Classic from scratch strawberry pie made with fresh summer strawberries and an all-butter two crust pie dough
After nearly 15 years in professional kitchens and countless pies made from scratch, I can confidently say this strawberry pie recipe represents everything I love about classic American baking.
As a pastry chef, I’ve learned that the most memorable desserts often come from perfecting the simple, fundamental techniques. This pie is the perfect example!
Ingredients
There are two components to this recipe: all-butter pie dough and strawberry filling.
The dough is a simple mixture of flour, salt, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and ice cold water. For the filling, you’ll need: fresh strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. That’s it!
All Butter Pie Dough
This is a simple, no frills kind of pie. The pie dough is very forgiving and easy to work with.
You can finish the edges of the pie any way you’d like:
- Use a fork to create a decorative border
- Simply tuck the excess dough into the pie
- Or, pinch the crust like the image above.
Two critical factors determine the success of all-butter pie dough: maintaining proper temperature and working with speed!
For the best flaky dough, use cold ingredients and work in a cool environment. That means keeping all your ingredients chilled! I keep the flour mixture in the fridge or freezer while I set up my mis en place.
Second, work quickly! Overworking, over-kneading, or over-rolling stresses out the dough. Too much agitation will result in a rubbery or tough pie dough.
To deal with the summer heat, opt to quickly make your pie dough in a food processor! Check out the link below for a comprehensive look at how to make pie dough from scratch.
How to Make Pie Dough
Follow this in-depth tutorial to learn how to make pie dough by hand using two different techniques.
Strawberry Pie Filling
This strawberry pie is best made with fresh strawberries. I cannot guarantee the same results with frozen strawberries.
Keep in mind that frozen strawberries will expel more moisture than fresh strawberries. As such, you may have to add additional cornstarch to the mixture.
Cornstarch is responsible for thickening the filling. The sugar coated fresh strawberries will expel juice. In the oven, that moisture will combine with the cornstarch. As it heats, the cornstarch will activate and create a gel-like bond that will hold the strawberries and juices together.
Patience is crucial! The pie needs time to cool after baking. The thickening continues as the pie cools. Cutting the pie too early will prevent the gel from bonding.
Step-by-Step Assembly Process
Technical Questions & Professional Tips
For best results, I highly recommend using a metal or ceramic pie dish. Metal and ceramic are better at heat conduction. This is important because the bottom crust isn’t blind baked. Don’t use glass pie dishes for this recipe.
In my bakery experience, I’ve found that blind baking is not necessary for all pie recipes. Use this heating technique to ensure a baked bottom!
Ensure your oven rack is positioned towards the center or lower third of the oven. Start at HIGH heat (450°F) for the first 10 minutes to set the bottom crust. Then, reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for another 30-45 minutes.
Troubleshooting: What Went Wrong?
Cause: There are two likely scenarios. One, the pie dough was overworked. Two, too much flour was added during rolling.
Prevention: Let dough rest after mixing to relax the gluten. At least 30 minutes. And second, be mindful of the amount of flour you add while rolling. Less is more!
Cause: Something is off with the fruit to cornstarch ratio. Check measurements. Also, cornstarch needs time to fully activate and thicken. Use fresh fruit for best results.
Prevention: Use the weight measurements provided in recipe card. Cornstarch is initially activated when heated. It will thicken the mixture once cooled.
Cause: If you try to cut into a warm pie, you’ll end up with a big mess.
Prevention: Waiting for the pie to cool before slicing is the most difficult part. Patience is key. The pie filling needs time to cool and regain it’s structure.
Related Recipes
Strawberry Pie
Ingredients
Two Crust Pie Dough:
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, (295 g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt*, or fine sea salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, (50 g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, (226 g), cut into tablespoons, very cold
- 5 Tablespoons ice cold water
- 2 large egg yolks, cold
Pie Filling and Assembly:
- 5 cups fresh strawberries, (695 g) rinsed, hulled, sliced in half or quartered
- ½ cup granulated sugar, (100 g), or more depending on sweetness of berries
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, (24 g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt*
- milk, as needed
- turbinado sugar, as needed
Instructions
Two Crust Pie Dough:
- In a food processor, pulse together flour, salt and sugar. Add cold butter one tablespoon at a time while the food processor is running. Stop the machine once mixture is crumbly and like coarse sand in texture.
- Add water and yolks. Quickly pulse for a few seconds until dough begins to come together. Remove shaggy dough from machine and finish kneading on a lightly floured surface.*You should be able to see the streaks of butter in the dough. Fold just until dough comes together. It will not be smooth!
- Divide dough into two equal parts. Flatten into disks and tightly cover in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Pie Filling and Assembly:
- Roll out one dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Lightly flour the bottom of the paper and the top of the dough. Alternatively, you can roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll dough to about 10 inches in diameter and about ¼-inch thick Place the pie plate upside down over the rolled dough to make sure it is the correct size.NOTE: If the dough is too hard or too cold, let it rest a few minutes until it is pliable.
- Move dough into the pie plate and firmly press it into the bottom and sides of pie plate. Trim the excess dough leaving about a ½-inch overhang all around. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge.
- Roll out the other dough until 10 inches in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl.
- Pour strawberries into the chilled pie crust. Cover with the rolled out top crust. Decorate the edges with a fork, or pinch together with your fingers to form crust. Chill pie while you preheat the oven to 450℉.
- Place chilled pie on a baking sheet. Brush top of the pie lightly with whole milk. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Use a knife to cut four slits/vent holes in the top of the crust.*This is necessary to let the steam escape and prevent the top crust from exploding during baking.
- Bake at 450℉ for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350℉ and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pie and continue to bake for another 20-30 minutes until the pie is golden brown. Let pie cool on rack before serving.All images and text ©The Little Epicurean
Notes
- For best results, use ripe, fresh strawberries. The weight listed refers to hulled strawberries. For best results, make sure your total strawberries are between 650-750 g. Otherwise, you may have to adjust the amount of cornstarch.
- This recipe was created using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Diamond Crystal is less salty than Morton Kosher Salt and table salt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
You don’t blind bake the bottom crust in this recipe, and that makes me nervous about the whole “soggy bottom” issue, especially with fruit that’s going to add liquid. Do you recommend blind baking if you have time?
I would like your suggestion. I just found your recipe although I’ve made it from the exact recipe found in an African American Heritage CkBk. Unfortunate for me, the filling always came out lose & the whole berries softer than Id like. I baked the earlier pies in a glass Pyrex dish.
1. What pie dish would you suggest, ceramic or dark metal instead of a glass dish?
– Maybe I should prebake the bottom crust & then fill it w/ whole berries spooned over
w/ a cooked gel mixture of berries, sugar & cornstartch; then topped w/ the unbaked pie
dough & sealed. Followed by baking at 450 then reduced to 350 degrees (F) til golden
brown.
I am looking to make this pie. Have you ever experimented with a sugar substitute in the filling like Splenda or Swerve? Thoughts if you haven’t?