Strawberry Cream Pie

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade), fully baked and cooled
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 2 tbsp sugar (for topping)

Method

1. If not using a pre-baked crust, blind-bake the crust at 400°F (205°C) with pie weights for 15 minutes, remove the weights, and bake 5 more minutes until golden. Cool completely.
2. Whisk the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks together in a saucepan.
3. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about 8 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
5. Fold the sliced strawberries into the warm filling just before pouring into the crust.
6. Pour the warm filling into the cooled crust and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
7. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until fully chilled and set.
8. Top with sweetened whipped cream before serving.

The Tale of Strawberry Cream Pie

Story updated September 19, 2026

Strawberries and cream have been paired for a long time, and the pie in its chilled, no-bake form belongs to the 20th-century icebox pie tradition that grew as home refrigeration spread. Typical versions set a cream or gelatin filling with fresh berries in a crumb or baked crust, which suited hot months when cooks wanted to avoid the oven. Gelatin desserts were especially fashionable in mid-century American kitchens. No single inventor or first recipe is documented.