Strawberry Shortcake Pie

Strawberry shortcake pie is a freezer pie made of whipped cream and cream cheese filling topped with a buttery strawberry crumble. It will remind you of the classic ice cream that we all used to have, a childhood staple! You can make this delicious summer treat in less than an hour!

Strawberry shortcake pie is the perfect summer dessert, sweet, refreshing and incredibly flavorful! Its the star of any gathering, and the type of dessert that makes everyone ask for seconds or for the recipe!

The rich and creamy filling is made even tastier by using heavy cream with powdered sugar and then combining that with the mixture of cream cheese, condensed milk, and strawberry sauce. Fold it all together and spoon it into a graham cracker crust, and you have an incredible strawberry dessert.

But that’s not all! On top is my favorite part. The strawberry crumble topping will remind you of the crunchy topping from those delicious ice cream bars you used to get from the ice cream truck when you were a kid. It is made with strawberry Jell-O, butter, sugar, and flour with a bit of vanilla. It is so easy and is the perfect topping for this luscious dish. 

This entire dish is so sweet and creamy, with a bit of tanginess that keeps it from being too sweet. My family loves this when I serve it at family picnics and barbecues. The hardest part about this recipe is waiting for it to set. You have to let it freeze for six to eight hours for the best results!

Why you will love this recipe

• It tastes like your childhood: If you ever had a strawberry crunch ice cream bar from the ice cream truck, you are in for a treat. Actually, this pie is even better because it also has graham cracker crust.
• It is so easy to make: Just a few ingredients and a few steps to get this scrumptious dessert ready.
• Make ahead of time: If you want it for dessert the next day, you can make it the night before and then just put it all together when you are ready to serve it.
• Versatile and fun: Mix it up by using different flavors of Jello or adding some candy or sprinkles. You can even make it key lime or lemonade pie.

What you’ll need to make strawberry shortcake pie

Special items:

• Mixing bowls – Different sizes for different steps.
• Baking sheet– Covered in parchment paper for making the crumbles.
• Electric mixer – For beating the cream.
• Pie pan – You only need this if you make your crust.

Ingredients the strawberry crumbles:

• Strawberry Jello – I use the Jello brand, but you can use whatever brand you like. This is what gives your crumbles their strawberry flavor.
• Flour—Use just a cup of all-purpose flour to make the crumbles. You could also use whole grain or wheat flour, but almond or coconut flour may not be crumbly enough.
• Butter—The butter must be softened to room temperature. I suggest using unsalted because you don’t want salty crumbles.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar works best for flavor and texture.
• Vanilla – I recommend 100% pure vanilla extract for the best taste with no bitterness.

Ingredients for the filling:

• Heavy whipping cream – This is the main ingredient in making this fluffy whipped topping. You should not skimp on this. If you use light cream, it may not whip up enough.
• Powdered sugar – It has to be powdered, not granulated, so it is light and fluffy for the whipped topping to make stiff peaks.
• Sweetened condensed milk—For that thick sweetness and creamy goodness, this is another ingredient you should not skimp on. It is the luxurious ingredient needed for a perfect filling.
• Cream cheese – Make sure it is softened to room temperature, or whipping it will be difficult. Cold cream cheese tends to lead to clumps of cream cheese in the mixture.
• Strawberry sauce – You can buy it or use my recipe for easy strawberry sauce.
• Graham cracker crust – Store-bought works just fine, or you can make your own with graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.

How to make a strawberry shortcake pie recipe from scratch?

Crumble Instructions:

1. Get ready: First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Jell-o: Next, add ¼ cup of butter, Jell-o, and ½ cup of flour in a medium bowl and stir with a fork until it is crumbly and fine.
3. Mix again: After that, add ¼ cup of butter, ½ cup of flour, ½ cup of granulated white sugar, and one teaspoon vanilla to a separate medium bowl. Make sure to use a small fork to make it crumbly and fine. 
4. Sprinkle: Next, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, sprinkle the strawberry crumble, and then the vanilla crumble. Afterward, mix them gently by hand. 
5. Cook: After that, bake it for seven to eight minutes but don’t stir them up. 
6. Let them cool: Finally, remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for at least 60 minutes. Wait 30 minutes or put them in the refrigerator for about five minutes if they are still warm. 
7. Store: Lastly, put the crumble into an airtight storage container until you are done with the filling. 

Filling instructions:

8. Mix: In addition, use a mixer with a large bowl to beat the powdered sugar and whip cream until it forms stiff peaks. Then set it aside in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that you can also use store-bought whipped topping.
9. Mix again: Similarly, using another large bowl and the same mixer to beat the cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy. Next, add the condensed milk to the cream cheese mixture and stir for another minute until it is mixed up completely.

Assemble strawberry shortcake pie:

10. Sauce: After that, mix in the strawberry sauce with the whip cream mixture and stir it until it is mixed well. 
11. Pour: Spread the whole mixture into the pie crust and smooth it out on top. Use a 10-inch crust for best results.
12. Freeze: Next, put your pie into the freezer for four to five hours.
13. Remove: After that, take it out of the freezer 10 minutes before serving and place it on a pie plate.
14. Serve: At the end, add crumble to the top when serving. 

