This heavenly Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie starts with a homemade all-butter pie crust, filled with a lightly sweetened whipped cheesecake filling, then topped with macerated fresh summer strawberries.
The inspiration for this strawberry cream cheese pie recipe came from a peaches and cream pie we bought from Polly’s Pie many years ago. After a few disappointing trips back without any luck finding that pie again, I gave up and decided to recreate it.
Instead of peaches, I used strawberries for this recipe and ended up with this fresh strawberry pie. I did make a peaches and cream pie later on – similar to this pie but using mascarpone in the filling – as well as a blueberry cream cheese pie.
The filling of whipped cream and cream cheese mixture was just the perfect creaminess and cheesiness. The strawberries are fresh and sweetened just a tad more with a little bit of sugar. The flaky and buttery pie crust adds another layer of contrasting texture. I promise you’ll come back for a second helping!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love it
Just one taste and this delicious Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie will become a stable summer pie on your menu for years to come. If you need more convincing, here’s why you’ll love it:
- This pie is made with simple and fresh ingredients
- No jello, gelatin or artificial add-ins
- Super easy to make: the filling and topping are not baked!
- 3 whole layers of different textures and flavors: crunchy, flaky, buttery pie crust, creamy whipped cheesecake filling and fresh macerated strawberries
Ingredients and Substitutions
You’ll need just 9 ingredients to make this easy strawberry cream cheese pie. And if you decide to use a store bought pie crust, that will reduce the amount of ingredients to just 5!
As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:
- Strawberries – you’ll need to use fresh strawberries here. I would not recommend using frozen strawberries as they will release a lot of water when thawed and the texture will be too mushy.
- Flour – I use all-purpose flour for the pie crust. You could also use pastry flour for a more tender pie crust but I don’t usually bother. All-purpose works just fine for me.
- Sugar – I use granulated sugar to macerate the strawberries, sweeten the pie crust as well as the cheesecake filling. Other types of sugar will work here as well.
- Salt – I always use a little bit of salt in the pie crust. Use more if you want it to be more savory but I like mine on the sweeter side. For the filling and strawberries, you could also add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor.
- Butter – unsalted butter is used for the pie crust. You can substitute salted butter here but I would omit the salt called for separately in the recipe.
- Water – I use iced water to hydrate the pie dough and bring it together. You could use another cold liquid in this step. Alcohol is a great substitute here since it also has a benefit of inhibiting gluten formation, keeping your pie crust more tender.
- Cream cheese – I use full fat cream cheese. I have never tried reduced fat or low fat cream cheese as a substitute but I assume it will work. Though, the cream cheese layer will not be as rich and delicious.
- Heavy whipping cream – I use heavy whipping cream and not light whipping cream. This has higher fat content for a creamier, richer filling. Again, I have not tried a lighter whipping cream, but I imagine it will work to create a lighter filling.
- Vanilla extract – I flavor the cheesecake filling with vanilla extract. You could also use almond extract or another flavoring of your choice. Whatever you use, make sure to use pure extract for the best flavor, nothing artificial.
How to make Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Macerate the strawberries
The strawberries can be prepared ahead of time, I usually make it the night before. Or at least, it should be the very first thing you make when starting this recipe since the fruits need time to soften.
Wash, hull and cut the berries into bite size pieces. Toss them with sugar, a pinch of salt, as well as any flavoring you want to add such as a little bit of vanilla or almond extract, lemon or orange zest, ect. Let them rest in the refrigerator until you need to use them.
Prepare the pie crust
You can make the pie crust ahead of time as well. Check out my post for homemade all-butter pie crust to see all the different ways you can make it with more details and process photos.
The pie crust needs to be blind baked for this recipe, since you won’t need to bake this pie with the cream filling. It also needs to cool completely before adding the cream filling so we don’t melt the filling.
Tip: if you want to save a little bit of time, you could get a premade pie crust, one that’s already formed in a pie pan for you. All you need to do is blind bake it.
Want to try a different pie crust for this recipe? Make my all-butter chocolate pie crust.
Make the cream cheese filling
The mousse-like cheesecake filling is a mixture of lightly sweetened cream cheese mixed with homemade whipped cream. You can flavor it with vanilla extract or almond extract. I alternate between these two extracts often when I make this pie.
Beat the heavy whipping cream with a stand mixer until stiff peaks form, then transfer it to another bowl. Beat cream cheese in the same stand mixer bowl with sugar, salt and vanilla until fluffy. Then fold the whipped cream back into the cream cheese.
You can make the filling ahead as well and just keep it refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the pie.
Assemble the pie
Once the pie crust has cooled completely, you can spoon in the cheesecake filling and add the macerated strawberries on top.
Tip: I recommend adding the strawberries just before you serve the pie to keep it from going soggy since the macerated strawberries release a lot of juice.
Baker’s Tips
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best results. If your strawberries are on the tart side, you could increase the amount of sugar used to macerate them.
- Adding flavoring to the macerated strawberries is a great way to elevate this pie. I recommend lemon or orange zest, or a splash of vanilla or almond extract. You could also try mint and basil as well.
- Try different berries in this pie to change up the flavors all summer long.
- Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature before whipping so it can become fluffy and incorporate into the whipped cream easily.
- Make sure your pie crust is cooled completely before adding the filling so you don’t melt it.
