Strawberry pie with frozen strawberries is an easy and delicious way to make an old-fashioned recipe. Made without Jello, my version of this summer classic is the best because there’s no prep work: to make the filling, simply thaw the frozen fruit then add sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. If you want to learn how to make strawberry pie with frozen strawberries, keep reading!
Can You Make Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries?
Yes! You can use frozen strawberries for pie. In fact, my peach pie with frozen peaches recipe shows that baking a pie with frozen fruit can be just as good–if not better–than using fresh fruit in the recipe.
Why Might Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries Be Better Than Fresh?
Although freshly-picked, in-season fruit is not only the most traditional but also the most flavorful, making pie with frozen strawberries is probably the best option for most people for several reasons:
Easy To Make the Filling
To make pie filling with fresh berries, you have to wash, hull, and chop them before you can even start the recipe. On the other hand, if you use frozen strawberries, all you have to do is thaw them, so making strawberry pie with frozen strawberries is definitely easy and convenient.
More Delicious (Usually)
According to a TheKitchn.com article, fruit sold frozen is usually left to ripen in the field for longer than fruit that’s sold fresh, giving soon-to-be frozen fruit more time to develop flavor. After being picked at the peak of ripeness, the fruit is then flash-frozen, locking in the flavor. This is why frozen strawberries are usually more flavorful than fresh ones at the grocery store.
If you have access to garden-fresh or farmer’s market strawberries, those are ideal. Otherwise, frozen strawberries are the best if you’re looking for good, consistent flavor.
Make Pie At Any Time Of The Year
Strawberry pie is usually considered a spring and summer dessert since that’s when fresh berries are available. However, if you use frozen berries to make the filling, you can have delicious strawberry pie for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any day.
As you can see, there are many advantages to making homemade pie using frozen strawberries. If you’re looking for an easy way to make a pie that will be delicious at any time of the year–even without access to homegrown berries–frozen fruit is the way to go.
Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries Ingredients
My strawberry pie with frozen strawberries recipe with no gelatin is super easy because it only has a few ingredients:
Frozen Strawberries – 24 oz (about 3 cups)
White Sugar – 1 cup.
Cornstarch – 8 Tablespoons (½ cup)
Lemon Juice – 2 Tablespoons
Salt – ⅛ teaspoon
Pie Crusts – 2, 9-inch pie crust
*Optional: Extra Sugar For The Top – 2 Tablespoons white sugar
Should You Thaw Frozen Strawberries Before Baking?
Yes! Frozen strawberries should always be thawed before baking. Although your oven will be at 350F, you have to remember that multiple cups of frozen fruit inside of a pie would be just as cold as a block of ice.
Even at the very high temperature, the ice wouldn’t melt completely in 50 minutes, so at least some of the strawberries would still be frozen, ruining the texture of the pie. Even though thawing the berries adds time to the recipe, it’s worth it if you want your pie to turn out delicious.
How to Thaw Frozen Strawberries For Pie
Whether you’re making this pie recipe, a strawberry cobbler, or some other recipe, there are many ways to thaw frozen strawberries for baking. Here are some ways to do it:
In the refrigerator – Either leave them in the bag or empty the fruit into a bowl and leave in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours, or up to 12.
In Cold Water – Place the unopened bag(s) in a bowl of cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. The strawberries should shaw in 1-2 hours.
In the microwave – In the video I thawed my strawberries in the microwave because it’s my preferred method for defrosting fruit when making pies, cobblers, or other desserts. Although other recipes might give you a different method, the following is how I do it:
How to Thaw Strawberries in the Microwave
1. Place the strawberries into a microwave-safe bowl – I don’t usually cover the bowl.
2. Use the DEFROST or LOW setting in 3-minute increments – Use 2 to 3 increments, making sure to stir after each increment.
3. Then, heat the fruit on HIGH in 1-minute increments – Once again, stir after each increment. Using this setting will speed up the defrosting process significantly.
