• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pinch and Swirl
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Collections
  • About
  • Free Recipe EBook
  • My Saved Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Collections
  • About
  • Free Recipe EBook
  • My Saved Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Recipes » Desserts » Pie Recipes

    Fresh Strawberry Pie

    Published: May 12, 2013 · Modified: Nov 10, 2020 by Marissa Stevens · 26 Comments

    Vegetarian

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    Fresh Strawberry Pie served in a red and white pie dish.

    I had never heard of a pie with uncooked fruit until I met Mary Helen. Before I tried her Fresh Strawberry Pie I wasn't much of a fruit pie fan, but then I fell hard. There is something so decadent about mounds of whole, sweet strawberries in a glaze of their own puree, nestled in a flaky, salty crust. It's heaven.

    Fresh Strawberry Pie served in a red ceramic pie pan

    This fresh strawberry pie recipe is inspired by her and, to me, it is the perfect dessert for spring and summer.

    I've mentioned Mary Helen before when I told you about her Skillet Cornbread and her Cheesy Potatoes. But I haven't told you much about her. Imagine a woman with boundless energy, an eternal optimist, fiercely loyal to her family and friends, and oh so game to have a great time. That was Mary Helen.

    This is one of my favorite pictures of her with Keith's dad, Bob. It was taken at Keith's and my 30th birthday dinner (Keith and I are 2 days apart.)

    Bob and MaryHelen

    We lost Mary Helen 6 years ago after a long battle with breast cancer. As I write this, I realize that yes, it was a battle, but she won. Not cancer, not even her death could take from her the intense love and devotion of her husband of 43 years, of her sons, of her daughters-in-law, of her niece and nephew, of her grandchildren, of her friends.  She was the kind of woman who leaves a void that can't be filled by anything or anyone but her. We all miss her. We always will.

    But, believe me, she wouldn't want us to spend much time focusing on loss and sadness. She'd much rather show you how to make a fabulous pie. So, here goes...

    pie crust

    This recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated magazine, with a couple of minor changes: a bit less sugar and a different brand of pectin. Instead of Sure-Jell, I used Pomona's Universal Pectin which requires no sugar and is derived from fruit skin.

    Fresh Strawberry Pie

    Marissa Stevens
    This is adapted from Cook's Illustrated magazine with a few modifications.
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 people
    Calories 335 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 9-inch pre-baked pie shell

    For the filling:

    • 4 pints fresh strawberries rinsed, dried, and hulled, (3 lbs.)
    • ⅓ cup natural cane sugar
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
    • ¼ teaspoon each calcium powder and pectin powder from a box of Pomona's Universal Pectin
    • pinch table salt
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

    For the whipped cream:

    • 1 cup cold heavy cream
    • 1 tablespoon sugar

    Instructions
     

    To make the filling:

    • Choose 6 to 8 ounces of the least attractive berries and place them in a blender or food processor. Blend or process the berries to a smooth puree. You'll have about about ¾ cup of puree.
    • In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, calcium and pectin powders, and salt. Whisk in berry puree. Bring this mixture to a full boil over medium heat; cook and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
    • Meanwhile, place the remaining strawberries in a large bowl, cutting any very large strawberries in half.
    • Pour room temperature glaze over berries in bowl, gently fold the berries until they are evenly coated with glaze. Scoop coated berries in to prepared pie shell. Arrange berries so that any cut sides are down.
    • Refrigerate the pie until ready to serve: at least 2 hours and up to 5.

    When you're ready to serve the pie, prepare the whipped cream:

    • Whip chilled cream and sugar on medium-high speed until loose peaks form.
    • Cut the pie into 8 wedges and serve topped with whipped cream.

    Notes

    1. Note that cook time does not include cooking pie shell and total time does not include time in the refrigerator to set up.
    2. This pie is excellent with my homemade Lard Pie Crust.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 116mgPotassium: 413mgFiber: 5gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 466IUVitamin C: 140mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword Easter, Mother's Day
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.

    More Pie Recipes

    • Easy Apple Crisp
    • Lard Pie Crust
    • Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
    • Gingersnap Crust

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Norma says

      March 01, 2016 at 6:18 pm

      Need help on where to buy calcium powder and also would like to know if it is really necessary or if i can just leave that out... Thanks

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        March 01, 2016 at 8:48 pm

        Hi Norma,

        You'll need something to thicken the glaze. I like to use Pomona's Universal pectin powder because it doesn't require sugar - the calcium powder is included in the box. Here's a link - http://www.pomonapectin.com/

        Reply
    2. WholeFoodBellies says

      December 09, 2015 at 3:42 pm

      You are so right Marissa, I think Mary Helen and my mother in law would have been kindred spirits! This pie sounds amazing, and I love the glaze on those strawberries!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        December 12, 2015 at 11:57 am

        Thank you, Donna - I think you're right. 🙂 The glaze is so darn good - I do the same one with other berries as well.

