Growing up I knew this recipe as “Strawberry Delight”. My aunt Renita submitted it in a family cookbook that was made one summer for a family reunion and it was always a favorite of mine. Although she always made it in a square baking dish, I turned it into a pie a few years ago to enter it in a pie baking contest where it won first place! When Spring and Summer hit and strawberries are in season, we make all the strawberry desserts! Some of our other favorites are Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes and Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars. This light, fruity dessert is perfect for all sorts of Spring and Summer holidays and occasions like Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, or just potlucks and family reunions when you want something refreshing to serve. It’s great to make-ahead since the crust and filling can be made 2-3 days in advance and topped with the strawberries and glaze the night before you want to serve it.
Ingredients in Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
Strawberries: I much prefer using fresh strawberries in this recipe, but you can get away with frozen (thawed and drained first) strawberries if you are in a pinch. Danish Dessert: This is a packaged mix usually found in the Jello aisle that creates a wonderful strawberry glaze. If you have any trouble finding it, try making a homemade version yourself using cornstarch and strawberry or cherry flavored Kool-Aid instead. Cream Cheese: Be sure to pull the cream cheese out of the fridge and let it soften while you are making the crust. It’s much easier to beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth when it isn’t super cold. I recommend using full-fat cream cheese, although Neufchatel will also work. Heavy Cream: In the version of this dessert from my family cookbook it calls for Dream Whip, but I have found it’s just as easy to use real whipping cream instead. It helps lighten the cream cheese layer a bit so it’s nice and fluffy. Powdered Sugar: This helps sweeten the cream cheese layer to offset the tanginess of the cream cheese. Flour: Rather than using a graham cracker crust or a traditional pie crust, in our family we like making a sort of walnut shortbread cookie crust instead. Regular all-purpose flour provides the base for this crust. Brown Sugar: This sweetens the crust and adds a wonderful almost caramelized flavor, as well as helping to bind the crust together. Walnuts: This is my favorite part of the crust! I love the toasty, almost slightly bitter flavor of the walnuts in the crust. They really stand up to the cream cheese and strawberry layers and are my secret to this award-winning pie! Pecans would be a great alternative if you prefer them to walnuts. Butter: I use melted, salted butter to bind the crust and give it a deliciously buttery taste! Cinnamon: Just a hint of cinnamon adds warmth without dominating the other flavors in this pie.
How to Make Strawberry Cream Pie
Variations
Raspberry Cream Cheese Pie: Try swapping out the strawberries for raspberries for a tart twist that is just as delicious! You can use either strawberry or raspberry Danish Dessert with fresh raspberries. Graham Cracker Crust: Although I love the walnut shortbread crust, you could use a graham cracker crust if someone has nut allergies or you just want to try something different. Biscoff cookies would make a delicious crust as well.
More Strawberry Recipes
Strawberry Mousse Jello Parfaits Strawberry Pretzel Icebox Pie Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake Chocolate Covered Strawberries Homemade Strawberry Milk Summertime Strawberry Shortcake
Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Best Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe
Strawberry Whoopie Pies
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