4. Once the fruit is totally thawed, wait 15-20 minutes before making the filling – This is to avoid the possibility of accidentally causing the cornstarch to clump because it was added to a hot liquid.
What Is the Best Thickener for Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries?
In my opinion, cornstarch is the best thickener for strawberry pie with frozen strawberries because it’s powerful and widely available. Although other thickeners like potato starch and tapioca are available, home cooks are more likely to have cornstarch on hand.
Even though flour is an option, I don’t recommend it. Not only do you normally have to use more flour than cornstarch to thicken pies, but flour also tends to make liquids cloudy. Considering this, I think that cornstarch is the best option for most people.
How to Make Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries
Learning how to make strawberry pie with frozen strawberries is easy. All you have to do is follow a few, simple steps:
Gather The Ingredients
Before you start the recipe, it’s a good idea to gather the ingredients to make sure you have everything. If you’re using a homemade crust, make sure it’s ready, too. I used my usual butter and oil pie crust recipe, but you can use your own–or storebought.
Thaw the Strawberries
The first step in the recipe is thawing the frozen strawberries. As I already said, I thawed them in the microwave, but you can also defrost them in the refrigerator overnight or in cold water.
Let the Strawberries Cool down
If you thaw the strawberries in the microwave, it’s important to let the thawed berries cool down 15-20 minutes before making the filling so the cornstarch doesn’t clump up. After 15-20 minutes have passed, stick your finger in the berries to see if they’re still hot; if they are, put them in the refrigerator for a few minutes to help them cool down faster.
Parbake the Bottom Crust
While you wait for your strawberries to cool down, use the time to parbake the bottom crust. First, place the bottom crust into a pie plate, then prick it with a fork 5-8 times so that air bubbles don’t form.
Then, bake it in the oven, empty, for 5 minutes at 350F, uncovered. By partially baking the bottom crust before adding the liquid filling, soggy crust is much less likely. After the crust comes out of the oven, let it cool off to the side while you make the filling.
Make the Filling
Making the filling for strawberry pie with frozen strawberries is super easy since once the berries are thawed, there’s no additional cooking. All you have to do is add the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt to the boil and then stir to combine. That’s it!
Don’t Forget the Lemon Juice!
In my opinion, lemon juice is the key ingredient in this pie filling. As in my blackberry cobbler with dumplings recipe, a bit of lemon juice helps bring out the berry flavor and the dessert super delicious.
In fact, once I made a strawberry pie without lemon juice, and it was surprisingly mediocre. It’s amazing what a bit of acidity can do to a recipe, so don’t forget it!
Assemble the Pie
Once the filling is ready, simply pour it into the parbaked bottom pie shell. Use a spoon to spread out the juice and strawberry chunks evenly, then put on the top crust. Remember to crimp the edges to seal the two crusts together.
Cut Slits in the Top Crust
Although it seems like a small detail, don’t forget to cut slits in the top crust. The filling will produce steam as the pie bakes, and the steam needs a way to escape. If you don’t, the top crust will likely form a dome on top of the pie that will look very odd.
Sprinkle Extra Sugar on Top
Even though this is optional, I highly recommend sprinkling an extra 2 Tablespoons of sugar on top of the pie right before you put it in the oven. This sugar not only adds a touch of extra sweetness but also a bit of crunch–it’s a very nice touch.
Bake the Pie
Once your pie is ready for the oven, bake it at 350F, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes. I baked mine for 52 minutes, but it was probably ready at the 50-minute mark, so keep an eye on it.
Let the Pie Cool
Although waiting is hard, it’s important to let your strawberry pie with frozen strawberries cool down before serving. Slicing into a warm pie will make for runny slices that don’t hold their shape, so let your pie cool down for at least 2 hours, preferably at least 4, before serving.
Serve
Now that your pie is cool, it’s time to serve. Enjoy!
Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries FAQ’s
How Long to Bake Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries?
