Frozen Strawberry Pie with Cream Cheese
This Frozen Strawberry Pie recipe has a fluffy strawberry cream cheese filling made with homemade strawberry syrup, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and zest, and whipped cream. The filling is poured into a pre-baked graham cracker crust, and popped in the freezer to set. Serve slightly frozen for a refreshing dessert that will cool you down on a warm spring or summer day.
Prep Time 45 minutes minutes
Freeze time 4 hours hours
Total Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Servings 16
Calories 375kcal
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs 12 graham crackers
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon butter
Filling:
- 11/2 cup chopped strawberries
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temp
- ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ⅓ cup lemon juice 2-3 lemons
- 1 cup heavy cream
Optional topping:
- 1 cup strawberries quartered
- 1 tablespoon strawberry jam
Preheat the oven to 350º.
Add graham crackers, sugar and salt to a food processor and process until you have fine crumbs. Add 6 tablespoons of melted butter and process to combine. Place in the bottom and up the sides of a tart pan with a removable bottom, tapping down with the bottom of a flat cup. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350º for 8 minutes. Let cool before filling.
Filling:
Add 1 ½ cups chopped strawberries, sugar and water to a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until it boils. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the fruit is soft and it starts to thicken. A wooden spoon will sizzle when it is dragged through it. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing all of the liquid out. Let the syrup cool, throw out the solids.
Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese on medium-high until smooth and creamy. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until it is smooth and there are no lumps. Add the strawberry syrup, lemon zest and lemon juice and beat until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat the cream until medium peaks form. Gently fold into the strawberry mixture until no streaks are present. Spoon into the cooled crust and even the top with an offset spatula or knife. Freeze for at least 4 hours until firm.
Topping:
Warm the jam in the microwave until runny, then stir into the quartered strawberries. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Remove the pie from the freezer and remove the tart pan. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Top with strawberries.
- This is meant to be served slightly frozen and not at room temperature. It won't melt at room temperature but it will get soft.
- You can use fresh or frozen strawberries. If using frozen, let them drain first.
- You can make this in a pie pan instead of a tart pan.