Introduction & Inspiration: A Celebration of Fresh Strawberry Flavor
This Strawberry Glaze Pie is a classic for a reason! I love how it showcases the natural sweetness and beauty of fresh strawberries. With a simple, glistening glaze and a flaky, buttery crust.
The inspiration for this recipe comes from my love for fresh strawberry desserts. And a desire to create a pie that was both easy to make and bursting with strawberry flavor. It’s a celebration of summer.
I wanted a pie that would be perfect for showcasing ripe, in-season strawberries. Without a lot of extra ingredients or complicated techniques to distract from their natural deliciousness.
This pie is perfect for any occasion, from a summer barbecue to a potluck to a simple weeknight dessert. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. And it’s a beautiful and refreshing treat.
Nostalgic Appeal (and the Simplicity of a Fresh Fruit Pie)
Fresh fruit pies, with their juicy fillings and their flaky crusts, evoke a sense of nostalgia and home-baked goodness. They remind me of summer picnics, family gatherings, and the simple pleasure of a homemade dessert.
This Strawberry Glaze Pie captures that classic appeal. With its straightforward ingredient list and its easy preparation. It’s a way to enjoy a beloved dessert.
There’s something inherently satisfying about the combination of a buttery, flaky crust and a sweet, juicy strawberry filling. It’s a flavor and texture combination that’s both comforting and refreshing.
It’s the kind of pie that’s perfect for sharing with loved ones. Or for savoring all to yourself with a dollop of whipped cream. A moment of pure summertime bliss.
Homemade Focus (and the Importance of a Good Crust)
I’m a strong advocate for homemade desserts, and this Strawberry Glaze Pie is a perfect example of why. Making your own pie crust and glaze allows you to control the quality of ingredients.
Store-bought versions of fruit pies often lack the fresh flavor, the perfectly flaky crust. And the vibrant fruit filling that you can achieve with homemade. When you bake from scratch.
This recipe features a homemade pie crust (although you can use store-bought in a pinch). And a simple, fresh strawberry glaze that’s made with just a few ingredients. It’s all about.
It’s a recipe that I encourage everyone to try, even if you’re not an experienced baker. It’s a great way to experience the true flavors of a fresh strawberry pie.
Flavor Goal
The flavor goal of this Strawberry Glaze Pie is to showcase the natural sweetness and juiciness of fresh strawberries. With a simple glaze that enhances their flavor and a flaky, buttery crust that provides the perfect foundation.
The crust, made with all-purpose flour, vegetable shortening, an egg, cold water, distilled white vinegar, and salt (if making from scratch). It provides a buttery and flaky base that complements.
The filling is incredibly simple: just fresh, whole strawberries, with a small amount of glaze spread on the bottom of the crust to help hold them in place. The star.
The glaze, made with sugar, cornstarch, water, mashed strawberries, and optional red food coloring. It adds a touch of sweetness and a beautiful, glossy sheen to the berries.
Ingredient Insights
Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients.
For a homemade crust: use all-purpose flour, vegetable shortening, an egg, cold water, white vinegar and salt.
For the filling and glaze:
Fresh whole strawberries, hulled and divided, are the star of the show. Use ripe, flavorful strawberries.
Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the glaze. Cornstarch helps to thicken the glaze.
Water is used to dissolve the cornstarch and create the glaze. Red food coloring (optional) enhances the red color of the glaze.
Whipped cream, for serving (optional), is a classic accompaniment to fresh strawberry pie.
Essential Equipment
You’ll need a few basic kitchen tools:
A 9-inch pie plate.
A rolling pin for rolling out the dough (if making homemade crust).
A large bowl and a medium saucepan.
A pastry cutter or two knives (if making homemade crust).
A fork: for crimping.
That’s it! This recipe is relatively simple in terms of equipment.
List of Ingredients with Measurements
Here’s the complete list of ingredients, with precise measurements:
Dough for single-crust pie (homemade, or store-bought, see below)
(Homemade Crust – Optional):
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups vegetable shortening
- 1 large egg
- 5 Tbsp. cold water
- 1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 6 cups fresh whole strawberries, hulled, divided
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¾ cup water
- 2 to 4 drops red food coloring, optional
- Whipped cream
These are the ingredient amounts from the original recipe.