I recommend baking strawberry pie with frozen strawberries at 350F, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes. In the video my pie took 52 minutes, so start checking it at the 45-minute mark.
How Do You Know When Your Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries Is Done Baking?
Your pie is done when the crust is golden brown and the filling starts bubbling up through the slits in the crusts. It’s important that the filling starts to boil in order to activate the cornstarch, so if you can’t see or hear the filling bubbling / boiling, your pie needs more time.
Why Is My Strawberry Pie Runny?
Nobody wants a watery, soupy pie. If your strawberry pie is runny, here are some possible causes as to why your filling didn’t set properly:
Not enough thickener – Not using enough cornstarch will result in a watery filling. You might be able to use less than 8 Tablespoons, but using a lot less is sure to result in a runny pie.
Wasn’t baked long enough – Although cornstarch doesn’t like being added to hot liquids, it does need heat to be activated. That’s why I recommend not taking your strawberry pie out of the oven until the filling is boiling.
Served too soon – Strawberry pie filling needs time to set up after coming out of the oven. If you cut into the pie too soon, you’ll have a watery, soup filling that’ll never thicken up correctly.
Pie was cooked too long – As pointed out by this Better Homes and Gardens article, it’s possible to overcook cornstarch to the point where it loses its thickening power. I’ve baked pies for an hour and never had this problem, so I think this is unlikely to happen–but it is possible.
How To Keep Strawberry Pie Crust From Getting Soggy
Parbake the crust. If you want to make sure your bottom crust isn’t soggy, precooking it slightly before adding the filling will help “seal out” the moisture from the filling. To parbake the crust:
- Put the bottom crust into the pie plate
- Use a fork to poke the crust about 5-8 times. This will help eliminate air bubbles.
- Bake the empty crust at 350F, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
Baking the Pie on a Pizza Pan / Cookie Sheet Can Help, Too.
As explained in an AmericasTestKitchen.com article, the writers conducted an experiment in which they baked one sherry pie directly on the oven rack and another on a metal sheet. After baking, it was found that the pie baked on the metal sheet had a solid bottom crust while the other pie has a soggy bottom.
So, the writers of the article suggest putting your pie on an unheated metal sheet before putting it in the oven to help prevent soggy bottoms. In my experience, this is also a good idea because if some of the juice from your pie boils over, it will fall onto the pizza pan or cookie sheet, not the bottom of your oven.
I Forgot To Parbake the Bottom Crust–Is My Pie Ruined?
Honestly, I’ve forgotten to parbake the bottom crust before, and I didn’t have any problems. So, if you forget to parbake the crust, it should be fine unless you’ve had issues with soggy pies in the past.g
Can I Put a Lattice Top on my Pie?
Yes! Although I put a solid top crust on my strawberry pie with frozen strawberries and no gelatin, you could definitely use a lattice top as well. You might even be able to use slightly less cornstarch since more of the moisture in the filling will have the chance to evaporate.
Does Strawberry Pie Need to Be Refrigerated?
Yes. In all honesty, I keep my pies at room temperature, but most cooks would recommend keeping your baked pies in the refrigerator. I would suggest uncovered since covering the pie might seal in the moisture and make the crust soggy.
How Long Is Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries Good For?
Your strawberry pie with frozen strawberries should keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. After that, the juicy filling will likely start making the crust soggy.
Can You Make Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries the Day Before?
Yes! You can make this strawberry pie with frozen strawberries the day before you want to serve it. However, I would not make it more than 48 hours in advance since the juicy filling likely start making the crust a bit soggy by then.
Can You Freeze Strawberry Pie?
No. Even though it’s possible to freeze slices of pie to eat later, I don’t recommend it since the freezing / thawing process would probably make the crust soggy. If you want to freeze your pie, I suggest assembling the pie and then freezing it unbaked.
When you’re ready to bake the pie, take it out of the freezer and place it straight into the oven–no need to thaw. I’ve baked frozen empanadas before, and the crust was still great!
