It only takes a few minutes to make and then to enjoy this Easy Homemade Strawberry Pie Filling. It is perfect for pies, cakes, breakfast pastries, or spreading on toast.
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With spring finally getting here, I am looking forward to lots of fruit. One thing I always loved doing with our kids when they were younger was to go strawberry picking.
There is nothing like a fresh strawberry on a warm day! Sadly, the kids don’t share my enthusiasm for going anymore, but that doesn’t stop me from making them go with us from time to time.
It’s about family time, and those cute photo opportunities. Now that we live in Florida, I have to remember that strawberry season and strawberry festivals are much earlier in the year.
I missed it again this year, so I’ll have to settle for buying strawberries in the store or at the farmer’s market.
Berries do not last very long in our refrigerator. We have some berry monsters who will eat an entire box if I’m not watching. I am so glad our kids love to eat fresh fruit and veggies.
So when I bought a new big box of strawberries, I had to make sure everyone knew they had to wait to start munching. These berries had a pie filling destiny.
Homemade pie filling is actually easier to make than you think. Sure, you can buy a can of strawberry pie filling at the store if you like paying for cans full of gel and very little berries.
This pie filling is easy to make, and it doesn’t take much time at all.
How to make Homemade Strawberry Pie Filling:
- Start with 5 cups of sliced (or diced) berries. You want to make sure there are plenty of strawberries in your filling.
- Water, sugar, and cornstarch gets boiled into a gel for coating the strawberries in.
- Pull the pan off the stove and stir in some strawberry Jello powder to thicken it even more and to give it a bright red color.
- Add the sliced strawberries and stir until everything is coated.
- Now comes the hard part. You have to have patience and wait for the homemade pie filling to cool off. It needs to cool off enough for you to put it in your refrigerator for a few hours. This will give it time to thicken up a little bit more.
Pro Tip: Make the pie filling the night before, so it is ready to go the next day.
What can you make with the best strawberry pie filling?
- This delicious Strawberry Lemon Snack Cake is a delicious way to use up extra pie filling.
- An easy Lemon Strawberry Poke Cake is a refreshing and light dessert for hot summer days.
- Swirls of strawberry pie filling, creamy cheesecake, and fudgy brownies makes these Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies the best kind of dessert.
- A pan of this easy Strawberry Chocolate Cinnamon Roll Bake is a delicious treat for breakfast or brunch.
Can you freeze homemade strawberry pie filling?
Yes, it freezes just fine. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before using it. There may be a little bit of extra water on top from thawing it, but you can pour that off easily before using the pie filling.
Can you make this strawberry pie filling without cornstarch or Jello?
Both of these ingredients help to thicken and stabilize the fruit filling. If you are looking for a strawberry pie filling without cornstarch or Jello, you may enjoy this Honey Lime Strawberry Sauce.
More easy strawberry recipes you may like:
Swirls of strawberries and graham cracker crumbs give these Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshakes a fun flair. Awesome frozen drink on a hot day!
This easy No Bake Strawberry Daiquiri Cheesecake is a refreshing dessert to enjoy on a hot summer day. Strawberry and lime pair so well in this light fluffy mousse cake!
Layers of no bake cheesecake, cookies, and pie filling make these Strawberry Mousse Cheesecake Parfaits a fun and easy treat to make for your loved ones.
Make a batch of this Strawberry Crisp Ice Cream for dessert. Homemade vanilla ice cream filled with chunks of strawberry crisp is a frozen treat that no one will forget.
The sweet and salty crust on this Strawberry Pretzel Pie makes this easy, no bake pie a delicious spring or summer dessert.
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Homemade Strawberry Pie Filling
It only takes a few minutes to make and then to enjoy fresh Homemade Strawberry Pie Filling. It is perfect for pies, cakes, breakfast pastries, or spreading on toast.
Ingredients
- 5 cups sliced fresh strawberries
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 3.4 ounce box strawberry Jell-O powder
Instructions
- Stir together the strawberries and lemon juice. Set aside.
- Whisk the sugar and cornstarch into the water in a large saucepan. Stir over high heat until the mixture turns clear and starts to bubble.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Jello powder and stir until dissolved.
- Add the strawberries and stir until completely coated in the gel mixture.
- Let the mixture cool on the back of the stove or counter for 1-2 hours, then refrigerate until chilled all the way through.
- Keep refrigerated in a sealed container for 4-5 days. It can also be frozen if you want to keep it longer.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 137Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 17mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 1g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for Homemade Strawberry Pie Filling was first published on March 22, 2014. The photos and post has been updated and republished on March 19, 2019.
Lavender says
That looks absolutely delicious!