Remember to use fresh, high-quality ingredients whenever possible. Especially the strawberries and butter.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Ready to bake a beautiful and delicious Strawberry Glaze Pie? Here’s a detailed, step-by-step guide:
(Optional) Make the pie crust (if not using store-bought):
- Whisk flour and salt.
- Cut in shortening until pea-sized pieces.
- Beat egg; add water and vinegar.
- Add to flour and mix until dough forms, chill.
1. Roll Out and Shape the Crust:
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough (either homemade or store-bought, thawed if frozen) to a ⅛-inch-thick circle.
Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate.
Trim the dough to ½ inch beyond the rim of the plate.
Flute the edge of the crust decoratively, using your fingers or a fork.
2. Chill the Crust:
Refrigerate the crust for 30 minutes. This helps to prevent the crust from shrinking during baking.
3. Preheat Oven:
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
4. Blind Bake the Crust: Line the chilled crust with a double thickness of foil.
Fill the foil with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. This is called “blind baking,” and it prevents the crust from puffing up during baking.
Bake on a lower oven rack until the edge of the crust is golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
Remove the foil and weights.
Bake until the bottom of the crust is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer.
5. Cool the Crust:
Cool the baked crust completely on a wire rack.
6. Prepare the Strawberries: While the crust is cooling, prepare the strawberries.
Mash 1 cup of the hulled strawberries. Set aside.
Halve the remaining strawberries. Set aside.
7. Make the Strawberry Glaze: In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch.
Stir in the water and the mashed strawberries until blended.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
If desired, stir in a few drops of red food coloring to enhance the color.
Cook and stir for 3 minutes more, or until the glaze is thickened and clear.
Remove from the heat. Cool for 10 minutes.
8. Assemble the Pie:
Spread about ⅓ cup of the slightly cooled glaze over the bottom and side of the cooled crust. This creates a base layer.
Arrange the halved strawberries in the crust, cut-side down, in a decorative pattern.
Spoon the remaining glaze over the berries, coating them evenly.
9. Chill:
Refrigerate the pie until the glaze is set, 1-2 hours.
10. Serve: Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
Slice and serve chilled. Enjoy your beautiful and delicious Strawberry Glaze Pie!
Troubleshooting
Potential problems, and solutions:
Problem: The crust is too crumbly (if making homemade).
Solution: Make sure you’re not adding too much water to the dough. The dough should just come together.
Problem: The crust shrinks during baking.
Solution: Make sure you’re chilling the dough thoroughly before rolling it out and before baking it.
Problem: The glaze is too runny.
Solution: Make sure you’re cooking the glaze long enough, until it’s thickened. You can also add a bit more cornstarch, dissolved in a small amount of cold water.
Problem: The glaze is too thick.
Solution: Add a bit more water, a tablespoon at a time, until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
Problem: Strawberries are bleeding. Solution: Make sure they are fresh.
Tips and Variations
Here are some extra tips:
Tip: For an even more intense strawberry flavor, use a strawberry-flavored gelatin instead of plain cornstarch in the glaze.
Tip: If you don’t have a food processor, you can crush the graham crackers by placing them in a resealable plastic bag and using a rolling pin.
Tip: To prevent the crust from over-browning, you can cover the edges of the pie with strips of foil or a pie shield during baking.
Variation: Use different types of berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries, instead of or in addition to the strawberries.
Variation: Add a layer of cream cheese filling to the bottom of the crust before adding the strawberries and glaze.
Variation: Sprinkle the top of the pie with chopped nuts, such as pecans or almonds, before adding the glaze.
Variation: Use a different type of crust.
Variation: Add a few drops of lemon juice to whipped cream.
Serving and Pairing Suggestions
This is best served:
Serving Suggestions:
Serve the pie chilled, straight from the refrigerator.
Serve it as a dessert for a summer barbecue, a potluck, a picnic, or any casual gathering.
It’s also perfect for a special occasion.
Pairing Suggestions:
This pie pairs well with a variety of beverages.
A glass of cold milk.
A cup of coffee or tea.
A glass of lemonade or iced tea.
A sparkling wine.
A glass of rosé wine.