Recipe Review
Appearance: 10 / 10
My strawberry pie with frozen strawberries looked amazing. The crust was perfectly golden brown, and the filling was a beautiful, intense, bright-red color that was truly amazing. Honestly, pictures don’t do it justice–the color of the filling was truly stunning.
Taste: 10 / 10
The pie tasted amazing. The strawberry flavor was very strong not only because of the quality of the frozen strawberries but also because of the bit of lemon juice. As I said earlier, lemon juice really helps to bring out fruit flavor, especially berries.
Texture: 10 / 10
The texture was great, too. The crust was crispy, the extra sprinkling of sugar adding a nice bit of crunch. The filling set perfectly without being dry, and there was a nice mix of juice and chunks of strawberries.
Ease: 10 / 10
This strawberry pie with frozen strawberries recipe is super easy. To make the filling, all you have to do is thaw the berries, add some other ingredients, and then you’re done. If you use storebought pie crust, this recipe is even easier.
A Chef’s Review
This bake baked up absolutely perfectly. The crust was perfectly shaped and golden brown, the juices inside just barely boiling up through the crust.
After waiting for the pie to cool down, I cut a slice and saw the beauty inside the pie as well. The filling was an incredibly vibrant shade of red, exactly the color you would expect strawberry pie to be. The filling was perfectly jellied as well, so the pie was not runny at all. The cross-section of the first slice revealed pieces of fruit suspended in jellied juice. At least in terms of aesthetics, the pie was a total success: I had translated strawberries into fruit pie.
When I took the first bite, I knew that I had a winner. This strawberry pie with frozen strawberries was absolutely delicious. The addition of lemon juice is exactly what it needed to make it phenomenal. I have made and eaten a lot of pies, and I have to say, this strawberry pie was one of my favorites.
Possible Changes to the Recipe
Although I was very pleased with how my pie turned out, possible changes to the recipe include:
Cinnamon – Cinnamon and berries go together surprisingly well, so ¼ teaspoon would be nice.
Lime Juice – I wonder how replacing the lemon juice with lime juice would turn out?
Brown Sugar – Although it might affect the red filling, a small amount of brown sugar would be nice.
Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries Recipe Variations
If you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to try these recipe variations:
Strawberry Pie with Graham Cracker Crust – As I said, cinnamon and berries go together well.
Strawberry Pie with Cream Cheese – A hybrid between strawberry pie and cheesecake.
More Pie with Frozen Fruit Recipes
If I’ve convinced you that frozen fruit can be used for pies, give these other recipes a try:
Peach Pie with Frozen Peaches – Make this summertime dessert at any time of the year!
Mixed Berry Pie with Frozen Berries – Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries–wow!
Strawberry Dessert Recipes
If you like strawberries, be sure to take a look at some of my other dessert recipes:
Strawberry Fudge Recipe – With freeze dried strawberries and gelatin, the fudge is full of flavor.
3 Ingredient Strawberry Dump Cake – With cake mix, pie filling, and butter, this recipe is super easy.
Easy Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries Recipe
Strawberry Pie with Frozen Strawberries
Ingredients
- 2 9-inch pie crusts
- 24 oz frozen strawberries, thawed (680g) – 1 and 1/2 16 ounce bags
- 1 cup white sugar (210g)
- 8 Tablespoons cornstarch (80g)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (30g)
- *To sprinkle on top: 2 Tablespoons white sugar (30g)
Instructions
- Put bottom crust into 9-inch pie plate, prick bottom with fork a few times, and parbake at 350F for 5 minutes
- Mix thawed strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon juice. If any strawberries are bigger than others, cut them into smaller pieces.
- Pour filling into bottom crust.
- Place top crust on pie. Cut off excess dough and seal the edges.
- Cut steam vents in top crust
- Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of white sugar on top of pie
- Place on baking sheet and bake, uncovered, 350F for 50 minutes (I left it in for 52 minutes, butt 50 should be fine)
YouTube Video Tutorial
Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial. :
