When faced with seasonal fresh strawberries, this strawberry jello pie is a crowd-pleaser that will disappear quickly! With a flaky crust, a sweet, well-balanced filling and lots of strawberry flavor, it keeps well for several days. If you're apprehensive about using gelatin, don't be, this recipe is great for beginners.
A relaxed, Summery version of a classic
This is one of those great recipes I made one day just because and was quickly labeled as a family favorite.
A bit of a surprise, as using strawberry gelatin is not something I ever envisioned doing, much less posting about it. Yet, here I am.
I wanted to come up with my own take on Shoney's strawberry pie copycat. And it worked! Sometimes, a recipe works and turns out to be a delicious dessert alternative, and I'd be doing a disservice not sharing it here.
The strawberry cream pie I've been making for years is the one my grandmother handed down, and it involves clear, plain gelatin. No funny colors or flavors. I love it and make it often.
But this one today is different as it packs more strawberries, is taller, uses a different pie crust, and doesn't have a cream filling.
It has several steps, but you can make the pie shell in advance or even use store-bought. And the gelatin mixture, which might sound complicated, is very easy to work with.
The crust
Homemade pie dough is always my first option. I keep a few frozen doughs in my freezer at all times.
For this pie, I like the Flaky Homemade Pie Crust or the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry if you like a sweeter pie.
Pie shell
This recipe doesn't go into the oven, so you need a fully baked pie shell (pie crust).
No-bake filling: this pie has a cold strawberry filling and needs no oven. That means we need a fully baked crust.
Blind-baking it: it's the first step, and means using pie weights for the first 15 minutes of baking so the dough holds its shape as much as it can and doesn't puff. Then, we bake it further after removing the weights until it's dry, flaky, and golden.
⭐️ Make the dough ahead
- Room temperature: fully bake the pie crust and leave it at room temperature. This works if you make it the day before or several hours before adding the filling (it has to be completely cold) and if the room is cool.
- Chilling: make the dough, line the pan or pie plate, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until ready to use.
- Freezing: you can freeze the dough before rolling it, well-wrapped. Consider you'll need to defrost it first in the refrigerator, which takes a day or so, then bake it with enough time to let it cool completely before adding the filling. Freezing the lined pie pan: roll, line, cover well with plastic wrap or in a freezer bag, and freeze for a month.
Strawberry pie filling
Did I tell you this is a no-bake filling? Making the gelatin mixture on the stovetop does take a few minutes, but I promise it's worth it.
Fresh strawberries
This is a pie recipe that begs to be made with fresh fruit.
The flavor is superior, there are different types in the markets, and they are also cheaper. So take advantage of seasonal strawberries when available.
How to prepare them
- Macerating: the strawberries are washed, hulled, cut, and mixed with sugar in a bowl until they release their natural juices.
- Draining: the juice that collects is sweet and syrupy and will add a lot to the filling. An extra boost of flavor that you don't want to miss.
Gelatin mixture or jello filling
Don't be put off by the fact that this pie contains gelatin (strawberry jello powder, to be more exact). The process is really easy and hard to mess up.
- Gelatin mixture: the jello is mixed with cold tap water and cooked with the rest of the ingredients. The important thing is to check the heat and whisk constantly.
- Quick cooling process: it involves a bowl with ice cubes. The syrup touches them and cools way faster than if you leave it at room temperature. Important: whisk constantly or you'll have bits of clumped gelatin.
- Assembling the filling: the cooled (but not cold) syrup is poured over the strawberries in the pie shell. Make sure you act quickly before the gelatin sets.
Variation: using cornstarch
My grandmother's original recipe used it instead of gelatin.
It's super easy to mix, but I must warn you that the topping will not be a clear red but a cloudy pink due to the white cornstarch.
Cornstarch is a thickener, a white powder used often in baking and cooking, not to be confused with cornflour.
How to use it: mix the strawberry juice with cornstarch dissolved in water. Pour it over the strawberries and let it solidify like gelatin.
Whipped topping
Being a plain (in appearance only!) and simple fresh strawberry pie, I think adding a creamy topping adds a lot, both in looks and also when you bite and find many contrasting textures: the smoothness of the jello, the rusticity of the strawberries and the creaminess of the topping.
I have my favorite cream topping recipe that I use for pies, cakes and desserts in general and it is a classic chantilly cream made firmer by the addition of cream cheese.
When making whipped cream, start beating with an electric mixer until medium peaks form. Then change to a hand whisk until you have the firm peaks you need. This way, you have a slim chance of overbeating and curdling the cream.
- More stabilized whipped cream: this is a tip from an old dessert cookbook by Nancy Silverton that I adopted years ago when I had a cafe and never looked back. The whipped cream has more consistency without tasting like cream cheese. So it's a win on all fronts.
- Chantilly cream: if you want to make it traditionally, simply omit the cream cheese and follow the instructions.
- Cool Whip: since we're already hopped on the strawberry jello bandwagon, we might as well open up to commercial whipped toppings, such as Cool Whip, an imitation whipped cream sold in supermarkets. If you like it, by all means use it.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Strawberries: use fresh ones. This pie is just not the same with frozen berries. I did try using frozen, and you can thaw them and use the water as part of the cornstarch gelatin mixture. But the flavor is just not there completely. And the appearance of shriveled strawberries is not very appealing either. So I don't recommend them. If you only have frozen, I suggest making a different dessert, like the Strawberry Crisp recipe, or using them for our excellent Strawberry Sauce and topping a cheesecake.