Expert tip

Homemade or store-bought

This recipe includes several ingredients that can be made at home or bought from the store. While I am always a fan of homemade everything, I know some people do not have the time to do it. And some things are perfectly fine when bought already made. Take the crust, for example. You can grab one at the store already made for a few bucks, and it tastes almost as good as homemade. That is why this recipe actually calls for store-bought.

You can also buy strawberry sauce from the store without worry. Many brands sell delicious and healthy strawberry sauce. I usually stick with organic name brands. They usually taste a lot fresher, and I know there are no pesticides in them. But I have strawberry pie filling, jam, and curd recipes that would work even better.

Whipped cream is so easy to make at home; for my homemade whipped cream, all you need is heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. You probably have all that in your kitchen right now. So, make it yourself for the best flavor. It just takes five minutes.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Other Jello flavors: It is so easy to change this up! Jello sells all sorts of flavors like lemon, lime, cherry, and raspberry.
• Add more crumbles: My kids love crumbles, and so do I. As I said, they are my favorite part. You can double the batch for extra strawberry and vanilla crumbles or make a batch of chocolate crumbles for a chocolate strawberry pie.
• Make it creamier: As if it is not creamy enough, you can add a layer of vanilla or strawberry pudding on top for more.
• Different extract: To make your pie even more unique, use a different extract flavor, such as almond, or cake batter.
• Add fresh fruit: Mix fresh strawberries on top along the edges of the pie or chop and sprinkle some into the filling.
• Try other fruits: Similarly, add another fruit like blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries.
• Toppings: Also try adding toasted coconut, chocolate chips, cool whip, or chocolate syrup to the top.
• Nuts: Another variation is to make the crust out of crushed almonds and also add some chopped macadamia nuts on top.

Serving suggestions:

Strawberry shortcake pie is best when served cold but thawed for about 10 minutes, so it is not too hard. Add the crumble mixture to the pie before serving or just add it to each piece as you serve. This will be one of your favorite summer dessert. 

• This pie is a great addition to your next family picnic. Try it with my BBQ chicken kabobs and strawberry spinach salad.
• Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or mascarpone cheese on the side and some chocolate sauce. 
• Keep the party going with this freezer pie. For the adults, serve it with a glass of strawberry margarita.
• This sweet dish is a wonderful accompaniment to my sweet and savory brown sugar salmon.
• Kids love a slice of this pie with a creamy strawberry banana smoothie.
• If you are looking for a summery dessert spread, serve this pie with my best strawberry poke cake or the strawberry pie with cheesecake layer, and this refreshing key lime pie poke cake. 

Frequently asked questions

What is strawberry shortcake pie?

This strawberry shortcake freezer pie is made from cream cheese, whipped cream, and sweetened condensed milk with strawberry sauce and powdered sugar. It is creamed, whipped, and poured into a graham cracker pie crust before being frozen for at least six hours. Then, it is usually topped with some kind of crumbly topping, such as the one I made with Jello and flour. The topping is reminiscent of the strawberry shortcake ice cream we used to have as kids, hence the name of the pie.

What is the difference between this pie and strawberry pie?

A strawberry pie is usually made with a refrigerated or homemade pie crust and a strawberry gel filling. There is no creamy filling made from cream cheese or whipped topping, although you can put whipped cream on top of it. Another difference is that strawberry pie filling is traditionally made with fresh strawberries and then topped with sliced fresh strawberries, whereas this pie is made of strawberry sauce or jam and instead of being baked, is chilled in the freezer.

Why is my freezer pie runny?

It may not have been frozen long enough. The pie needs at least six hours to freeze before you can serve it. If you froze it that long and it doesn’t freeze, the ingredients may have been off. It could be that your strawberry filling had too much liquid, or you used the wrong type of milk. Make sure you do not use evaporated milk or whole milk. You need the thick, sweetened condensed milk for this recipe.

How do I fix a runny freezer pie?

The easiest way to do it is to keep it in the freezer until you are ready to serve it. Then, take it out long enough to serve it. It should stay solid enough while you eat it. Or you can try mixing a cornstarch slurry with the filling before freezing, to make sure it will be more solid. If you are ready to serve the pie and its too soft, gently stir in some whipped cream and freeze again.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: Refrigerating this pie will not work. It is a frozen pie and should remain frozen before being served. Use a pie pan with a cover or cover it with plastic wrap and foil. It can stay frozen for several months.   
• Defrost: Just 15 minutes before serving, let it sit out to make it soft enough to eat.

More strawberry desserts:

Recipe tips:

• If you do not have an electric mixer, you can use a whisk. It will take a bit longer, but it will still whip up nicely.
• Save time. Use premade strawberry sauce and store-bought whipped topping. 
• One thing you cannot leave out is the condensed milk.
• Make sure you freeze your pie for at least six hours, or it will not be solid enough to serve. Overnight would be better.