Dairy-free, Nut-free, Gluten-free Strawberry ‘Cream Cheese’ Pie

Ah, fresh strawberry pie. It’s a classic and comforting dessert for the spring and summer months. With our family’s garden in California growing an abundance of juicy strawberries, my children and I decided this would be a perfect time to incorporate them into our next dessert. After all, home-grown strawberries are hard to beat.

For this installment of Allergic Living’s Kitchen Craft series, let me show you – and your children – how to make a fresh strawberry “cream cheese” pie. This recipe allows many opportunities for kids to be involved. So, go ahead, invite your budding chefs to wash their hands and spend the afternoon making a divine pie with you.

For this pie, I use a premade gluten-free pie crust, but you are welcome to use your favorite homemade crust recipe.

Ashley with her sons, Zayden and Emren.

Unlike traditional recipes, this strawberry pie will be made free of the Top 9 allergens, without gelatin-containing Jell-O, and we will be adding a thin layer of dairy-free cream cheese between the lightly golden brown crust and the red, juicy strawberries.

Proudly bring this pie to your next Memorial Day barbecue or 4th of July picnic. Or for Mother’s Day, surprise Mom with this pie.

Whatever the occasion, this strawberry pie is a timeless dessert that everyone can enjoy. Perfect for any warm weather occasion.

Stay tuned for more of my Kitchen Craft series, designed to help inspire Allergic Living followers with allergy-friendly baking. We may have to manage food allergies, but with a pinch of patience, a cup of creativity and a liter of love, we’ll create beautifully crafted desserts that everyone can enjoy.

Strawberry ‘Cream Cheese’ Pie

Makes: 1 9-inch pie
Free of: top allergens and gluten

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

1 9-inch gluten-free pie shell (e.g. Wholly Gluten-Free Pie Shell)
32 oz fresh strawberries

Strawberry Puree

1 cup fresh strawberries
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
½ cup water

Dairy-Free Cream Cheese

4 oz dairy free cream cheese (e.g. Violife)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Tools

Medium-sized bowl
9-inch tin pie pan
Medium saucepan
Whisk
Food processor
Electronic hand mixer
Cutting board
Optional:
9-inch ceramic pie pan
Vinyl gloves
Cutting knife

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If frozen, let pie crust sit out for 10-15 minutes to thaw.
Crust can be baked in tin pie pan or carefully transferred into a ceramic pie pan. Wear vinyl gloves to smooth out any imperfections with your fingertips.
Bake for 12 minutes. Set out to cool. After 10 minutes, place pie shell in refrigerator to quicken cooling time.
Place 1 cup of fresh strawberries (about 8 berries) into a food processor. Puree until smooth.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, water, and pureed strawberries over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and continue stirring 3 to 5 minutes, until puree is thick and translucent. Turn off heat. Let puree cool to room temperature.
While the crust and puree are cooling, rinse and dry 35-40 strawberries. Optional: cut strawberries in half for smaller pieces. I used 25 whole strawberries and 12 cut strawberries.
For dairy-free cream cheese, use an electronic hand mixer on low speed for 4 minutes to thoroughly mix together: softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture on bottom and sides of the cooled pie shell.
Begin to arrange a bottom layer of strawberries in the pie crust. Pour or use a spoon to scoop about a third of the puree mixture over the berries. Add remaining strawberries, then finish by covering with the remaining puree.
Place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight to chill.
Slice and serve. This pie is best when eaten within 2 days.

Photos: Ashley Smith

Ashley Smith is the support group leader of NNMG Food Allergic Families of Los Angeles (https://nonutsmomsgroup.weebly.com/) and a member of FAACT's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Board.