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thank you!! 🙂
annie @ chase that i love says
Fresh fruit filling beats canned any day! I can’t wait to score some major points with my strawberry-lovin’ fella. I can just picture this with oodles of whipped cream on top.
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Mmm, now that sounds good! 😉
Lindsay @ Life, Love and Sugar says
omg, yes! SO springy and perfect! As a pie filling or drizzled on stuff – this made my mouth water! YUM!
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thanks Lindsay! 🙂
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion says
So perfect and delicious! I have to make it someday:)
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thanks Ilona! 🙂
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
Omg I need this pie filling in my life. Right now. I must spread it on EVERYTHING! <3
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Hehe, thanks Jess! 😉
ang says
Jocelyn, this is such a great idea! We pick pounds and pounds each summer and always makes loads of jam, but I’ve never made the filling to keep for later. I’m pinning this to my STRAWBERRY board. 🙂
Ang
PS – that Strawberry Cheesecake Brownie looks pretty amazing, too!
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thanks Ang! 🙂
Tieghan says
Love this idea! Strawberries are my favorite!
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thanks Tieghan! 😉
Samantha @ Five Heart Home says
This strawberry goodness is just gorgeous, Jocelyn. I can see so many yummy uses for it…off now to check out what you made with it! 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thanks Samantha! 🙂
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
I love these photos Jocelyn! They’re gorgeous!
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thank you girl! 😉
Layla @ Brunch Time Baker says
I just loveeee strawberry filling! this is a great recipe Jocelyn and I can’t wait to try it!
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thanks Layla! 😉
Kelly says
Oh man, I can’t wait for fruit picking season – we go every year too! Love the sound of this homemade pie filling. Haha – we have berry monsters in our house too -(one of them is me teehee) they don’t last very long in our fridge either 😉
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Haha, thanks Kelly! 😉
michael says
Looks delicious, I love strawberries, especially when they are fresh. It won’t be long now and we will be picking strawberries at the local farm! 🙂
I make a strawberry sauce and remove all the seeds, use it to make Lava Flow drinks and it is good!
Did you see my post on Hot Fudge cake?
Michael
http://michaelswoodcraft.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/hot-fudge-sauce-chocolate-cake-and-ice-cream/
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thanks Michael! I will definitely check your Hot Fudge cake out! 😉
Chels R. says
Mmm Pie Filling = pie season!!! My daughters are at the age where they love berry picking. We took them Raspberry picking last year and it was so much fun! We’ll need to do some strawberry picking this year. BTW-love the cute little labels for the filling! Totes adorbs!!
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thanks Chels! I’m excited for berry picking season! 🙂
Eva D says
I know fresh berries would be best, but…do you think this recipe would work with frozen berries. I have a big bag in my freezer that I need to use. LOVE you pics and recipes!
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Thank you so much! I have not tried this recipe with frozen berries. I know as the berries would thaw in the pan, they will release more water which would affect how the filling would set up. My thinking is that you could put the frozen berries in a big saucepan and bring them to a boil with just the water that they release. Then stir in the cornstarch and sugar and maybe a little bit more water. Because frozen berries tend to be mushy when they thaw, you won’t need to simmer it as long. I know that is all kind of vague…I hope that helps!
Elaine B says
This looks amazing and I’d like to have some on hand year round. Have you ever canned it?
Vicky says
This does not freeze well. I made this to make the strawberry lemon snack cake and had to put it off for a week ( I was taking a meal to a new mom), so I decided to freeze it like the recipe said. After thawing, it separated into a hard, jelled mess and lots of liquid. I do not recommend freezing. 🙁
Jocelyn Brubaker says
Oh, no!! I’m not sure why it would have done that for you. I am going to remove that from the recipe until I can make and freeze it again. I am so sorry it did that for you!!!
Roxanne Russomano says
Can you tell me if you have changed the recipe, or know about the freezing of it as of yet? 🙂
Jocelyn says
I have slightly changed the recipe and tried freezing and then thawing the filling and it worked just fine for me. There was a little extra liquid after it thawed, but I just poured that out. The filling itself was still delicious, and I was able to use it in another recipe.
Joanna says
How long can this be kept refrigerated?
Jocelyn says
I kept a batch in our fridge for 4-5 days and it was fine. How long are you wanting to keep it? It can also be frozen.
Roxanne Russomano says
Thank you… I was really wanting to make extra jars, and freeze some but this answers my question…. thanks again.
Roxanne Russomano says
Hi….. wanted to know your take on freezing your Strawberry pie filling. Thanks…. happy picking
Jocelyn says
I froze a small container of this the last time we made it, and it was still great after thawing it overnight in the fridge. There was a little bit of extra water from thawing it, but I just poured that off. The filling itself was still delicious and worked great in another recipe.
