• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Everyday Pie
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Pie 101
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Everyday Pie » Recipes » Fruit

    Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

    Published: Jul 11, 2023 · Modified: Jun 20, 2025 by Kelli Avila · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 6 Comments

    • Facebook
    • Email
    • Twitter
    • Reddit
    Jump to Recipe·5 from 2 reviews
    Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
    Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

    This Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie has a salty-sweet pretzel graham cracker crust, a rich and creamy cheesecake filling, and a fresh homemade strawberry topping. It’s an easy, make-ahead dessert that looks impressive and tastes even better.

    Strawberry cream cheese pie.

    Want to save this recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get weekly updates from me!

    Save Recipe

    Is it a strawberry pie? Is it a cheesecake? The truth is, this Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie is probably more of a hybrid between the two, but categorization aside, all we really need to talk about is how delicious it is!

    The pie has a beautiful balance of all the different layers, beginning with the sweet and salty crumb crust, the baked cheesecake layer, the juicy and bright strawberry topping and of course, the whipped cream tying it all together. I can almost guarantee, everyone is going to love this pie.

    And if you've ever been intimidated to make a cheesecake before (the stress about making sure it doesn't crack, and you don't overwhip it, and all the other possibly fails!)...let this be your stepping stone into cheesecake. This has very similar ingredients but is so much less complicated to make.

    So, let's get to making it, shall we? The article below details all the information you need to know to make these successfully, concluding with the recipe at the end. You can jump around using the menu below, or skip to the end of the article for the full recipe.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
    • The Star Ingredient: Strawberries
    • Pie Crust Options
    • How to Make It
    • Best Tips for Success
    • Serving / Storing
    • More Strawberry Recipes
    • More Fruit Desserts
    • Full Recipe
    A slice of strawberry cream cheese pie.

    Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

    Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed. The recipe card lists the full recipe with quantities and detailed instructions (located below this article).

    A quart of strawberries.
    • ripe strawberries
    • pretzels + graham crackers (this is for the pie crust, see the section below for swapping them out with another crust)
    • cream cheese (use the Philadelphia brand if you can)
    • sour cream
    • butter
    • granulated sugar
    • salt
    • eggs
    • vanilla extract + almond extract (this is optional, but helps the strawberry flavor pop)
    • cornstarch
    • whipped cream (for serving, optional)

    The Star Ingredient: Strawberries

    It's best to use fresh, in season strawberries for this recipe. I often recommend using frozen fruit in my other recipes, but I think fresh strawberries are the best option for this pie. We all know strawberries can vary pretty drastically when it comes to sweetness. It's important to taste your strawberries before starting the recipe. The recipe gives a range of sugar to add. If they are tart, the higher amount of sugar should be used, while if they are sweet, less sugar will suffice.

    Pie Crust Options

    Crumb crusts are great because they require less work. They’re also an excellent way to add contrasting texture to a pie, especially with a fruity cheesecake filling like this one. While some crumb crusts need to be parbaked, this recipe doesn’t since the crust bakes right along with the cheesecake.

    Using graham crackers for the crust felt like an obvious choice with this cheesecake-esque recipe, but I also love the flavor of pretzels with strawberries (see here) so I combined the two and made a pretzel graham crust!

    Making a pie crust for a strawberry cream cheese pie.

    Step 1: Use a food processor to grind up the pretzels and crackers.

    Ground graham cracker crumbs.

    Step 2: Once finely ground, combine with the melted butter and sugar. The mixture should resemble wet sand and easily hold together when squeezed.

    Making a pie crust for a strawberry cream cheese pie.

    Step 3: Transfer the crumbs to a pie plate. Form the edges of the crust first.

    Making a pie crust for a strawberry cream cheese pie.

    Step 4: Then smooth out the middle into an even layer and compact it down with a measuring cup, or something similar.

