Fresh Strawberry Pie

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated March 18, 2026

  • Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
4(3,734)
Comments
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This pie is a celebration of perfectly ripe, summertime strawberries. Only two cups of the berries are cooked down into a quick jam, which holds the rest of the fruit together for a delightfully fresh pie. With a crunchy shortbread crust and a cloud of freshly whipped cream, it’s reminiscent of strawberry shortcake — but maybe even better.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

FOR THE CRUST

  • 10 ⅔ ounces/300 grams shortbread cookies (two 5 ⅓-ounce packages)

  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ¼ cup/55 grams unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING

  • 2 ½ pounds/about 1 kilogram strawberries (about 8 to 10 cups), hulled

  • ⅓ cup/65 grams granulated sugar

  • 3 tablespoons strawberry preserves

  • ¼ cup/30 grams cornstarch

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 1 cup/240 milliliters cold heavy cream

  • 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 to 10 servings)

49 grams carbs; 39 milligrams cholesterol; 396 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 22 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 3 grams fiber; 176 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 28 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine shortbread cookies, sugar, flour and salt and blend until you have fine crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a medium mixing bowl. Add butter and mix with a fork until crumbs are evenly moistened. Tip crumbs into a standard 9-inch pie plate and press them in an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Bake until golden brown and set, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare filling: Cut each of the strawberries in quarters or eighths, if they are large. Transfer 2 cups berries to a small saucepan and crush completely with a potato masher. Set aside the remaining berries in a large bowl. Add the sugar, preserves, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water and salt to the saucepan.

  3. Step 3

    Bring strawberry mixture to a boil over medium heat and then cook it an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add strawberry mixture and lemon juice to the strawberries in the bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared crust and gently tap it down into an even layer. Transfer to the fridge to set for at least 4 hours.

  4. Step 4

    Just before serving, whip cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, if using, to soft peaks. Top pie with whipped cream.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
3,734 user ratings
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Comments

Susan

There is a recipe for a pie very similar to this in the old Fannie Farmer Baking Book. It calls for a regular pie crust made with butter (blind baked). About 3 cups of fresh strawberries crushed and cooked with 3T cornstarch, a cup of sugar and a T. Lemon juice. Cooked until thick and cooled. Then mixed with about 3 cups of fresh, sliced strawberries. No strawberry preserves. Serve with whipped cream. I have also made this with blueberries. You cannot go wrong. It is easy and so delicious.

Laurikay

This is similar to the strawberry pie we’ve always made, but the addition of salt and acid (lemon juice) deepened and balanced the flavor. One change that protects against a soggy crust (if it miraculously doesn’t get eaten the first day) is to spread 4oz of softened cream cheese on the crust before the filling. It works with regular pie crust too. Fresh. Rich. Perfect.

tbucks

I’ve made this with fresh blueberries, raspberries, and fresh peaches. I just changed the jam to match the fruit.

jean

I made this pie with store/not fresh strawberries for my husband's birthday. I served it with vanilla ice cream (dairy and nondairy) Memorial Day weekend. My family loved it! I repeated yesterday with fresh strawberries and the filling too thin. I was a tad short on the cornstarch. Be sure to thicken the cooked strawberries. It's a winner even runny.

Julia Green

I am chef. I love the recipe religiously and the filling never concealed ideas. Thoughts?

JP

Fantastic. Delicious crust, delicious filling, and approachable to put together.

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