Fresh Strawberry Pie | Easy Jello Strawberry Pie Recipe

This Homemade Fresh Strawberry Pie recipe is incredibly easy to make, packed with flavor, and a total family favorite. With just a few ingredients and a little time in the kitchen, you’ll have a dessert that’s perfect for backyard BBQs, church potlucks, and lake picnics.

What Makes Fresh Strawberry Pie So Great

• Easy. Create the homemade crust, prepare the strawberry pie filling, combine the two, and let it chill until set and ready to enjoy!
• Delicious. Packed with fresh strawberry flavor, this dessert sings with the flavors of summer.
• Versatile. Use some of my variations below to customize this homemade strawberry pie to perfectly fit your palate preferences or time constraints.

How Should Strawberries Be Cut For Pie?

You can cut them in medallions, dice them up, or into spears like I did when I tested this recipe.

Honestly, I don’t think it matters how you cut your strawberries for this fresh strawberry pie as long as they’re small enough to be bite-sized. I prefer to leave mine in larger chunks so I get a big bite of fresh strawberry flavor in every bite, but many prefer to chop them smaller so the pie is easier to cut without falling apart.

How Do You Keep Strawberry Pie From Being Runny?

Even when you use strawberry gelatin in this pie recipe, it can still be runny if you don’t prepare your strawberries correctly and use the right ingredients for the filling.

Since strawberries naturally release a lot of moisture when they are sliced, it’s imperative to allow them to rest on a paper towel for a minute or two. Do this while you’re baking your pie crust to absorb any excess moisture and save time.

Along with the gelatin, you will need to add a small amount of cornstarch to help the filling be sturdy enough. This will allow you to be able to cut into the pie without the weight of the strawberries overpowering it and causing your slice to crumble.

Ingredients To Grab

For The Crust

• All Purpose flour– This is largely what is used to create the homemade pie crust.
• Unsalted butter– I prefer using unsalted butter when baking so I can closely monitor and adjust the level of saltiness in the crust.
• Granulated sugar– Just a touch to make the pie crust perfectly sweet without being too sweet.
• Salt– To balance the sweetness of the strawberry pie filling.
• Ice cold water– Using cold water will help bring the pie crust together without melting the butter and making the crust too sticky or tough.

For The Filling

• Fresh strawberries– Look for bright red strawberries that are still relatively firm so they don’t release too much moisture when they are sliced.
• Strawberry Jello– You can use the store brand or sugar-free if you prefer, as long as it’s strawberry, it will be delicious.
• Cornstarch– This aids the strawberry gelatin in thickening the fresh strawberry pie filling.
• Granulated sugar– Brings out the natural sweetness of the strawberries for a delightful bite.
• Water– To prepare the gelatin to incorporate into the homemade pie filling.

How To Make Fresh Strawberry Pie

Prepare The Crust

In a mixing bowl, add the all purpose flour, salt, and sliced unsalted butter. Use a pastry cutter to incorporate the ingredients until the butter is evenly distributed in tiny pieces.

Slowly add in the ice-cold water and gently knead the dough until a ball forms. Use care not to overwork the dough. The heat from your hands can cause the butter to melt and cause a tough crust.

Once the dough is combined, wrap it up in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill while you’re preparing the filling.

To Make The Filling

In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add in the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Allow it to boil for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken.

Bring the saucepan off of the burner and stir in the packet of strawberry jello. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes until cool.

Bake The Crust

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and gently roll it out into a circle large enough to cover the pie plate.

Butter the bottom of the pie plate and add the pie crust. Press it firmly into the pie pan to eliminate any air bubbles that may be trapped under the dough.

Cover the uncooked pie dough with aluminum foil and cook for 8 minutes.

Remove the aluminum foil from the pie plate and allow the crust to bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Take the baked pie crust out of the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.

Assemble The Fresh Strawberry Pie

Once the pie crust has cooled, add the sliced strawberries to the pie crust.

Gently pour the jello mixture on top of the sliced strawberries.

Cover the assembled pie with foil or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Allow it to chill for at least 4 hours, up to overnight before serving.

Variations

Not sure this fresh strawberry pie could get any better? Try one of these tasty variations below until you find your favorite version!

• Use premade pie crust. If you don’t want to fuss with making a homemade pie crust, feel free to use a premade one. It will be just as delicious and save a ton of time.
• Grab frozen strawberries. Strawberries can be hard to find in the off-season, so if you’re craving this pie in fall or winter you can use frozen. To do this, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator overnight, and drain any of the juices that may have accumulated while defrosting. Keep in mind many frozen varieties contain added sugar. So, if they are presweetened, adjust the amount of sugar you add to the filling to taste.
• Add in a variety of fruit. Summer is a great time for fresh and flavorful berries. To switch up the flavor try adding in some peaches, blackberries, or blueberries with your strawberries.
• Smear on some cream cheese. Want a creamy addition to your fresh strawberry pie? Once your pie crust is baked, slather on a thin layer of cream cheese before pouring on the strawberries and jello mixture.
• Make it a slab pie. Feeding a crowd? Double the recipe and prepare it on a 9 1/2″x13″ baking sheet instead of a pie plate. This makes for easy serving for a potluck or larger gathering.

Tips And Tricks

There aren’t a ton of tips and tricks to make this super simple comfort cook easier, but there are a few things you can do to make it turn out a little more delicious.

Check out these tips and tricks before you get started:

• Absorb excess moisture. Make sure you slice your strawberries onto a paper towel to allow any excess moisture to absorb. This will prevent the filling from being too watery.
• Allow the dough to chill. Once the dough is prepared, wrap it tightly and store it in plastic wrap in the refrigerator before rolling it out and baking. This will make it easier to work with and keep it flaky.
• Adjust the cornstarch as needed. When adding the cornstarch to the strawberry jello filling, add the two tablespoons of cornstarch and allow to boil for 2 minutes. If it doesn’t appear to be thickening, add another tablespoon of cornstarch and continue boiling until it reaches the proper consistency.

How Long Is Strawberry Pie Good For In The Fridge?

As I mentioned earlier, strawberries release a large amount of moisture and continue to do so the longer they sit after being sliced. So, for the best results, store any leftover pie in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Check out my tips for freezing any leftovers you won’t finish below!

Can You Freeze It?

Yes! Early summer is the best time to get the most flavorful strawberries and I love to make several at a time when I am making a mess out of my kitchen.

To freeze this fresh strawberry pie, prepare it in an aluminum pie plate. Once it is set, cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Make sure you date it so you know how long it has been in the freezer. It should be good to eat for 6-8 weeks after preparing to extend that fresh summer strawberry flavor a little bit longer.

More Delicious Desserts

• Cherry Pie Bubble Up
• Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread
• Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you love this Fresh Strawberry Pie as much as I do, make sure you share it on social media so your friends can try it too! Save the Pin above so you can make it again soon!