Strawberry Jell-O Pie

My mom always made cool, creamy pies with just a box of flavored gelatin and a tub of whipped topping for spring and summer celebrations. No-bake pies always remind me of warm weather. This strawberry Jell-O pie is a close cousin to the pies I grew up eating, but this version has a filling studded with fresh strawberries for more fruity flavor and texture in each bite.

Thanks to convenient pantry ingredients, this strawberry pie with Jell-O comes together in no time—just prepare strawberry-flavored gelatin with boiling water, stir in sliced strawberries, pour the mixture into a ready-made graham cracker crust and refrigerate. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is waiting for the filling to set! We recommend topping each slice of pie with a healthy serving of whipped topping for a light and refreshing dessert.

Ingredients for Strawberry Jell-O Pie

• Strawberries: Fresh strawberries add fruity flavor and texture to the pie filling. You’ll need two pints of the ripest, juiciest strawberries available. If it’s not berry season, you can use thawed frozen strawberries (find more tips on how to do so below).
• Cornstarch: Fresh berries release liquid, so we use cornstarch as a thickening agent in the pie filling. It prevents the gelatin mixture from being too runny and ensures clean slices.
• Water: You need boiling water to dissolve and activate the gelatin.
• Strawberry gelatin: This recipe calls for one 0.3-ounce box of sugar-free strawberry gelatin. Not a fan of the sugar-free variety? You can use a 3-ounce package of regular Jell-O.
• Sugar: Flavored gelatin is already sweet, but we like to add a little extra sugar to the filling to balance the tartness of the strawberries. If you prefer to keep the pie filling entirely sugar-free, use a granulated sugar alternative.
• Graham cracker crust: This strawberry pie recipe with Jell-O calls for a reduced-fat graham cracker crust. Find premade crusts in the baking aisle, or grab a box of graham crackers to make your own—it’s as easy as mixing graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and sugar!
• Whipped topping: We like to top each slice of pie with a healthy dollop of whipped topping. Since this is technically a garnish, you can also use whipped cream in a can or freshly made whipped cream.

Directions

Step 1: Slice the strawberries

Set aside eight whole strawberries to garnish individual pie slices. Slice the remaining strawberries and set aside.

Editor’s Tip: Although you can use a knife to remove the green tops, it’s not the most fruitful method to hull strawberries (pun intended). Poking a straw through the berry or using a nifty hulling tool allows you to remove the top and waste the least amount of fruit.

Step 2: Prepare the filling

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Combine the cornstarch and water in a large saucepan, stirring until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook and stir for two minutes or until thickened.

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Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the gelatin and sugar, and stir until dissolved.

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Stir in the sliced strawberries.

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Then pour the strawberry Jell-O filling into the pie crust.

Step 3: Chill, then serve

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Cover and refrigerate the pie for two hours or until the filling is firm. Garnish each slice of pie with whipped topping and a whole strawberry.

Editor’s Tip: The gelatin can take longer than two hours to set, so plan accordingly to allow the pie plenty of time to set fully.

Dan Roberts for Taste of Home

Strawberry Jell-O Pie Variations

• Use a different crust: Replace the graham cracker crust with a pretzel crust, similar to strawberry pretzel salad, for a sweet-and-salty dessert.
• Make it creamy: Instead of using the whipped topping as a garnish, fold it into the strawberry Jell-O mixture to create a creamy pie filling.
• Mix in citrus zest: Stir the zest of one lemon or orange into the filling for a refreshing burst of citrus.
• Turn it into a patriotic pie: Swap in some blueberries to create a red, white and blue dessert perfect for summer celebrations.
• Try another flavor combo: Mix up the fruit flavors with another gelatin flavor and/or a different fruit. Try mixed berries in the strawberry gelatin, fresh peach slices in peach Jell-O or cherries with black cherry Jell-O.

How to Store Strawberry Jell-O Pie

Cover the pie with storage wrap and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Leftovers should be kept in the refrigerator for two to three days—any longer than that and you’ll likely notice the filling getting watery. It’s best to make the pie the same day you plan to serve it and enjoy leftover slices sooner rather than later.

Can you freeze strawberry pie with Jell-O?

Jell-O becomes a sticky, goopy mess when frozen and thawed, so we don’t consider this pie a freezer-friendly dessert.

Can you make strawberry Jell-O pie ahead of time?

You can easily make this pie the night before or the morning of the day you plan to serve it. Because gelatin weeps the longer it sits, we don’t recommend making it more than one day in advance.

Strawberry Jell-O Pie Tips

Dan Roberts for Taste of Home

Can I make this pie with frozen strawberries?

Fresh strawberries will offer the best texture and flavor (especially during summer), but you can use frozen strawberries in a pinch. Frozen berries release more liquid than fresh ones, which can contribute to a looser pie filling if you fail to drain them well. Thaw 4 cups unsweetened frozen strawberries in the fridge overnight. Before using, drain them in a colander and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then, slice the berries and proceed with the recipe.

Can I use regular Jell-O?

Yes, you can make this strawberry pie recipe with regular Jell-O. Simply replace the box of sugar-free strawberry-flavored gelatin with one box of regular, sugar-sweetened Jell-O. Note that the pie will contain more calories and grams of sugar per slice, but if you don’t need a sugar-free dessert, the result will be the same.

How long does it take for strawberry Jell-O pie to set?

Jell-O recipes, including this strawberry pie, typically need two to four hours to set. The gelatin must be set for the filling to hold its shape when sliced. To be safe, plan for the pie to chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight.

Can I mix whipped topping into the Jell-O?

You can mix the whipped topping into the gelatin mixture to create a fluffier, creamy pie filling similar to this watermelon pie. Prepare the Jell-O as directed and let it cool to room temperature. Stir in the sliced strawberries and fold in the whipped topping, then pour the filling into the pie crust and refrigerate until set.