Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie
Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie – Homemade strawberry pudding, cream cheese, and whipped cream are combined to create a silky, light, and fluffy no-bake strawberry pie recipe that’s perfect for spring and summer.
Ah, spring.
The days are longer, the weather is getting warmer, and the flavors of fresh produce are sweet and bold.
Is there anything better?
I don’t know about you, but as soon as the first seedlings start to sprout I’m ready to do away with the heavy comfort foods of winter, and dive head-first into light, bright, no-baking-required recipes.
This Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie is exactly what you need for welcoming the changing seasons. It’s easy to make, airy, yet creamy, and is packed with sweet strawberries.
The Best Strawberry Cream Pie
The secret to making the BEST Strawberry Cream Pie is to first and foremost use real strawberries to make a simple homemade strawberry pudding.
To achieve that heavenly fluffy consistency, the pudding is combined with cream cheese and freshly whipped cream. The result is a slightly tangy, wonderfully fruity, and refreshing cream pie.
And you’ll love how easy it is to make the terrifically crumbly no-bake crust for this Strawberry Cream Pie recipe!
You can even whip up this pie a day or so in advance of enjoying and keep in the fridge, making it perfect for spring and summer picnics and potlucks.
What Ingredients You Need
You’ll be amazed how simple the ingredients are to make this impressive, decadent Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie recipe.
To Make the Graham Cracker Crust:
- Graham crackers
- Melted butter
- Sugar
- Salt
For the Strawberry Cream Pie Filling:
- Sliced strawberries in syrup
- Whole milk
- Cream cheese
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Heavy cream
How to Make an Easy Graham Cracker Crust
1. Place the graham crackers in a large food processor, and pulse into fine crumbs.
2. Next, add the melted butter, sugar, and salt to the food processor. Pulse again a few times to combine. Pour into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, and use your fingers to gently press the mixture up the sides of the pan and flat on the bottom to create a smooth crust.
Refrigerate the crust until ready to fill.
How to Make Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Filling
1. First, make the whipped cream: Wash the food processor bowl to reuse. (Or, use an electric stand mixer with a whip attachment.) Pour the heavy cream into the food processor and add 3 tablespoons sugar. Turn on high to whip the cream into firm peaks. Scoop the firm whipped cream into a separate bowl and refrigerate.
2. Next, add the strawberries in syrup, whole milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt to the food processor. Puree until very smooth.
3. Pour the pudding mixture into a small sauce pan. Heat over medium heat, stir and simmer for 3-5 minutes to thicken the pudding. It’s ready when it coats a spoon with thin opaque layer that stays separate when you run your finger through it.
4. Next, pour the pudding back into the food processor and add the cream cheese (to help cool down the pudding) and vanilla extract. Puree until smooth. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to bring the pudding temperature down to room temperature.
5. Once the pudding has cooled to room temperature, scoop HALF the whipped cream into the pudding mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula. Once the whipped cream is fully combined and the filling is smooth, scoop the mixture into the graham cracker crust. Spread the filling to the sides of the crust.
6. Scoop the remaining whipped cream on top of the pie filling. Use a spatula to spread it into a visually pleasing mound.
Refrigerate for 4+ hours before enjoying.
I like to add a few fresh strawberries right on top for an extra pretty presentation.
Get the Complete (Printable) Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe Below. Enjoy!
The longer the pie chills in the fridge, the better the filling will set. Firm filling makes it much easier to cut and lift out of the pan.
Because it needs to set for several hours, this is a great recipe to make a day ahead of a picnic or party!
Covered loosely with plastic wrap or foil, Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie will keep well in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
How Can I Make This a Gluten-Free No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe?
You can use Gluten-Free graham crackers is you like. Just make sure you have a full 1 ½ cups of crumbs.
What If I Can’t Find Frozen Sliced Strawberries in Syrup?
The sweetness from the fresh strawberries in syrup is pretty essential for getting the bold and bright strawberry pie flavor. You can easily make your own at home; I recommend putting together several batches at once to have on hand!
Looking for More Easy Dessert Recipes?
- Fresh Strawberry Bundt Cake Recipe
- Meyer Lemon Tart
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- Fresh Strawberry Pie
- Fluffy No-Bake Chocolate Banoffe Pie
Fluffy No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust –
- 1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers crumbs about 12 whole graham crackers
- 7 tablespoons melted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Strawberry Cream Pie Filling –
- 10 ounces frozen sliced strawberries in syrup thawed
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar + 3 Tb for the whipped cream
- 3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups heavy cream
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Place the graham crackers in a large food processor. Pulse into fine crumbs. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can place the graham crackers in a large zip bag and use a rolling pin to smash them into crumbs.)
