Every spring, I go on and on about strawberries. I think I get so excited because they’re so beautiful and cheap and, like the first really great watermelon in summer or the first sweet, crisp apple in the fall, or juicy orange in the winter, sweet, fat strawberries are one of the first signs of spring.
I realized recently that we don’t have a strawberry pie recipe on our blog. Problem is, as gorgeous as those pies loaded with shiny glazed strawberries are, I don’t really like the strawberry glazes or junkets–they often taste a little artificial or have weird textures to them. Instead, I love this pie that still showcases the beautiful berries, but the glaze is replaced with sweetened whipped cream and cream cheese. Then the strawberries are drizzled in chocolate because that is how strawberries were intended to be eaten. Promise.
Plus, it’s super easy. Easy as pie. Oh, Kate, that was lame.
You’ll need a quart of fresh, beautiful strawberries (pick out the prettiest ones of all sizes–the rest will be doomed to live the remainder of their lives with low self-esteem in a jam jar), whipping cream, powdered sugar, a little brown sugar (which I forgot in the picture), cream cheese, almond or vanilla extract, and about 1-2 ounces of chocolate (roughly 1 regular candy bar), and a graham cracker crust.
In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix the heavy cream with the powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Add about a cup of the whipped cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat until it’s smooth and combined. Add the remaining whipped cream mixture, mixing until just combined.
Place the whipping cream/cream cheese mixture in the graham cracker crust
and spread it out evenly. Isn’t it magical how this exact amount of whipped cream and cream cheese perfectly fill a graham cracker crust? It’s like it was meant to be…
Pop that bad boy into the refrigerator for a few minutes while you slice the stems off the strawberries. Make sure the strawberries are as dry as possible–you don’t have to get crazy here, just whip out a paper towel and gently blot the un-cut surfaces.
Arrange the strawberries, cut side down, on the whipped cream mixture. You can press them way down if you want (and even add another layer of berries if you feel the urge) or just have them sticking out like I do here. Because they’re just so pretty.
Break the chocolate into chunks and place it in a small, heavy-duty Ziploc bag. Microwave for 45 seconds-1 minute, stopping every 20 seconds or so to mash the bag around. You don’t want the bag to get hot, you just want the chocolate to melt. When the chocolate is melted, snip a corner off the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the berries.
Refrigerate the pie for at least 3 hours before serving. Wonder if Kate will ever again post a recipe that’s not a dessert. Know that I will. I promise. But until then, you’ve got pie…
Chocolate-Drizzled Strawberries and Cream Pie 1 quart fresh strawberries (frozen’s not gonna cut it here. If you use them and then leave a comment telling us how gross this recipe is, we’ll cut you. Just kidding. But seriously peeps, don’t use frozen strawberries.) In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate large bowl, beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Add about 1 c. of the whipping cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth and well-combined. Add the remaining whipping cream mixture and mix until just combined. Spread in the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for a few minutes while you prepare the strawberries. Wash the strawberries and cut off the stems. Blot dry with a paper towel and then gently press, cut side down, into the whipped cream mixture. Set aside. If using a chocolate bar, break it into equal pieces and place in a small Ziploc bag. Microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes, stopping the microwave every 20 seconds to mash the bag. You want the chocolate to be melted but not hot at all. When the chocolate is melted, snip a corner off the bag and drizzle it over the strawberries. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. Serves 8.
Recipe by Our Best Bites
1 8-oz. package cream cheese at room temperature (light is fine)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 9″ graham cracker crust (store-bought or homemade)
1-2 ounces chocolate
Also, make sure you mark your calenders for some upcoming book signings!
Sara will be in Provo next week, at two locations- make sure to go say hello! You’ll also see dates below for two signings in Boise, ID and also one in Seattle, WA!
Provo, UT
April 28th (next Thursday!)
BYU Bookstore
1:30-3:30
Provo, UT
U Village Deseret Book
Thursday April 28th 5-7 pm
Boise, ID
Friday May 6th
Deseret Book on Eagle Road
5-7 pm
Boise, ID
Saturday May 7th
Nampa Costco
noon-1:30 pm
Seattle, WA
Friday June 10th
Deseret Book, Bellevue
5-7 pm
Questions & Reviews
OH YUM! Can’t wait to make this!! Looks absolutely fabulous! :))
Once again, my mouth is watering. You make it hard for a sista to lose baby weight! And by the by, it would be awesome if y’all made your pretty little way down to Denton, TX. There’s a Moon’s Bookstore just down the way in Dallas. Just a thought.
Oh, My! That looks positively decadent and yummy! I would so make this if I weren’t on yet another diet. (I know.. who goes on a diet right before Easter??? DUH) Anyway, I’m printing out this one- it will also be perfect for the 4th of July. Thanks for sharing!
it looks so easy and simple ! def. going to try it ! just wondering if we get graham crackers in the UAE
This looks so yummy. I’m a big strawberry fan too – I just can’t get enough of them. We have some great local farms that have DELISH strawberries. And if you guys want to come spend some lazy summer days in southern California for book signings, we would LOVE to have you down here.
Looks like I’ve just found the dessert I’m making for Easter! Yummy!
This sounds absolutely HEAVENLY! And the husband just ordered two flats of strawberries…perfect!
thanks for posting this in the week that Fred Meyer has a good deal on strawberries (4lb for $5) which I am planning to take advantage of TONIGHT! This sounds yummy. Will definitely try.
Ridiculously yummy looking. and ridiculously easy. Thank you
This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it.
