Strawberry Pie with Jello

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 post 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 ends up being 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 so much cream filling.

A more relaxed, Summery version of this classic, now filed under delicious pies to make often.

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.

Like many old-fashioned bakers who do it for a living, I don't regularly use store-bought shortcuts.

Graham crackers or cookies I do when making cookie crust or the best oreo cheesecake ever. And lately, I have been incorporating a few pantry staples and using boxed cake mix for dump cakes. But that's another conversation.

So let's get into the details of each component.

The crust

Homemade pie dough is my first option, always. And I keep a few frozen doughs at all times in my freezer.

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 making 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 pop it in the refrigerator 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. I keep pie doughs ready like this regularly.

Strawberry pie filling

Did I tell you this is a no-bake filling? It does involve a bit on the stovetop to make the gelatin mixture, but I promise it's just a few minutes.

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

The strawberries are washed, hulled, cut, and mixed with sugar (image 1).

We let them macerate for a while, and then we drain them (image 2). That juice is sweet and syrupy and will add a lot to the filling. An extra boost of flavor that you don't want to mi

Gelatin mixture or jello filling

Don't be put off by the fact that there is gelatin (strawberry jello powder, to be more exact) in this pie because the process is really easy and hard to mess up with since the jello is mixed with cold water from the tap.

It's then cooked with the rest of the ingredients.

The important thing is to check the heat and whisk constantly.

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 for working with this ingredient, that many feel is difficult, is beware 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: You can also use a cookie crumb crust for an easier pie. Find all the ingredients and details in this graham cracker crust recipe post.