheese filling into the slightly cooled crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.
- Fold the quartered strawberries into the cooled strawberry topping, then spoon evenly over the cream cheese filling.
- Chill: Cover the pie with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (up to 48 hours) to set.
- Serve: Garnish with whipped cream if desired, slice with a clean sharp knife, and enjoy! Store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 5 days.
Perfect Pairings: Serving Suggestions
This Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie is a showstopper on its own, but you can elevate it with a few simple additions. Serve each slice with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a creamy contrast. For a refreshing twist, garnish with a few mint leaves or a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Pair it with a cup of hot coffee or iced tea to balance the sweetness.
Time-Saving Tips for Busy Bakers
Short on time? Use store-bought graham cracker crust to skip the crust-making step. For the strawberry topping, you can prepare it a day ahead and store it in the fridge. If you’re in a rush, spread the cooled topping in a thin layer on a plate or baking sheet to speed up the cooling process. Lastly, whip the cream and prepare the filling while the crust bakes to multitask efficiently.
Storage and Freshness Tips
Store the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before serving. To keep the topping fresh, avoid leaving the pie at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If garnished with whipped cream, add it just before serving to maintain its texture.
Recipe Variations to Try
Swap the strawberries for raspberries or blueberries for a different berry twist. For a nuttier crust, replace half the graham cracker crumbs with finely ground almonds or pecans. If you prefer a lighter filling, substitute Greek yogurt for half the cream cheese. For a tropical vibe, add toasted coconut flakes to the crust or topping.
Equipment Guidance for Success
A stand mixer or hand mixer is essential for whipping the cream and blending the filling smoothly. Use an offset spatula to spread the filling evenly and create a polished finish. For the crust, a 9-inch pie dish works best, and a pastry cutter or potato masher makes mashing the strawberries a breeze. If piping whipped cream, a Wilton 1M tip creates beautiful swirls.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Strawberry Topping
- 1.5 lbs fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1.5 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 8 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup 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.