If you make the original Lion House recipe for Fresh Strawberry pie there is nothing artificial/yuck about it. The glaze part is just crushed strawberries, sugar, and cornstarch, cooked and cooled. (I don’t add the lemon juice.) Put the whole berries in a cooked crust, pour the cooled glaze mixture over the top, let set, and pipe mounds of heavy cream beat with vanilla and powdered sugar on top. Then eat the whole pie yourself…
Wow! What a great spring dessert! I love strawberries too (and chocolate, and cream cheese and whipping cream and powdered sugar). What a heavenly combination. (And I can’t stand that glaze stuff either which is why I’ve never liked strawberry pie.) Thanks for the recipe! I can’t wait to try it. I might even have to make two and hide one (you know, for myself – but don’t tell anyone!).
That looks super yummy. Is it messy to serve? It seems like it would kind of fall apart when serving.
Amy, it’s actually not too bad as long as it sits for at least a few hours (because the cream cheese sets back up and then the moisture soaks into the crust a little to help bind it). Just be careful when slicing it! Another alternative is to get those little graham cracker crust tarts and use those instead–that way, you don’t have to worry about cutting and serving.
I have been having a huge debate with myself the past week about what type of dessert to make for Easter: a fruit dessert or a chocolate dessert. I think you have just solved my problem!
I’m totally going to make this for Easter! Thank you! I was wondering..should I make it day of? Or is it ok to make the day before and refrigerate?
You could either make it that morning or the night before. The only thing is that after the chocolate dries, be sure to cover up the pie so those pretty berries don’t dry out! 🙂
That is a really yummy and beautiful looking pie! Reminds me of the cream pie with raspberry topping my mom makes. I also don’t care for strawberry glaze (AT ALL), so it’s nice to see a pie that just leaves the strawberries as they’re meant to be. 🙂
I’m happy to see that you use store-bought graham cracker pie crusts, BTW. I absolutely love to make key lime pie, but I hate making the crust from scratch. Mine always come out uneven and too crumbly, when the store-bought ones are pretty and taste perfectly good! I will stop feeling guilty about buying them now.
Oh, heck yeah, no guilt here! I’m with you on store-bought crusts tasting great and being way easier! 🙂
yum… that looks perfect! i love strawberry season!
This looks much easier than the strawberry dessert I’m planning on making this weekend…choices.
This does look yummy indeed!
Strawberry pies, strawberry shortcake, chocolate strawberries all are my favorite things.
I do love my mom’s strawberry pie (with a small amount of glaze)…but it never lasts long enough to get soggy.
By the way, whomever made a warm strawberry pie didn’t know what they were doing. The glaze is ALWAYS cooled before assembling a pie. I feel sorry to Karalee and anyone else subjected to bad pie…that’s a terrible thing. : )
Yum, yum! Ok, this strawberry pie actually sounds GOOD! I have been pretty turned off to strawberry pies ever since there was one at a potluck that looked like just pie crust and strawberries – no filler, maybe a glaze and just not very appetizing. LOVE the addition of the chocolate drizzle. If I didn’t already have other Easter goodies to make, this would be high on the list for this weekend. Can’t wait for the Seattle signing! 🙂
I’m definitely making this, and then eating it, by myself, in a closet, so no one can find me.
Oh my goodness does our blog make me happy. Your writing and pictures just make my day. I’m on Weight Watchers and this recipes are so point worthy.
I am SO happy you posted this. I will have to try it ASAP. I LOVE strawberries but I agree with you 100% about the glaze. It grosses me out and makes me feel like I am eating a maraschino cherry, but in strawberry form. Plus, I don’t like my fruit warm, so this is awesome. Can’t wait to try it out!!
YOU ARE NOT COMING TO SEATTLE?!?!?! Of course, I won’t be here that weekend. I am despondent. I even called my sister to tell her we’re going to your book signing, and she reminded me I’ll be in California. I’m genuinely upset. I was SO happy for about 5 minutes.
My comment should really be meant like “I can’t believe you’re coming to Seattle.” That’s hard to read into haha. Also, I made this yesterday, and everyone thought it was homemade because it was so pretty. I loved it!
I meant, everyone thought it was store bought. I suck.
Ooh, I’m going to have to make this, but with an oreo crust instead of graham cracker, and nutella drizzled on top. Because that’s what I have in the pantry. And it sounds amazing 🙂
I’m a huge fan of this blog (an I’m even an ex-food snob) and I think the recipes in here surpass any type of fusion, trendy food I might find in a magazine or on the Food Channel. When are you going to get one of those shows, btw? 😉
This recipe just makes sense and sounds yummy, too. Coming from an SEO side of things (that’s what I do for a living), if you had a like button on this, it would be reposted all over Facebook just by me alone!
oh wait, you do, you just made it all pretty and stuff!
Erin, thanks so much (especially from an ex-food snob! 🙂 ) I agree, I have very little desire to make stuff on those shows. And us getting a cooking show…ha! I’m pretty sure that would be disastrous! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this!! I just want to let you know I absolutely love your cookbook!! Every recipe I’ve made is an instant family classic! Thank you for all your hard work!!
Yay for Seattle! That’s the closest you’ll probably get to us (you have a few fans in Moses Lake, Washington too, and it’s a straight shot on I-90 from Moses Lake to Seattle… (hint!))!
Will you be doing anything besides signing books? Like… any demos or speaking? Just checking! 😀
Kate … This is beautiful!!
I’ve also been loving your strawberry spInach salad, and I’m a salad lover!! I think I could eat it everyday, the yummy dressing pulls it together so nicely:-) Just for a bit of variation, if I was to substitute beans for the grilled chicken … What kind of beans would you suggest I use?? Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Oh, Meredith, I’m so glad you love that salad! I would probably sub in Great Northern or Garbanzo beans–something white and mild, you know? Yummm…maybe I’ll do that for lunch.
Oh that looks so yummy, now I have something to make for Easter Dinner (well for the dessert that is)…thanks Kate 🙂