Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe

Mary Gezo

Recently my parents dog-sat for me while I was gone for an entire day doing an Atlanta-based scavenger hunt.  As a thank you for them doing me the favor on such short notice, I ran to Google for ideas on a recipe.  Something new, something light and Spring-y.  Something…not difficult.  Since I’d made the Lemon Chess Pie, I was thinking something with fruit.  Strawberries…because I already had some in my refrigerator.  Then it came to me.

BOOM:

Strawberry Cream Pie

Strawberry Cream Pah

This actually isn’t the same pie as the one I brought to my parents.  In fact, as usual my mom and dad suffered from the guinea pig phase of my baking; over the last two weeks I ended up making this pie three times, this third being the best revision yet.  Frankly?  I’m proud of myself *pats self on back*.

What I love most about this pie is its ease-of-cooking to deliciousness ratio; I can’t think of anything else I’ve ever baked that has one quite as high.  Plus you can make it even easier by cheating and getting a pre-made crust.  No one has to know!

One thing I changed from the original recipe was the crust itself.  Instead of using graham cracker crumbs I used vanilla wafers!  Handled the same way as a graham cracker crust, it makes the crust a little more vanilla-y and delicious.  Also, this ingredient-changing decision had nothing to do with all the moths making their home in my box of graham cracker crumbs.

Crumbs  Crust  Filling

The filling itself is as simple as cream cheese and whipping cream folded together to make a light and sweet deliciousness.  You can go with just vanilla extract, or both vanilla and a splash of almond extract as well.  I actually added the almond by accident when, in my hurry to finish the first pie, I reached for the first small brown bottle I saw on my shelf.  When what came out of it was clear instead of brown…well, the only real solution was just to add more vanilla.  Never a bad thing, right? At least it turned out tasting good!  I didn’t even realize I still had almond extract in there…

Strawberries

The strawberries went through several revisions before the one you see on the pie now.  If you’re feeling lazy (as I do, sometimes…you may have heard) you can just plop the strawberries whole on top.  I think in the end it makes the pie a little more difficult to eat (alright, significantly more) but it’s just as good.  I think taking the time to slice them up some is worth your while, though.  It’s just so durn pretty.

Strawberry Cream Pie

Side-Pah

This recipe gets a huge thumbs-up from me.  Enough for eating it three times in succession.  Bring it to a party!  I promise everybody will love you more for it. ^_^

Strawberry Cream Pie

Adapted from Lulu at Home.
Makes one 9″ pie.

Filling:
  • 1 8oz package cream cheese
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (if you skip the almond extract, add 1/2 extra tsp of vanilla)
  • 1 package strawberries
Crust:
  • 1 1/2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions (Crust):

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and grease your pie pan, either with a stick of butter or non-stick spray.
2. Mix together the melted butter and wafer crumbs.  The mixture won’t be very wet, just a little clumpy – that’s correct.
3. Dump the damp crumbs into your pie pan.  Using your fingers, gently press the crumbs into the pan until it appears crust-like.  If it doesn’t make it all the way up the sides of the pan, who really cares?
4. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
5. Let cool before adding the filling.

Instructions (Filling):

1. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.  Set aside in a bowl.
2. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and all the extract together until smooth.  Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to get everything mixed together.
3. Fold the whipped cream 1/3 at a time into the cream cheese until mixed.
4. Once the crust as cooled, add the filling.  Spread evenly with your trusty spatula.
5. Add strawberries on top, either sliced or not.
6. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, or better yet overnight (cover to ensure you don’t get refrigerator flavors, delicious).
7. CONSUME.

 

Mary Gezo

Formerly of both n00bcakes and !Blog, the two magically become one on Spatialdrift; expect some lazy baking and serious nerditude. Also, I love semicolons.

6 thoughts on “Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe”

  2. Omg, a pie I might actually be able to make here in oven-less south Korea!! Looks awesomely delicious 😛 *licks lips*

  3. This looks so so tasty! I love the idea of vanilla wafers for the base of it. Yay bring on summer and lots of chilled pies

  4. Strawberries ‘n cream FTW! It’s so pretty with the strawberries laid out like that! Fact: vanilla wafer crusts are also awesome (and necessary, IMO) with banana cream pies.

  5. This makes me want to try making crusts with those rectangular wafer things with cream centers. They’re trashy and full of preservatives, but omgosh I love those:D

  6. @Emily – SO glad you liked it! Enough to lick the plate! 😀

    @Anna – Whoa I had no idea you were oven-less. O.o You should *definitely* try this out, then – you will look crazy impressive. Also, you will eat a lot of delicious pie.

    @Stephanie – I am definitely on a chilly-pie kick. And I’m glad you approve of the vanilla wafer crust! It definitely tops off the pie really well.

    @Jessica – FACT: you are right about everything you said. Glad you like the decorations! It took me 3 pie iterations to get them looking that nice. >.>

    @Emma – Oh man, I didn’t realize what you were talking about at first but now I do – holy CRAP that sounds terrifying and delicious.

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