It’s also delicious on its own!
Nutritional Information
Here’s an approximate nutritional breakdown per serving (assuming 8 servings):
- Calories: 315
- Fat: 12g (7g saturated fat)
- Cholesterol: 37mg
- Sodium: 173mg
- Carbohydrate: 51g (31g sugars, 3g fiber)
- Protein: 3g
This is based on the provided nutrition facts. This Strawberry Glaze Pie is a relatively rich dessert, due to the butter, sugar, and glaze.
It does provide some vitamins and antioxidants from the fresh strawberries. It’s best enjoyed in moderation.
You can adjust the recipe.
Print
Strawberry Glaze Pie
Description
This Strawberry Glaze Pie is a classic for a reason! I love how it showcases the natural sweetness and beauty of fresh strawberries. With a simple, glistening glaze and a flaky, buttery crust
Ingredients
-
3 cups all-purpose flour
-
1 ½ cups vegetable shortening
-
1 large egg
-
5 Tbsp. cold water
-
1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
-
1 tsp. kosher salt
-
6 cups fresh whole strawberries, hulled, divided
-
1 cup sugar
-
3 tablespoons cornstarch
-
¾ cup water
-
2 to 4 drops red food coloring, optional
-
Whipped cream
Instructions
(Optional) Make the pie crust (if not using store-bought):
- Whisk flour and salt.
- Cut in shortening until pea-sized pieces.
- Beat egg; add water and vinegar.
- Add to flour and mix until dough forms, chill.
1. Roll Out and Shape the Crust:
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough (either homemade or store-bought, thawed if frozen) to a ⅛-inch-thick circle.
Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate.
Trim the dough to ½ inch beyond the rim of the plate.
Flute the edge of the crust decoratively, using your fingers or a fork.
2. Chill the Crust:
Refrigerate the crust for 30 minutes. This helps to prevent the crust from shrinking during baking.
3. Preheat Oven:
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
4. Blind Bake the Crust: Line the chilled crust with a double thickness of foil.
Fill the foil with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. This is called “blind baking,” and it prevents the crust from puffing up during baking.
Bake on a lower oven rack until the edge of the crust is golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
Remove the foil and weights.
Bake until the bottom of the crust is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer.
5. Cool the Crust:
Cool the baked crust completely on a wire rack.
6. Prepare the Strawberries: While the crust is cooling, prepare the strawberries.
Mash 1 cup of the hulled strawberries. Set aside.
Halve the remaining strawberries. Set aside.
7. Make the Strawberry Glaze: In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch.
Stir in the water and the mashed strawberries until blended.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
If desired, stir in a few drops of red food coloring to enhance the color.
Cook and stir for 3 minutes more, or until the glaze is thickened and clear.
Remove from the heat. Cool for 10 minutes.
8. Assemble the Pie:
Spread about ⅓ cup of the slightly cooled glaze over the bottom and side of the cooled crust. This creates a base layer.
Arrange the halved strawberries in the crust, cut-side down, in a decorative pattern.
Spoon the remaining glaze over the berries, coating them evenly.
9. Chill:
Refrigerate the pie until the glaze is set, 1-2 hours.
10. Serve: Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
Slice and serve chilled. Enjoy your beautiful and delicious Strawberry Glaze Pie!
Recipe Summary and Q&A
Let’s recap this delicious Strawberry Glaze Pie baking journey!
Summary: This Strawberry Glaze Pie features a flaky, buttery crust filled with fresh, glazed strawberries. It’s a simple yet elegant dessert that’s perfect for showcasing the sweetness of summer berries.
Q&A:
Q: Can I make this pie ahead of time?
A: Yes, you can make this pie up to a day in advance. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator.
Q: Can I freeze this pie?
A: I don’t recommend freezing this pie, as the texture of the strawberries and glaze may change upon thawing. It’s best enjoyed fresh.
Q: I don’t have any fresh strawberries. Can I use frozen strawberries?
A: I recommend using fresh strawberries for the best flavor and texture. If you must use frozen strawberries, thaw them completely and drain off any excess liquid before using.
Q: Can I use store bought crust? A: Yes, you can.
Q: Can I double the recipe? A: Yes, you can, but you will need two pie plates.