It’s Summer Pie Practice Season. Isn’t that what you call Spring?
Beautiful strawberries are starting to hit the markets, and they’re a bit early for super sweetness, but not too early to start experimenting with pies and practicing our lattice technique!
I hope this coming weekend finds you in the kitchen baking away. Maybe throw some blueberries in this pie, or a handful of raspberries. It’s the perfect time to get our Summer frame of mind right. Also, doesn’t everyone want a pie in their house come Sunday night?
These strawberries are big, beautiful, and not quite sweet enough for pie. Not to worry… nothing a little brown sugar can’t fix right up.
For more in pie adventures, see: Gluten-Free Strawberry Ginger Pie or Peach and Blueberry Pie… though it’s a little soon for peaches. I suppose we just need to be more patient before we get all Summer-pie-happy.
Here’s the good news: strawberry pie is super simple to make. Sliced strawberries, sugars, cornstarch for thickening, a hint of ground ginger for balance, and lemon to bring out all the flavors!
Pie crust… well you know how I feel about pie crust. Make it! You’re a baking champion.
Just in case: Five Tips For The Best All-Butter Pie Crust From Scratch
All in the bowl. No time to be shy!
Toss the strawberries, sugars, and cornstarch until all of the cornstarch has absorbed and disappeared.
And it’s time to roll out the chilled dough! You’ll need a good amount of flour, some courage, and a great big rolling pin.
This beautiful wooden rolling pin is from Food52. It’s simple and sturdy and really just perfect.
Lattice work. 1-inch strips to weave across the top of the pie. It’s like pie magic. No biggie.
See all those butter chunks!? That’s no accident. That’s going to create the most flavorful and flakey crust!
How to make a lattice pie crust. Step one: hold your breath. Step two: cross your fingers. Step three: close your eyes tightly. Step four: hope for the best.
That’s how I bake. You too?
Before baking the pie is brushed lightly with egg wash and sprinkled generously with sugar.
Put the pie on a pan.
Do NOT put the pie on any pan. Just… definitely put the pie on a rimmed baking sheet. That’ll catch all of the drips.
Because this pie is for-real juicy. All over the place juicy. Delicious and perfect… and juicy.
After it’s baked and golden brown, I let the pie rest for a few hours at room temperature before slicing into it. The juices need to settle down, decide where they want to be, and thicken.
If you’re wondering what a slice looks like… well, a delicious mess, that’s what. This pie is packed full of lightly spiced strawberries, juicy beyond compare, and a very nice entrance to the warm days ahead.
PrintStrawberry Lattice Pie
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup cold buttermilk
For the Strawberry Filling
- 5–6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- large pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 large egg, beaten and granulated sugar for topping the unbaked pie
Instructions
- To make the crust, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and, using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture. Quickly break the butter down into the flour mixture. Some butter pieces will be the size of oat flakes; some will be the size of peas. Create a well in the mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk. Use a fork to bring the dough together. Try to moisten all of the flour bits. On a lightly floured work surface, dump out the dough mixture. It will be moist and shaggy. That’s perfect. Divide the dough in two and gently knead into two disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator will help rechill the butter and distribute the moisture.
- To make the filling, in a medium bowl toss together strawberries, sugars, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice and ground ginger. Toss until all of the cornstarch has disappeared into the strawberries and let rest for 10 minutes. The strawberries will begin to produce juice.
- To assemble the pie, on a well-floured surface, roll the bottom crust 1/8? thick and about 12? in diameter. Transfer it to a pie pan. Trim the edge almost even with the edge of the pan.
- Spoon filling into piecrust.
- Roll out the top crust in the same manner. Use a pizza slicer to slice the dough into 1-inch wide strips and weave the crust strips on top of the pie. Use this guide to help you: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-lattice-pie-crust-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-191672
- To finish, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Brush the egg wash over pie crust, then sprinkle with sugar.
- Place pie on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake the pie for 30 minutes more, or until the crust is golden and the cherry filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
Gigi
Some luscious California strawberries flirted with me at a local co-op so I unboxed this recipe- a promise & delivery of spring in the dead of the northeastern winter. The buttermilk in the crust created a dimension that was phenomenally exceptional. This is simply gorgeous- a handsome slice was indeed my Valentine lover this year.
★★★★★
Alisha
This is honestly the best pie recipe I’ve ever. My husband likes this pie so much he finished then whole pie himself and then asked me to make a second one! I’ve had multiple people ask me for your recipe – it’s just so easy and delicious! Thank you so so so much this recipe is a gift to tastebuds everywhere!
★★★★★
Sandra
This looks incredible. I have a TON of fresh, sweet strawberries on hand so I think I’m going to make this tomorrow for a family gathering. If my strawberries are very sweet already, can I omit some of the sugar without compromising the texture/thickening of the filling? I love your work, Joy!
jennifer
Love this recipe and the subtle ginger and brown sugar flavors that only elevate the taste of summer strawberries-wonderful yet simple. I also loved the addition of the buttermilk in the crust so much so that I have added this rendition to my personal cook book under favored pie crusts. Thank you for putting this out into the world!
★★★★★
Caitlin
Juicy is an understatement. Nothing but juice, to the point that the bottom crust is completely raw and the pie dish is just a deep puddle of liquid with some berries and lattice bits drowning in it. Filling did not thicken at all. Disappointing. Perhaps blind baking the bottom crust would be a good idea? More cornstarch?
Robin Morgan
I followed the recipe exactly, which is not my norm. I would either leave out the lemon juice next time or increase the sugar by about two tablespoons. Also, the crust where the lattice crossed over did not bake through. I would make it double crust next time instead of a lattice. As mentioned, this pie is extremely juicy. I would increase the cornstarch to 1/3 cup next time.
Jenefer Coombs
Hi Joy,
Can I use this crust with apples? I’ve made this strawberry pie and I adore it!
Thanks in advance,
Jenefer Coombs
joythebaker
Yes, of course!
Zulkeira Stefchak
I baked this pie as my first pie EVER and it was pretty easy (obvi except for the crust part, but I managed) and tasted great! I got tons of praise for it and I think people enjoyed the fact it was different and not just another apple pie. The only thing I would’ve liked is for the juices to be slightly thicker and little less watery. Would you suggest adding more of the corn starch? If so, how much? Thanks and love your blog!
April Goodman
This pie is the best recipe I’ve ever used
Jenn
I love this recipe! My only thing to add: this pie will not set up unless it’s placed in the refrigerator. It is really runny unless you do this. Thanks for another great recipe Joy!