    Here are some other crumb crust options for that will go well with a strawberry cheesecake pie:

    • Biscoff Pie Crust
    • Pretzel Pie Crust Recipe
    • Graham Cracker Crumb Crust
    • Vanilla Wafer Crust

    Crust Troubleshooting Tips

    It's important to note that different brands of pretzels and graham crackers may require you to adjust the amount of butter or cracker crumbs in your recipe. If your crumb crust mixture turns out too dry, you can add a tablespoon of melted butter to the crumbs until they are evenly moistened. It's best to add the melted butter one tablespoon at a time until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. If the mixture is too wet and difficult to work with, add more cracker crumbs until it reaches the consistency of wet sand.

    How to Make It

    This pie comes together in a few simple steps: mix up the crust, bake the creamy filling, top it with fresh strawberries, and let it chill until set. It’s easy to make, totally doable, and so worth the effort. Here is a visual overview (and scroll down to the bottom for the full recipe):

    A bowl of cream cheese in an electric mixing bowl.

    Step 1: Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined.

    Preparing the filling for the strawberry cream cheese pie.

    Step 2: Transfer the filling to the prepared pie crust.

    A cheesecake filling for strawberry cream cheese pie.

    Step 3: Bake the cheesecake pie, then let it cool while the topping is made.

    Pureeing strawberries.

    Step 4: Puree strawberries, combine with sugar and thickener and heat on the stove.

    A pot with cooked strawberry pie filling.

    Step 5: Add the sliced strawberries and cook until simmering.

    Step 6: Transfer the filling to the pie, and cool at room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator.

    Best Tips for Success

    • The cream cheese filling is a simplified cheesecake that comes together easily with a mixer. Be sure to scrape the bowl to avoid lumps before adding other ingredients, since they’re hard to fix later. You can mix by hand too, as long as the cream cheese is smooth first. The ingredients don’t need to be fully at room temperature, but taking them out before starting the crust is helpful.
    • Bake the cheesecake pie until the filling is just set, but be careful not to overbake it to the point that the entire filling is puffed up.For the perfect texture, it is best not to overbake a cheesecake.
    • After baking the pie, it is important to let it cool for around 15 minutes so that the cream cheese filling can set properly and hold the weight of the strawberry filling. Spoon the filling on gently.
    • I don't recommend breaking this recipe down and making components ahead of time. For the best texture, add the warm strawberry topping directly to the cheesecake. Letting them set up together creates a more cohesive pie.

    Serving / Storing

    The components of this pie should all be made and assembled together all in one day, but the assembled pie can be prepared in advance. At a minimum, it should be made at least half a day before it is meant to be served, but best if made a day ahead. It’s best served chilled with a whipped cream garnish.

    Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.

    More Strawberry Recipes

    • Strawberry Ice Cream
    • Fresh Strawberry Pie
    • Strawberry Cobbler
    • Strawberry Icebox Cake

    More Fruit Desserts

    • A gluten-free apple pie with a slice removed revealing the interior with juicy apples and perfect gluten free pie crust.
      Gluten-Free Apple Pie
    • Several mini fruit tarts with mixed berries and kiwi on a baking sheet.
      Mini Fruit Tartlets
    • Top view of a freshly baked classic fruit tart with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
      Classic Fruit Tart
    • Glazed strawberries.
      How to Glaze Fruit

    I am so honored when you make a recipe from my site! If you make this Strawberry Cheese Pie recipe, please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating with your experience! If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment here, and tag me on Instagram!

    Print

    Full Recipe

    Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

    A slice of strawberry cream cheese pie.
    Print Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 2 reviews

    This Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie, with a salty sweet pretzel graham cracker crust, a creamy rich cheesecake filling and a beautiful homemade strawberry topping, is an amazing and delicious (make-ahead) dessert everyone will love.

    • Author: Kelli Avila

    Ingredients

    Graham Cracker Pretzel Crust:

    • 2 ounces (about ½ cup, lightly packed) pretzels crumbs
    • 6 ounces (about 1-½ cups, lightly packed) graham cracker crumbs
    • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
    • Pinch of salt

    Cream Cheese Filling:

    • 14 ounces (1-½ blocks) cream cheese, softened
    • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
    • ½ cup (60 grams) sour cream
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

    For Strawberry Filling:

    • 16 ounces (1 quart) ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ⅓ to ½ cup (70 -100 grams) sugar (depends on how sweet the strawberries are)
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • Pinch salt

    Instructions

    Make the Pie Crust:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
    2. Mix together the pretzel crumbs, graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt in a bowl.
    3. Pour the crumbs into the pie plate and start pressing the ingredients up the sides of the pie plate to form the edges first. Once the edges are formed work the crumbs down to evenly distribute into the bottom of the pie plate and stamp it down.