- I used a deep dish pie plate but a regular pie plate will work just fine, your strawberries will pile over the top a bit.
FAQs
The cheesecake filling and macerated strawberries are no-bake but you’ll still need to bake the pie crust. If you want to make this pie completely “no-bake”, try this Oreo pie crust, or a graham cracker crust.
No, I don’t recommend using frozen strawberries for the macerated strawberry topping because they release a lot more water when thawed and the texture will be too mushy. However, if you only have access to frozen strawberries, I recommend cooking it into a pie filling like in this blueberry cream cheese pie.
The pie crust, the cheesecake filling and the strawberry topping can all be made ahead of time, separately and then put together the day you plan to serve the pie.
You must refrigerate this pie since the filling is all dairy and the macerated strawberries could go bad if left out at room temperature.
This pie is best served the day it is assembled. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. However, the pie crust can start to get soggy.
No, I don’t recommend freezing this pie. The fresh strawberry topping will be a complete mess when you thaw it. However, if you cook the strawberries into a pie filling set with cornstarch, you will be able to freeze this pie.
More strawberry recipes
- Strawberry Scones
- Strawberry Compote
- Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes
- Strawberry Jello Cream Cheese Dessert
- Very Strawberry Cupcakes
📖 Recipe card
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
Ingredients
For pie crust
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (200 g)
- 2 rounded tablespoon granulated sugar (31 g)
- ¼ rounded teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 oz unsalted butter (cold, 10 tablespoon, 142 g)
- 3 tablespoon cold water
- Extra flour for rolling
For cheesecake filling
- 8 oz cream cheese (room temperature, 227 g)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (cold, 238 g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (66 g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or almond extract)
- A pinch of salt
For fruit topping
- 2 lbs fresh strawberries (907 g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- A pinch of salt
- Optional flavoring: a splash of vanilla or almond extract (a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest)
Instructions
Prepare the macerated strawberries
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Quarter the big ones and halve the small ones.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss strawberries with ¼ cup of sugar, a pinch of salt and any flavoring option of your choice if using. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Make the pie dough (with food processor)
- Add flour, sugar and salt in a small bowl and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Then transfer to a food processor fitted with the dough blade.
- Cube the cold butter and add to the flour mixture. Pulse several times until butter is about pea and bean size, variation in size is okay, but no smaller than a pea.
- Turn the food processor to “on” position and drizzle cold water over the dough mixture through the water hole, as soon as the dough starts to pull together turn the food processor off. You may need to stop the food processor in between and use a spatula to scrape the flour at the bottom of the bowl.
- Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter and dump the dough on top. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for an hour.
Prepare and bake the pie crust
- Take pie dough out of the fridge and roll into a circle about 2” larger than your pie dish. Use extra flour to keep dough from sticking to the counter and roller.
- Carefully place the dough over the pie dish, lightly press the dough into the bottom and side of the pie dish, let the excess dough hang over the side.
- Trim some of the excess dough if necessary to create an even edge, but leave enough to fold under and flute the edge.
- Cover the prepared pie dough with plastic wrap and freeze for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Take the frozen pie crust out of the freezer and dock (poke holes) the bottom and side with a fork.
- Line the frozen pie crust with parchment paper, large enough to cover the crust completely.
- Add pie weights or dry beans on top of the parchment paper, enough to fill to the top.
- Bake pie crust for 20 minutes.
- Remove pie weights or beans, and bake for another 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
Prepare the cheesecake filling
- In the stand mixer bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
- In the same stand mixer bowl, cream the softened cream cheese with sugar, salt and vanilla (or almond) extract until smooth.
- Add the whipped cream back in, and set the mixer on “stir” or fold by hand using a spatula until thoroughly mixed. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Assemble the pie
- Spoon the cheesecake filling into the cool crust; level out the top. Then spoon the strawberries on top of the cream using a slotted spoon.
- Drizzle the strawberry juice over the top if serving right away or reserve the juice to drizzle over the pie when ready to serve.
- Keep pie refrigerated.
Notes
Nutrition
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Ingredients for the cheesecake filling shows pinch of salt. Directions do not advise if and when to add?
Appreciate your thoughts.
Apology for that, you can add it when you beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla.
Super good. That’s all I can say.
Yay! Thank you 🙂
Looks delicious. Can you please answer two questions. How do you use the beans as weights and is this a deep dish size or regular pie size? Thank you.
Hey April, this is a deep dish pie dish, I line the raw pie crust with parchment paper and pour the bean on top as you would a ceramic pie weight. See this pie crust post for more photos that will explain this.
I made this pie yesterday. It was absolutely yummy and that cream filling I could have just eaten by the spoonful. The only change I made was added some blueberries to the strawberries. Thanks for such deliciousness.
Thank you for the feedback April! I’m so glad you enjoy this pie. 🙂
How far in advance can this be made? Looks delicious!!
I would recommend the day before as best, but it will keep 2-3 days in the fridge just fine. However, you can certainly make the pie crust, the filling and the strawberry all separately, and assemble the day of. Let me know if this helps or if you have any other questions.
This is such a gorgeous pie! I love strawberry desserts!
Thank you so much!
What a perfect Summer dessert. This looks so beautiful
Great! How clever using dry beans as pie weight. Who’d of thunk it?