This scrumptious no-bake strawberry cream cheese pie with fresh or frozen strawberries is a must for a summer get together. Creamy and rich it’s a no fail pie that will hold it’s shape even in the heat and make you the star at the next potluck or cookout.
If you shy away from making strawberry pie because you’re worried the servings won’t turn out looking good, have I got the pie for you. This little gem has gelatin added to keep the filling firm, giving it the perfect texture that’s rich and creamy and bursting with strawberries. Every piece will come right out of the buttery graham cracker crust with ease.
It will need to refrigerate for a few hours to let everything set up. If you need a berry dessert right away, try a simple blueberry self-saucing pudding and if you’re going to be out in the heat, try a baked lemonade pie.
Cream cheese, cream and strawberries, combine to create a truly irresistible filling. The inclusion of gelatin provides structure to the filling, allowing it to hold up in warm summer temperatures and be perfectly sliceable in any indoor or outdoor setting. While there’s nothing wrong with a strawberry cobbler with biscuits, or a juicy strawberry slab pie, there are times, you want a beautiful slice of creamy pie.
Serve this with more fresh strawberries on top for a show stopper dessert. This no-bake pie is the best for those hot summer months when you can’t even bear the thought of turning on the oven. It’s the perfect way to end a summer cookout. Since you can use frozen berries, you can have a little bit of summer all year long.
Pro Tip: If you don’t want your strawberries to go bad while you’re waiting to make your favorite strawberry recipes, learn how to keep strawberries fresh for two weeks, it’s a game changer.
Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh ones?
You can definitely substitute frozen strawberries for fresh ones in this recipe. Make sure to thaw the strawberries first and thoroughly drain them for the best result.
Can I use a store-bought graham cracker crust?
A store-bought crust is fine for this recipe – it doesn’t affect how the filling is made, or the amount of time the pie needs to chill in the refrigerator. Store-bought, pre-made graham cracker crusts are not made with real butter, so I try to avoid them, but I get it, they are super convenient and I definitely use them in a pinch. If you have just a few minutes, a homemade crust has a much more buttery taste.
Why You’ll Be Making this Pie on Repeat
- No-bake means no heating up the kitchen
- You can use fresh or frozen strawberries
- Strawberries make the best pie
- So creamy
- Beautiful pink color
- Perfect slices
Why is there gelatin in this pie?
A pie that bakes in the oven uses whole eggs or egg yolks as the stabilizer. Eggs require cooking to gelatinize. Powdered gelatin doesn’t need to be cooked to gel up and stabilize the pie filling – it just needs a few hours in the refrigerator once it’s dissolved and mixed in. If you don’t want to firm up the pie with gelatin, your other option is to use eggs whites like in a light and airy strawberry chiffon pie.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Recipe Ingredients
- Strawberries – Fresh strawberries are combined with orange juice and sugar and are allowed to macerate. This allows the sweetness of the berries to be concentrated. You can use fresh or frozen strawberries for this pie.
- Orange Juice – Orange juice brings a little bit of acidity to the strawberry puree and a very subtle citrus note
- Unflavored Gelatin – Gelatin provides structure to the pie so it stays together.
- Cream Cheese – Cream cheese is the main ingredient in the filling. It provides creaminess and tang to the pie filling and is just so delicious when combined with strawberries. Learn how to soften cream cheese quickly for the smoothest frosting.
- Heavy Cream – Cream is whipped and then folded into the filling to provide a mousse-like airiness and luscious mouthfeel.
- Graham Crackers – Graham crackers are the perfect choice for this pie because they’re not too sweet, and of course, they don’t need to be cooked, creating a quick crust for any no-bake dessert.
- Pantry Staples – salt, sugar, butter, and vanilla.
Pro Tip: To help a graham cracker crust pie come out of the pie pan easier, spray the pie pan first with cooking spray.
How To Make a No-Bake Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
Step 1: Make the graham cracker crust.
Using a food processor or a resealable bag and a rolling pin, crush the graham crackers into crumbs. Stir in the melted butter and press into a greased pie dish.
Step 2: Make the strawberry puree.
Combine cut strawberries with sugar and orange juice in a bowl. Blend the strawberries in a blender, food processor, or use an immersion blender.
Step 3: Make the filling.
Combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix until smooth. Add the strawberry puree.
In a small bowl, combine the gelatin with water and the remaining orange juice. Microwave for 10 seconds to dissolve the gelatin. It should be fully liquid before allowing it to cool slightly and adding it to the strawberry mixture.
Add the cream, unbeaten, to the strawberry cream cheese mixture and beat until fluffy about 2 minutes, then pour it into the prepared crust.