    Bake the Cream Cheese Pie:

    1. Beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer (using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer) until smooth, about 3 minutes.
    2. Add in the egg, sour cream, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
    3. Transfer the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the outer 2-½” is slightly puffed and the filling doesn’t wiggle.
    4. Let cool on a wire rack while the topping is prepared.

    Make Strawberry Topping and Assemble Pie:

    1. Add ½ cup (3 ounces) of sliced strawberries to a blender with lemon juice  and blend until completely smooth.
    2. Stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a pot. Pour in the strawberry puree and stir to combine. Heat over medium low and cook until the filling is bubbling, about 3-5 minutes.
    3. Add in strawberries and cook, stirring frequently until it comes back to a simmer, then shut off the heat.
    4. Transfer the filling to the top of the pie, and smooth over the top.
    5. Let the pie continue to cool at room temperature, and then transfer to a refrigerator to set up for 4-6 hours.
    6. Serve chilled, with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please leave a start rating and a review, and share a photo on IG and tag @everydaypie

    Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. Everyday Pie is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

    « 29 Amazing No Bake Desserts
    Orange Creamsicle Pie »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Vince

      June 16, 2025 at 9:07 pm

      Hi Kelli! Am I mistaken, or is 1 1/2 blocks of cream cheese 12 oz instead of 14 oz?

      Reply
      • Kelli Avila

        June 17, 2025 at 9:31 am

        Hi Vince, you are not mistaken 🙂 Thanks for catching that. Updating now -Kelli

        Reply
    2. Claudia

      October 31, 2023 at 2:56 am

      Sono svizzera e ho fatto due torte da te.
      La Apple Pie e la Cheesecake. Sono venute veramente buone, ottime e perfette!

      Reply
    3. Jeanine

      September 26, 2023 at 2:28 am

      Is this recipe gluten free? If not, can I make it gluten free using different ingredients?

      Reply
      • Kelli Avila

        September 27, 2023 at 11:40 am

        Yes, just use gluten free graham crackers!

        Reply
    4. Kelli Carolan

      July 22, 2023 at 7:12 pm

      Oh this is so good! The crust is a perfect blend of sweet/salty, perfectly creamy filling, and fresh tart/sweet strawberry topping. It's everything you want in a chilled summer dessert! As always, Kelli's thorough and descriptive instructions are fail-safe. 🍓🍓

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Kelli Avila, creator of Everyday Pie standing in a kitchen.

    Hi! I'm so glad you are here!

    I’m Kelli, pie lover, mom of two, and a former professional cook and baker turned recipe developer! I'm the creator of Everydaypie.com, a baking resource dedicated to sharing recipes for pie, pastry and more! Here you'll find detailed recipes, step-by-step photos and tons of tips to make you a better baker.

    More about me →


    My Current Favorites Recipes:

    • A slice of chocolate french silk pie on a plate piled high with whipped cream.
      Chocolate French Silk Pie (No Raw Eggs!)
    • A bitten soft orange cookie with icing to reveal a moist crumb.
      Soft Italian Orange Drop Cookies
    • A couple of bowls with homemade pistachio pudding and whipped cream.
      From-Scratch Pistachio Pudding
    • A baked and glazed puff pastry cinnamon roll.
      Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls

    Trending Recipes

    • A slice of creamy egg custard pie.
      Classic Custard Pie
    • A sliced chocolate cream pie.
      Classic Chocolate Cream Pie
    • A baked sweet italian ricotta pie.
      Ricotta Pie
    • Homemade croissants.
      How to Make Croissants

    Want to support my work?

    While my content is and always will be free, if you like the recipes here, you can support this page by "buying me a coffee"!

    Footer

    About

    • About
    • Ethics and Editorial Guidelines
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Instagram

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2019 - 2025 Everyday Recipes, LLC