- Gelatin: my number one tip when working with this ingredient is to be aware of the temperatures of the strawberry preparation when adding the gelatin. This recipe makes it easier because it's all dissolved and mixed before heating it. So there's less room for complications. I use regular strawberry jell-O, but I don't see why using sugar-free jello wouldn't work. If it solidifies well, it's good to use.
- Graham cracker crust: for an easier pie, you can also use a cookie crumb crust. This graham cracker crust recipe post has all the ingredients and details.
Related recipes you might like:
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Jello Strawberry Pie (no bake filling)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 recipe for Flaky Pie Crust, or Sweet Shortcrust Pastry if you like a sweeter dessert, fully baked
- or use a store-bought one, preferably all-butter
For the filling:
- 1 ½ pounds fresh strawberries, 25 ounces weighed after hulled (about 1.8 pounds or 830g if weighed whole)
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons strawberry jello powder, 1.4 ounces
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
For the topping:
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 8 whole or halved strawberries
Instructions
For the crust:
- Prepare 1 recipe for Flaky Pie Crust, another favorite crust or use a store-bought one.
- Roll the pie dough on a lightly floured surface and line an 8-inch pie plate. Prick the bottom with a fork and put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) while the dough chills.
- Put a large piece of foil or parchment paper on top of the dough and fill with weight, this might be ceramic weights, dried legumes, dry rice, even flour. Something that can go into the oven and adds weight so that the crust doesn't rise and puff up while baking.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until you can easily lift the paper and remove the weight. You will see that the dough is white and starting to dry out.
- Bake for a further 10-15 minutes, until golden and dried. Let cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
For the filling:
- Wash, dry and hull 1 ½ pounds fresh strawberries. Cut them into chunks and put them in a large bowl. Sprinkle 1 cup sugar on top of the berries. Mix lightly and let macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the strawberries to a colander that is placed over a bowl and let the juice from the strawberries drain for about 15 minutes. Have ready a large bowl with ice and water.
- Stir the juice collected in the bowl with half of the water (½ cup). Sprinkle 5 tablespoons strawberry jello powder on top and stir until it's completely dissolved.
- Dissolve the other ½ cup of water and 3 tablespoons cornstarch in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat.
- Add the gelatin mixture, and start whisking. Cook until it thickens, stirring or whisking all the time, making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom and adjusting the heat if it's too high. Remove when it comes to a soft boil and whisk quickly until completely smooth.
- Put in the ice water bowl in the same saucepan if it fits or transfer the jello mixture to a medium bowl. I usually use the same bowl from the strawberry juice.
- Whisk regularly while the mixture cools down and starts to thicken, but just until it's like thick syrup. Important: don't let it set too much because you won't be able to mix it with the fruit!
- Add the strawberries to the gelatin mixture, stir to coat and pour into the baked pie shell. Cover with plastic wrap or a freezer sheet and refrigerate until completely set.
For the topping:
- Beat ¾ cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons cream cheese and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar in a large bowl.
- When you start to have medium stiff peaks, change to a hand whisk and beat until you have stiff peaks. This is the best way to avoid overbeating and curdling the preparation.
- Put in a piping bag and make rosettes on top of the pie. Decorate with 8 whole or halved strawberries.
Katherine says
My mother and I are thinking about trying this as part of our Christmas. But I cannot figure out based on the steps when you are supposed to add the lemon juice. Can you update with this information I know lemon can ruin how jello will set? Thanks
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Katherine! I updated the recipe card and just omitted the lemon juice as I don't want to chance it. It wasn't in the original recipe; I just like it to add some acid to the mixture. You can add a few gratings of lemon zest (or orange) just before pouring the filling into the crust if you want a citrus note. That will be safer than the juice. Thanks for the heads-up! The comments help a lot. Happy baking!
Martha Birch says
Great pie make it often
Paula Montenegro says
I know, gelatin and yeast make some people afraid, but love that you did it anyway. Have a great week Maca!
L says
I looked at a few strawberry pie recipes and it seems like they’re all basically the same, but this was the only one I found that suggested sugaring the berries. I love that for berry toppings, so I went with it.
I ended up doubling the glaze/filling last minute, so I made one pie with the prepared sugared berries, and one with plain sliced berries.The one with plain berries set really quickly and was even and firm throughout- even with me adding some frozen fruit to it to bulk it out. The sugared berries continued to give off juice even after being strained- so for the pie with them I got a filling that separated into a rubbery, gelatinous bottom layer and a slightly loose/watery top layer with strawberries that weren’t as picture-perfect as the plain fresh ones, and didn’t feel as nice to eat because they were just kind of soft from maceration. Looking at the two side by side, this seemed like the step that ruined the pie.
I will definitely make this again, but will probably leave out the maceration step. Perhaps it was because my berries were really nice and ripe already?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Lauren! It might be that over ripe strawberries became mushy after macerating them. It's a method I use all the time so that strawberry desserts have a more fresh flavor. It might also be that the jello didn't dissolve well and it didn't bind the filling correctly. If making it again make sure it's well drained after maceration. Have a great week.
angiesrecipes says
This looks magnificent and perfect for the berry season.
Paula Montenegro says
Yes it does!