Step 4: Chill and serve.
Chill the pie in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.
Since this pie is so rich already, I don’t think it needs additional whipped cream on top. Instead, cut the pie and serve it with sliced fresh strawberries. Grab a fork and dig into a luscious, fruity, creamy dessert.
Tips for Making Perfect Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Unlike some pies, the cream is beaten with the strawberry cream cheese mixture and not separately.
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature and the heavy cream is cold before you start to make the pie. This makes it much easier to whip up and get that smooth, airy filling.
- Allow the pie to sit in the refrigerator for the full 4 hours. I know it’s hard to wait to eat something so delicious, but the wait is necessary to allow the gelatin to fully set and allow this pie to be perfectly firm and sliceable.
How to Store Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
This pie can be stored in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. If you cover it with plastic wrap in the original pie dish, keep in mind that any other food with strong smells in the refrigerator can affect the flavor of the pie. I really recommend keeping it airtight in a container!
You can also freeze this pie whole in individual slices. Let it thaw in the refrigerator.
Cream Cheese Pie FAQs
Can I make this pie in advance?
This pie can stay in the fridge for a few days, so you can make it ahead of time if you need to or freeze it for 1-2 months.
Can I use a different fruit?
Strawberries are a great choice for this pie, but other fruits would also be amazing in this pie! Some ideas could be blueberries, raspberries, or even fresh peaches.
How can I get the filling to be really smooth?
Starting with softened, room-temperature cream cheese is essential for getting a really smooth, creamy filling. If the seeds in the strawberries bother you, you can strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve before adding it to the filling.
More Delicious Summer Pie Recipes to Love
Inspired by a recipe from California Strawberrries
If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.
No-Bake Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
Ingredients
Fruit Puree
- 1 cup strawberries cut
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons orange juice
Filling
- 1 tablespoons gelatin unflavored
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
Graham Cracker Crust
- 15 crackers graham crackers 2 cups crumbs
- 7 tablespoons butter melted
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Equipment
- Pie plate
Instructions
CRUST:
- Place graham crackers in a food processor or place in a resealable bag and us a rolling pin to grind into crumbs. Add melted butter and salt and place in a pie dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Press down with a flat surface like the bottom of a glass. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
PUREE:
- Place cut strawberries in a bowl with 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons of orange juice. Stir to combine and let sit for 30 minutes. Then blend in a blender, food processor or immersion blender until smooth.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt and beat until smooth. Add the pureed strawberries and beat until combined.
- In a small bowl, add gelatin with 2 tablespoons of water and 3 tablespoons of orange juice. Stir to combine and microwave for 10 seconds to allow it to dissolve. It should be liquid form. Let it cool slightly and add to the strawberry mixture, beating until combined.
- Change to the whisk attachment on the stand mixer and add unbeaten heavy cream to the cream cheese mixture. Start on low and once incorporated, beat on high for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour into the prepared crust and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until it has set.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You don’t beat the heavy cream separately, you add it directly to the cream cheese strawberry mixture and then beat it on high so that the entire mixture is slightly fluffy but the cream is fully incorporated.
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before you start to make the pie while keeping the heavy cream refrigerated. This makes it much easier to whip up and get that smooth, airy filling.
- Allow the pie to sit in the refrigerator for the full 4 hours. The wait is necessary to allow the gelatin to fully set and allow this pie to be perfectly firm and sliceable.
- Don’t forget to spray the pie pan with cooking spray.
Nutrition
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Followed exactly..must say lots of steps but absolutely worth it!! Used strawberries from our garden yay!! One question and hope you can answer soon can this be frozen and survive with the cream cheese?? Tysm for a great recipe!!!
Yes, you can freeze it! So glad you loved it.
Is cream cheese amount (16oz: 2boxes) a typo? Made twice as much filling aND much lighter colored.
It does use 2 boxes or 18 ounces of cream cheese and is a pale pink. It will come to the top of a large pie pan. If your pie pan in small and you have extra filling, you can put them in individual ramekins.
Would like to make for a family event, but my sis is allergic to citrus – any suggestions for substitute for the orange juice?
(Thinking maybe pomegranate)
You can leave it out and just use water. I think pomegranate would work, but it’s not necessary for the recipe.
Thanks, Barbara!
I made this No-Bake Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie last weekend to hand out to our neighbors. Everyone raved. This recipe is a keeper plus the pie is so delicious.
Thank you for the recipe.
Crystal, I’m so glad you liked it and thanks for the 5 star rating!
Made it. Delicious. Good recipe. Very tasty and great summer dessert. Will now make regularly…. Thanks for the recipe…..
It’s great for summer but you can also use frozen strawberries.