Happy Chinese Lunar New Year, everyone! I wanted to make something special in honor of the holiday, but I haven’t had much time to cook lately. If I get a chance, I might put together a post featuring some of my favorite Asian recipes. But not today.
Today I want to talk to you about pie. Specifically, a luscious, creamy pie loaded with strawberries, drizzled with chocolate, on a sweet graham cracker crust. A pie that’s so rich, so decadent, yet somehow so light that every bite just melts in your mouth. Mmmmmm.
Now, I know I tend to get really gushy and poetic every time I talk about desserts, but trust me when I say that this is a really good pie. If you like peaches & cream, strawberries & cream, or any other fruit & cream combo, you’ll love this. And once you take the first bite you’ll find that you can’t put your fork down until every last crumb is gone.
It’s scary how easy this is to eat, but it’s OK because if you think about it a certain way, this pie is actually sort of healthy. ‘Cuz…um…there’s fruit…there’s dairy…uhhh…graham crackers are a healthy snack, and…I hear chocolate is good for your heart. So there you go! Every slice you eat is an investment towards your overall health! Just don’t eat the whole pie in one siting. Trust me, you’ll be tempted to.
Coincidentally, the last time I made this pie was two years ago, for a dinner party celebrating both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. The fact that I unconsciously decided to make strawberries & cream pie again this year, on the same holiday, is very fitting and kind of cool in a trippy sort of way, don’t you think?
Happy Year of the Water Dragon, everyone! May your year be full of good fortune and prosperity.
Strawberries and Cream Pie (Adapted from Crumbly Cookie’s recipe)
Ingredients:
(Crust)
- 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (About 9 full/long crackers — just throw them in a gallon bag, zip, and crush with a rolling pin.)
- 5 tbsp butter, melted
(Filling)
** Crumbly Cookie’s original recipe called for only 1 block of cream cheese and 1 cup of cream, but that didn’t fill my pie dish all the way and I wanted a really thick/deep-dish pie, so I doubled the recipe.
- 2 8oz blocks of cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups heavy cream + 1 tbsp
- 2/3 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 carton strawberries, sliced into thirds or halves
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Steps:
(1) Preheat oven to 375.
(2) In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until a crumbly, moist mixture forms.
(3) Gently but firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom/sides of a pie dish.
(4) Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
** This is the only baking that you need to do for this recipe, so don’t forget to turn the oven off!
(5) In a medium bowl, use an electric mixture to beat your cream until it holds firm peaks. Set aside.
(6) In a separate, larger bowl, mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar until smooth and creamy.
(7) Fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into your cream cheese mixture to lighten it, then add the rest. Gently fold until evenly incorporated and smooth.
(8) Spoon filling into your cooled pie crust, and spread it out in an even layer.
(9) Layer sliced strawberries in an overlapping rows around the top of the cream.
(10) Melt chocolate + 1 tbsp cream, and stir until smooth and liquid. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the strawberries.
(11) Stick the pie in the fridge for a few hours to allow the creamy filling to firm up.
(12) Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!
** Strawberries go fast, so this won’t keep very long. Try to eat everything within 3-5 days.
I do like peaches and cream or strawberries and cream I mean, who doesn’t? it’s the best and this pied looks so fluffy and I love all your desserts!
Thank you
THE most amazing dessert. All the gals (& Guys)in our crowd couldn’t get enough.
Fabulous!
This will be my Valentine day pie! Hubby loves strawberries.
Awesome, I hope he likes it!
Mmm. This looks soo good. I love cream pies like this!
Thanks! Me too — I think it’s because they’re less guilt-inducing than cheesecake, but just as delicious.
I made this tonight and it was INSANE I used a pre made pie crust and had a ton of extra filling so I made some red velvet cake mix and made sort of red velvet whoopee pies with the extra filling. Big hit. Loves it! <3
I’m so glad you liked it! Red velvet whoopie pies = genius idea for using up the extra filling. I’m definitely going to have to try that!
Congratulations on the move; i have been thinking about it bit still too chicken; that pie looks wonderful.
Rita
Thanks!
This pie looks awesome! I feel compelled to feature you in my Friday Food Fetish roundup and on Pinterest. Let me know if you have any objections and keep the amazing food coming…
Thank you! No objections, of course — I’m way too flattered
This looks so simple and decadent. I can’t wait to try it.
And it’s always an added bonus when you only have to bake the crust!
Definitely! Less baking time usually means you get to eat the treat sooner, which is always a good thing.
Strawberries are on sale this week so I can’t wait to try this recipe! I’m lazy though, so I’m planning to use pre-made graham cracker pie crusts. That’s what I do with my cheesecakes and it works just fine!
Great idea! Pre-made pie crusts are just as delicious, and you can enjoy your pie much faster if you’re not grinding up your own graham crackers
FYI, if you’re using store-bought graham cracker crusts, you might want to consider halving the cream filling recipe. Those crusts tend to be much more shallow than crusts that come out of regular pie dishes. Although, if you do make the full recipe, you’ll have plenty of yummy cream filling to put on other stuff. Win-win!
