Give a Strawberry Chiffon Pie a try if you’re looking for a light and airy dessert made with fresh strawberries. This no-bake strawberry pie is the perfect ending to a summer day. Made in a pretzel crust for a salty crunchy twist.
Memorial day is next weekend and strawberries are in peak season in the Carolinas so it’s the perfect excuse to make a homemade strawberry chiffon pie. This light and airy dessert needs to be made a day ahead so it can set up, but it’s a classic end to a summertime meal. The addition of beaten egg whites give a chiffon pie its unique consistency and fresh strawberries provide the flavor.
With the cooler spring that we’ve had, it’s extended the strawberry season around here so I just keep making more and more strawberry desserts. When trying to decide which strawberry dessert to choose, think about which will save and which will need to be eaten within a day.
Strawberry chiffon pie will only last about a day because the crust will absorb the filling and become soggy. That makes this chiffon dessert a great choice if you have friends over and can finish it off in one sitting. Since strawberries are so juicy, most fresh strawberry recipes don’t save well.
If you want a dessert that you can eat now and save some for later, then my choice would be lemon strawberry shortcake or a traditional strawberry cake.
What is a chiffon pie
Chiffon pies are pretty common in the South, the most popular being a lemon chiffon pie. What makes a pie a chiffon pie is the addition of beaten egg whites which gives it the light and airy texture. Some recipes use cool whip instead of egg whites, but cool whip is going to give it a completely different flavor and texture.
How do you make a no-bake strawberry chiffon pie
My recipe for strawberry chiffon pie is similar to my lemon pie recipe in that it uses egg whites and unflavored gelatin. For a strawberry pie, I use the juice from the strawberries and concentrate it so that it has tons of strawberry flavor, then fold in some fresh strawberries at the end.
Step 1: Make a pretzel crust and let it get cold.
Step 2: Dissolve the unflavored gelatin.
Step 3: Add whole strawberries to a food processor or you could use a blender. Once processed, strain all the juice into a bowl and cook the juice down in a saucepan with some sugar and cornstarch. While still hot add the dissolved gelatin and lemon juice and let it cool.
Step 4: Once cool, whip the egg whites in one bowl and heavy cream in another. Fold in the egg whites.
Fold in the whipped cream.
Finally add some fresh sliced strawberries.
Add to the cold pretzel crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
How do you choose the sweetest strawberries for a strawberry pie
Strawberries don’t ripen once they’ve been picked so try to find ripe berries. Look for a vibrant red color all the way to the stem. When you get them home, lay them out on a cookie sheet so you don’t have a bad one on the bottom ruining the rest of the berries. Wait to wash them until you’re ready to use them. If you can’t use them within a day, you may need to refrigerate the batch to keep them from going bad.
If you want them to last for over a week, try this method.
The concentrated strawberry flavor along with the creamy and light texture makes this the best strawberry chiffon pie recipe you’ll find. Just plan ahead since it needs to be refrigerated.
More strawberry desserts
- Strawberry biscuit cobbler
- Strawberry crisp
- Strawberry shortcake
- Strawberry filled biscuits
- Strawberry icebox pie
- Strawberry pastry braid
- Strawberry slab pie
- Strawberry skillet cake
- Strawberry cupcakes
- Strawberry crostini
Pies you’ll love
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Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen 2016
Strawberry Chiffon Pie
Ingredients
CRUST
- 3 ½ cups 4.5 ounces Mini pretzels
- ¼ cup sugar
- 12 tablespoons butter melted
FILLING
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 ½ cups strawberries whole, tops removed
- 1 ⅓ cups strawberries sliced
- ¾ cups sugar plus 2 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 egg whites
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- CRUST: Combine pretzels and sugar in a food processor and process unlit is fine crumbs. Add melted butter and process until coated. Place in a 9 inch glass pie pan and cover with plastic wrap. Spread the crumbs to coat the bottom and sides of the pie pan including the rib. Once distributed, press down firmly and refrigerate or freeze until cold.
- FILLING: Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl and let sit until the gelatin softens, about 5 minutes.
- Place whole strawberries in a food processor and process until completely smooth. Place a Fine mesh strainer over a bowl and press strawberry puree through the strainer, you should get about 1 cup of juice.
- Add strawberry juice it a sauce man and whisk in ¾ cup sugar, cornstarch and salt. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until it is slightly thick, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add gelatin mixture, whisking until dissolved. Transfer to a large bow and add lemon juice. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Beat egg whites with cream of tarter until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes then add 2 tablespoons of sugar and whip until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Fold ⅓ of egg whites into cooled strawberry mixture then fold in remaining egg whites until only a few white streaks remain.
- Beat cream until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Gently fold cream into strawberry mixture. Fold in sliced strawberries. Spoon mixture into the cold pretzel crust. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
Nutrition
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