Best Ever Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe

Nothing like fresh strawberry pie. Strawberries are one of the first fruits to come in season late spring around the Midwest. And I love to pick strawberries fresh from the field to make jam and my delicious strawberry-lemonade concentrate. But I also hold back some strawberries to make fresh strawberry pie! You are gonna love this simple five ingredient homemade strawberry pie recipe! My recipe is delicious tasting, mother-watering to look at, and will last for several days in your fridge!

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Fresh Strawberry Pie

My mom always made homemade strawberry pie. But the fresh strawberry pie had to be eaten quickly as it broke down so quickly. As I got older, I wished I could find a strawberry pie recipe that didn’t get watery and lasted a few more days in the fridge. I loved how the strawberry glaze from the grocery store held up so well and looked perfectly red and delicious for days. But I didn’t like the strong aftertaste of that store bought glaze!

I finally gave up, believing that strawberry pie had to either taste delicious OR look delicious. But fresh strawberry pie couldn’t be both.

Then one day, my daughter brought home a fresh strawberry pie from the Amish store where she works. Well, the pie looked so cool and delicious with fluffy whip cream spread over red delicious filling. Knowing how disappointed I had been in the past, I did not have high expectations. Until I tasted it! Oh my!! The strawberry pie was both beautiful and delicious, The fresh strawberry taste hit your mouth and lingered. No odd aftertaste.

And the best part, the pie lasted for several days in the fridge, looking as yummy as it had the first day!

How to Make the Perfect Fresh Strawberry Pie

So one day, I caught my friend, who own the Amish store, and begged her to tell me her secret to her pies! Finally, she showed me her secret ingredient, Thermflo!

I promptly bought some of the Thermflo, which is like cornstarch and started experimenting. My first pie looked amazing. And tasted so good. Sadly, the pie was not really a pie, as it could not be cut. My husband joked that we needed to just use a big spoon to scoop it.

My second try, I added strawberry jello, as all the homemade strawberry pie recipes recommended jello. My second pie looked beautiful and cut delicious. But the taste was off putting, with that fake strawberry jello flavor, overpowering the fresh strawberries.

My third pie, I used my secret ingredient, Thermflo. And then, I added the strawberry jello. Only this time I cut the strawberry jello amount.

PERFECT! The fresh strawberry pie with Thermflo, plus a tablespoon of strawberry jello was perfection! The homemade pie was beautiful, with the bright red berries. The pie set up perfectly and could be sliced. The taste was delicious with the fresh cold strawberries and a big dollap of whip cream! And the pie remained pretty for several days making it the best strawberry pie!

Steps to Making Fresh Strawberry Pie

Start by making a homemade crust. I prefer to make a regular pie crust using my favorite pie crust that makes up quickly in the pie pan. It turns our fresh and flaky every time. If you are in a rush, you can either purchase a store bought crust or a graham cracker pie crust.

Whatever pie crust you choose, be sure to bake the crust and allow it time to cool. You will add your glazed berries to your pre-cooked pie crust.

Next, wash and trim off the tops of the berries. Cut your strawberries into quarters. Depending on the size of the berries, I like to have nice medium chunks. You want your berries to still look like berries, but be small enough for your pie to slice well and berries easily eaten. Measure out 4 cups of trimmed and quartered berries.

In a saucepan on the stovetop, add your water and sugar. Stir together till warmed and sugar melted. With a wisk, add in Thermflo slowly, stirring constantly. If you wait too long to wisk in the Thermflo, it will create lumps.

Continue to stir water, sugar, and Thermflo mixture. The mixture will thicken and be white. Continue to stir over heat, until mixture turns more clear. Remove from heat.

Add tablespoon of strawberry jello to thickened Thermflo mixture and stir. Allow mixture to cool slightly, continuing to stir occasionally to release the heat.

Add berries to the glaze and stir. Stir until all the berries are coated with glaze. Strawberries and jello will cause the glaze to turn a pretty shade of red. If you are using store bought berries, your strawberry glaze may be slightly less bright.

Before mixture has cooled completely, pour into baked pie crust. Place in fridge to chill for several hours.

TIP: If you wait too long to pour glazed strawberries into pie crust, the jello in the glaze will set up and it won’t look as shiny and pretty. So be sure to pour pie filling into pie crust before completely cooled.

What is Thermflo?

Thermflo is a modified cornstarch that can handle being using for canning. Unlike cornstarch that will break down and become watery after 2 days, Thermflo is perfect for baking and canning.

Thermflo can be found at Amish bulk food stores or specialty grocery stores. Or purchase Thermflo here on Amazon. Split the bag with a friend or two as a little goes a long way to make several pies or to can pie filling.

Storing Strawberry Pie

My Best Ever Fresh Strawberry Pie should be stored in the fridge. It will look and taste delicious for up to 4 days!

I found that spreading a thin layer of whip cream on top, prevents the plastic wrap from sticking to the glaze. After slicing your pie, you can add more whip cream to the top just before serving.

Can You Use Store Bought Strawberries for Strawberry Pie

While I prefer fresh picked strawberries, you can also use strawberries bought at your local grocery. Look for berries that are completely ripe, and not still yellow/green near the top. The ripe berries will add more flavor and coloring to your pie.

Best Ever Strawberry Pie

This strawberry pie has only a few ingredients, but packs such a burst of flavor! And the bright fresh berries make it pleasing for the eyes and your appetite!! Don’t forget the whip cream:)