Halve the recipe!? I think not.
I bought 2 pie crusts!
I like your style!
Ok, so FWI! The recipe fills two store bought graham cracker pie crusts perfectly!
I would have doubled the recipe too! Looks wonderful and so luscious!
Yeah, doubling the creamy filling was a great decision — that’s double the deliciousness!
I wonder how long this will keep in the refrigerator? Do you think this is okay to make a day ahead? I am thinking of making this very soon, but could maybe save some time by making it a day before. Thanks!
Oh yeah, you can definitely make this a day before you serve. It’s best fresh though so try not to keep it in the fridge longer than a week or the berries will get a little soggy. Good luck! Hope you like it
Tasty idea, and I wonder if it would work with a pastry shell instead of graham? I will probably be able to let all know soon, as my 11 y.o. loves him some strawberries!
I bet a pastry shell would work great! I mainly went with a graham cracker crust because I had cheesecake on the brain, and the crust is always my fav part (I eat all my slices backwards!). Let me know how the pastry shell version works out for you though — hope your son likes it!
This looks DELICIOUS!!! Definitely on my I NEED TO MAKE list when strawberries are in season
Thank you! I’m definitely going to have to make this again myself when strawberries come back in season.
I don’t think that’s toooo trippy, especially since this pie looks AMAZING! It only makes sense that you’d make it again for a special occasion.
I think you’re right! I was probably subconsciously just dying for an excuse to make this pie again
This looks delicious and SO easy to make! I can’t wait to make it for Easter. BTW, your blog name is so perfect! It’s exactly what I would have called a food blog if I’d ever started one! Way to be
Thanks! Let me know how it turns out for you. And, you should start a food blog – it’s never too late to start one!
Seriously DELICIOUS! And so easy! Leftovers kept in the fridge beautifully for almost 3 days.
Awesome! I’m so glad you liked it
I just made this and linked my readers to this post. My little guy and I tried some of the filling and absolutely love it! I’m sure the final product with be just as scrumptious as the taste test
Thanks so much for sharing!
http://jacksonshappenins.blogspot.com/2012/03/i-do-pinterest.html
Thanks for reading! I’m glad the filling was a hit with your family — you’re right, it would be fantastic by itself as a fruit dip. Hell, I’d just eat it with a spoon like your little guy if I could get away with it!
Has anyone used cool whip instead of whipping cream?
I’ve never tried using cool whip, but it’s basically the same thing. Just remember that 1 cup of liquid cream = 2 cups whipped cream.
Found your blog via Pinterest. I made this pie for my hubby and I for our anniversary and we LOVED it. Am already planning on making it again this weekend for some out of town guests. Going to be a family favorite for years! So delicious!!
I’m so glad you liked it!!! It’s definitely a dessert that is perfect for all occasions
I found this via Pinterest, and boy, I am ever happy I did!! This pie is sinfully amazing! I made it last week for a couple of girlfriends, and every one raved about it! I’m so happy I found your blog, and thank you for sharing this pie!! Definitely one of my all-time faves!!!
That’s awesome! I’m so happy the pie was such a hit for you and your friends
Just want to verify that the sugar is 2/3s of a cup, right? Your recipe doesn’t say ‘cup’ so I’m just checking. It looks delish and I’ll be making it soon!
Oops, sorry about that. Yes, 2/3 cups sugar. Hope you like the pie!
This was so delicious, best pie ever! I’m always asked to make this one now,and its always a hit
That’s awesome!
I’ve had this recipe saved for several months and finally made it for Easter. I cheated a little and used 8 oz whipped cream cheese + 8 oz lite Cool Whip because my store was out of heavy cream and I never can get it to set anyway. But the pie was excellent– my family ate it up and many asked for the recipe. I stirred some chopped strawberries and chocolate chips right into the filling in addition to the sliced berries and chocolate glaze on top. Thanks for the recipe. I have a feeling I’ll make it again soon!
Mmm, stirring berries and chocolate chips into the filling sounds like a great idea! I’ll have to try that next time.
I do this in a 13×9 pan, using the graham cracker crust recipe on the box (doubled). Instead of the strawberries, I use blueberry pie filling, and I freeze it.
Mmm that sounds delicious! I love blueberry pie.
Just made this as written. Looks so good – bringing it to family this afternoon. I may try it next time with oreo cookie crust.
Awesome, hope your family likes it! I think an Oreo cookie crust would be delicious with the strawberries & cream.
I wish I’d seen this a week ago! I had my heart set on a Strawberries and Cream Pie and didn’t have much luck finding a decent recipe on the web or in my cookbooks. I settled for a Paula Dean recipe with a creamy custard base that never set up properly–but this! Now this looks like the pie of my dreams. I’ll have to try it soon.
Well, there’s no time like the present to make one more Strawberries and Cream pie
Get on it! You won’t regret it, I promise.
We love this recipe in our family. I like yours better since it doesn’t use cool whip (sans hydrogenated oil). We also love ours with blueberries. Thanks!
Thank YOU
I’ve been meaning to do a blueberry version of this pie, so I’m glad to hear that it’s delicious!