        Reply
    3. boardingace says

      August 31, 2015 at 8:27 am

      Mary Helen sounds awesome! Her legacy is inspiring to me!!! I wanted to second that this pie is sooooooooo good!!!!! We also love their Cook's Country Icebox Strawberry Pie, which is quite a different style using sliced strawberries and gelatin. I have made them both twice each; this is my fav and the other is my husband's fav, but we both love both, and I can't imagine anyone not loving a slice of this pie!

      Reply
    4. Carlene says

      June 16, 2015 at 9:25 am

      What is calcium powder and where do I find it ?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        June 16, 2015 at 10:36 am

        Hi Carlene - I used the calcium powder in the Pomona's Universal Pectin box (pictured above) http://www.pomonapectin.com/ 🙂

        Reply
    5. Marissa says

      August 06, 2014 at 8:59 am

      Hi Olivia,

      I didn't make calcium water - just added powder from the packets to the fruit puree. I would go with a rounded 1/4 teaspoon of each packet. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
    6. Olivia says

      August 06, 2014 at 5:56 am

      Hi- I am going to make this with my kids today. I am so excited to have a recipe for strawberry pie without that fake Jello ickiness! You said in the above comment that you used between 1/4 tsp. and 1/2 tsp. of each powder, and you rounded up, but the recipe calls for 1/4 tsp. Did you adjust the recipe? Also, you don't make the calcium powder into calcium water first? Just making sure because I read another recipe that called for 1/4 tsp. of calcium WATER. Thank you!

      Reply
    7. Kathy says

      June 08, 2013 at 9:24 am

      The glaze is pretty thick. It is 2 tablespoons or cornstarch and not 2 teaspoons, correct?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        June 08, 2013 at 9:43 am

        Hi Kathy. Yes, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch is correct. Are you using the low-sugar pectin (Pomona's or Sure Jell)? It could be too much pectin? I used between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon of each packet of Pomona's and I thought the glaze could stand to be a bit thicker, so I rounded up when writing the recipe instead of down. I would go with your instincts on this, perhaps thinning the glaze a bit before mixing it with the berries. Let me know how it goes.

        Reply
    8. Food and Wine says

      May 30, 2013 at 4:05 am

      The post really touched me, and the pie looks amazing.

      Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 30, 2013 at 8:39 am

        Thank you for such a kind comment.

        Reply
    9. savorysaltysweet says

      May 29, 2013 at 9:47 am

      This is one of my all-time favorite pies! I also like to make a similar pie with fresh peaches, but there is just nothing prettier than a fresh strawberry pie.

      Reply
    10. OishiiTreats says

      May 15, 2013 at 1:23 am

      Simple gorgeous pie!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 20, 2013 at 10:31 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    11. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says

      May 13, 2013 at 7:22 pm

      I love that she´d rather be showing you how to make pie...it speaks volumes of Mary Helen. Such a sweet tribute and a fantastic pie Marissa!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 14, 2013 at 8:08 pm

        Thank you, Paula. It's so true. She was never concerned over how many mouths their were to feed, just "how many potatoes to put in the pot".

        Reply
    12. giovibi says

      May 13, 2013 at 1:42 pm

      This post is so sweet not only for the recipe ... and what a wonderful family you have!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 14, 2013 at 8:07 pm

        Aww, thank you my sweet friend! Yes, I'm a lucky girl.

        Reply
    13. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

      May 13, 2013 at 6:03 am

      What a wonderful woman she was and what a gorgeous tribute to her Marissa! 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 14, 2013 at 8:06 pm

        She was Lorraine. Really. Amazing.

        Reply
    14. Eileen says

      May 12, 2013 at 7:59 pm

      PIE. Oh man, this looks amazing. I don't think I've ever had a pie with pectin in it before, so I'm definitely intrigued!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 14, 2013 at 8:05 pm

        I know, who would have thought it would work!?

        Reply
    15. Colo says

      May 12, 2013 at 6:25 pm

      Oh, I wish I had seen this earlier. I would have made it for my sweetie today...
      Even better I saved it - You know Father's Day is coming!

      Thank you for introducing us to Mary Helen. As I said I saved the recipe and simply called it Mary Helen's Fresh Strawberries.

      Have a happy...

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 14, 2013 at 8:04 pm

        You're so thoughtful, Colo. Thank you.

        And yes, save it for Father's Day when it's your sweetie's turn to cook for you! I think you planned it...:)

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    The best food happens at home. I love delicious food prepared simply with fresh ingredients and that’s just what you’ll find here! You can count on me for well tested, mouthwatering recipes designed for home cooks. Learn more →

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    12 Recipes to Know by Heart Book Cover
    Subscribe for Free E-Cookbook

    Reader Favorites

    • Oven Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
    • Lemon Garlic Pasta
    • Bacon Wrapped Scallops
    • Homemade Ramen Noodles
    • Homemade Tonic Water
    • Shrimp Tacos
    • Mashed Red Potatoes
    • Gyro Meat Recipe
    • Pork Belly Ramen
    • Grilled Lamb Chops

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Meet Marissa
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 PinchandSwirl

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Email