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Fresh Strawberry Pie

With loads of fresh berries, a flavorful cracker crust, and a tasty glaze, this is the perfect dessert for spring. 

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 6 ounces animal crackers (unfrosted, about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • pinch of salt

For the filling:

  • 3 pounds fresh strawberries
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)

For the whipped cream:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

For the crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. 

  2. Finely grind crackers using a food processor. (If you don't have a food processor, you can place them inside a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.) Add sugar and melted butter and pulse until just combined. Place crust mixture inside a deep dish 9" or 9.5" pie plate. Press the crust mixture into the plate evenly using the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool. 

For the filling:

  1. Briefly rinse and dry the strawberries, making sure to remove any excess water and moisture from the berries. Cut the green top off the strawberries. 

  2. In a blender, puree about 1 1/2 cups of the strawberries to yield 1 1/2 cups of strawberry puree. Place the puree in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar. 

  3. Mix together the gelatin and water in a small bowl and allow it to bloom for about five minutes. While the gelatin is blooming, bring the puree mixture up to a boil, then reduce to simmer for a few minutes. Add the bloomed gelatin  to the puree mixture, stir well to combine and let it dissolve. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then set aside to cool for about 15-20 minutes. 

  4. Slice a few of the berries (maybe 6-8) in thin slices and arrange the slices evenly in the bottom of the pie crust. Fill the pie with whole strawberries until it looks full. You can arrange them however you'd like or dump them in, just make sure there are no large gaps. You want to cram the pie with the berries!

  5. Evenly pour the filling mixture over the strawberries, making sure to fill any gaps and to make sure it is evenly distributed. I also took my pastry brush and lightly coated the whole strawberries in the glaze so they're nice and shiny. Place the pie in the fridge to set for two hours. 

For the topping:

  1. Using a stand or hand mixer, whip the cream until it starts to hold its shape. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and whip to stiff peaks. Serve with the pie. Pie is best eaten within a few hours after it is made. Enjoy!