- Add the melted butter, sugar, and salt to the food processor. Pulse again to combine. Once the mixture is smooth, pour it into a 9 inch deep-dish pie pan.
- Use your fingers to press the crumb mixture up the sides of the pan, and flat on the bottom. Try to make the crust as even and smooth as possible. Then refrigerate until ready to fill.
For the Strawberry Pudding Filling:
- Wash the food processor bowl to reuse. (Or use an electric stand mixer with a whip attachment.) Pour the heavy cream into the food processor and add 3 tablespoons sugar. Turn on high to whip the cream into firm peaks. Scoop the firm whipped cream into a separate bowl. Refrigerate.
- Next add the strawberries in syrup, whole milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt to the food processor. Puree until very smooth.
- Pour the pudding mixture into a small sauce pan. Heat over medium heat. Stir and simmer for 3-5 minutes to thicken the pudding. It’s ready when it coats a spoon with thin opaque layer that stays separate when you run your finger through it.
- Then pour the pudding back into the food processor and add the cream cheese and vanilla extract. Puree until smooth. (Adding the cream cheese later helps to bring down the pudding temperature.)
- Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to bring the pudding temperature down to room temperature.
- Once the pudding has cooled to room temperature, scoop HALF the whipped cream into the pudding mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula. Once the whipped cream is fully combined and the filling is smooth, scoop the mixture into the graham cracker crust. Spread the filling to the sides of the crust.
- Scoop the remaining whipped cream on top of the pie filling. Use a spatula to spread it into a visually pleasing mound.
- Refrigerate for 4+ hours, before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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I made this last year and it was a great hit. I’m not a cook at all so I was pretty proud of myself. However, I could never quite get the mixture to ‘set’. When I cooked it, despite constant stirring and even a lower heat, it wouldn’t thicken up as much as I think it should. It never did the ‘separate’ thing when I put my finger through it. Is there a tip or trick I missed?
Hi Rachel!
Hmmm, with that much cornstarch it should have thickened up. Any change you used 3 1/2 teaspoons instead of tablespoons? If you encounter this issue again, and you are sure you measured accurately, remove some of the strawberry sauce, whisk in another tablespoon of cornstarch and stir it back into the whole batch of sauce. (This method ensures you don’t have clumps of cornstarch you can’t work out.)
Can you use cool whip instead of making your own? If so how much?
Hi Morgan, Absolutely! :)
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Is there a way to make this with fresh strawberries? We have gallons. The kids are dying to try this.
Hi Jennie,
Sure! Simply slice the strawberries and douse them in a generous coating of granulated sugar. Then mix and let them sit and create the “syrup” with the sugar and juices. Then measure out 10 ounces. :)
Can you use fresh strawberries instead?
Hi Amy,
Yes, if you slice them and toss them in extra sugar, you can use fresh. The juices will create a “syrup”.
I used fresh strawberries! I sliced up 10 ounces (weighed) and added 1/3-1/2 cup of simple syrup and let them sit while I made the crust. Seems to have worked out well.
Hi I think I need help on this one, I followed the directions but I’m wondering if the filling should be set when it’s put I to the crust? Or how liquidy should it be? Mine was quite liquidy but I cooked the pudding until it coated the spatula.
Hi Suzanne,
It won’t seem completely set at first, that’s why it needs to chill. The best way to test the consistency is to dip a wooden spoon in the pudding. If you can run a finger through the pudding and it stays separated, then it is ready.
Ingredients are different in parts of this post. Under ingredients needed in the body, it simply says strawberries. The instructions then say in syrup – I had to double check. Upon scrolling down I see you had put frozen strawberries in syrup.
Confusing, but looks delicious.
I really glad I found this recipe as I have frozen strawberries and also I have all the ingredients to do it . It s a very simple recipe nothing fancy. My husband will love it. Great for the summer
no need to heat the oven
Summer in a pie- this is just right!! Love all of the freshness!
It might be ‘ no bake ‘ but you have to cook part of it. MISLEADING…..BUT YUMMY just the same…. there goes my waistline.
I love how easy this is to make!!
This is so perfect for summer! Very refreshing!
Love it! It’s so easy to put together and so glad it’s no bake!
It’s such a cool and refreshing dessert.
I must admit; I do make something very much like this but I do mine in individual wide-mouth (4oz) canning jars or into 1/2 pint jars in place of a pie plate. Individual servings is great for family gatherings.
Enjoy your dfay. Stay safe & stay healthy.