Creamy Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe Easy Homemade Flaky Golden Crust
A nostalgic and comforting creamy strawberry cream pie with a flaky golden crust, smooth vanilla custard filling, and fresh strawberry topping. Perfect for summer gatherings and easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes plus chilling time
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 3–4 tablespoons ice-cold water
- 1 cup whole milk (or dairy-free milk if preferred)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Optional: 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and cut into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits. Slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons ice-cold water, stirring gently until dough starts to come together. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Blind bake the crust: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out dough to about 12 inches in diameter on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to pie dish, press gently to fit, and trim edges. Line crust with parchment paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake another 8-10 minutes until golden and set. Let cool completely.
- Make the creamy filling: In a medium saucepan, combine milk, heavy cream, and sugar. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually pour about 1/2 cup hot milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly to temper eggs. Pour egg mixture back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract …
- Prepare the strawberry topping: Toss sliced strawberries with sugar and optional lemon juice. Let macerate for 15-20 minutes until juicy and fragrant.
- Assemble the pie: Pour chilled cream filling into cooled crust and smooth top. Arrange macerated strawberries over filling, spooning some juices over for extra flavor. Chill assembled pie at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Temper the eggs slowly by adding hot milk mixture gradually to prevent curdling. Keep butter and water ice-cold for a flaky crust. Do not overwork the dough to avoid toughness. Use baking weights or dried beans for blind baking to prevent bubbling or shrinking. Chill the pie overnight if possible for best flavor and slicing. For gluten-free, substitute almond flour in crust; for dairy-free, use coconut or oat milk and dairy-free cream cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pie)
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Protein: 5
Keywords: strawberry cream pie, creamy pie, flaky crust, summer dessert, homemade pie, easy pie recipe, fresh strawberries, custard pie