Roxanne Russomano says
Just read the comment for the freezing… thanks…. will let you know how it does, I am going to freeze one pint.
BUNNY says
In the Strawberry Pie Filling recipe, there is salt in the ingredient list, but not in the directions. When do you add that?
Jocelyn says
That has to be a typo because I have never added salt to it when I have made it. Thank you for letting me know. I will correct the recipe.
Mrs.T says
Jocelyn, thank you so much for this recipe! Last week I was making a dessert that called for cherry pie filling, but I wanted to use strawberry. When I did a search, I found this recipe and knew (because I’ve come to completely trust your recipes to be great!) that it would be wonderful. And it was.
I did use frozen strawberries because I had bags of them that we picked this summer. What I did was to partially thaw the berries enough so they could be sliced. Then I sliced them, measuring 5 cups of sliced berries, and used them in the recipe, following the directions as given. You’re right, it didn’t take as long to cook the previously frozen berries. The recipe came out perfectly. I let it cool at room temp for several hours, then put it in a container to chill overnight before using it in the recipe.
Thanks again, so much. The dessert turned out great.
Jocelyn says
Yay! Thank you so much for letting me know…and for the smile your comment gave me 🙂
Angela says
How many ounces of filling does this recipe make?
Jocelyn says
Generally a 21 ounce can of pie filling from the store measures 1 1/2 cups. So, since this recipe makes 4 cups of filling, it would be about 56 ounces, give or take. What are you trying to make with it?
Angela says
I was thinking about making a strawberry cream pie, but it only requires 21 ounces of filling. Do you have any recommendations on making a smaller volume of the filling?
Jocelyn says
If you just cut everything in half, you should be fine. I have actually never made a pie with this filling. We eat it on toast, breakfast danishes, or in this strawberry lemon snack cake. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/2014/03/strawberry-lemon-snack-cake/
mallory says
Looks great! quick question; how many 9 in. pies does this fill?
Jocelyn says
My guess would be 2 pies. Honestly, I have actually never made pie with it. We use it on toast, pastries, and this cake. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/2014/03/strawberry-lemon-snack-cake/
Ammie says
Do you think it would work for a cheesecake topping?
Jocelyn says
I think it would be an awesome topping for a slice of cheesecake! 🙂
Julie says
How long do I can it in a hot water bath ?
Jocelyn says
I have actually never canned this recipe. The recipe doesn’t make a lot, so we usually eat it all in a short time. Keep me posted if you decide to can it.
Nicole says
Can you can this? Or is it best to use right away 🙂
Jocelyn says
I have never canned this before. We just use it up right away.
Miss Coburn says
This is my first time making pie. Are you supposed to put it in a cooked pie crust or are you suppposed to cook I think with a raw pie crust?
Jocelyn says
I would put it in an already cooked pie crust, or use a graham cracker crust.
Rachael Yerkes says
Not only is this delicious but it’s also the cutest strawberry pie filling ever!!
Lori says
I love how easy this is. Delicious!
Toni says
Thank you so much for the tips! This is very helpful!
Laura Reese says
What a delicious idea! I can’t wait to try this. I love strawberries!
Sandy.of.WV says
Confused on the amount of time for simmering…
In post / writing…
Add the berries and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
On actual recipe…
Stir in the strawberries and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Hoping to hear back & corrections are made.
Jocelyn says
You can actually do either and it would be fine. Most of the batches I did were about 3 minutes, but I did a few at 2 and a few at 4, and it didn’t seem to make a big difference. Thanks for the heads up that I had two different times listed. That was my mistake, and I’ll get it corrected.
Jeanne L Stiffler says
I made this strawberry pie filling this morning and used a graham cracker pie crust, just ate a piece for lunch and was amazed at how good it is. I did use sugar substitute instead of real sugar and I had a bag of frozen sliced strawberries. Still really good.
CrandLl says
Does anyone know how to make strawberry pie with this recipe??? Is it a baked strawberry pie? Or is it a single crust you just pour into an already baked crust? Sorry, my husband lives baked strawberry pie, but It doesn’t set up well. So I want to make a filling and then bake it in the crust.
Jocelyn says
I actually do NOT recommend using this filling in a baked pie. It is better if you use it in an already baked or no bake pie crust. I was curious about this too, so I did try baking one, but I didn’t think it set up as well after chilling it because of the extra gel in the pie filling.
Mike Wilson says
Hi Jocelyn: Just made your pie filling and tastes awesome. I have made the dough for the pie and am now ready to make the pie. You don’t mention what temperature the oven needs to be at for your filling though. Could you please make a recommendation as to what temp I should set it at. The dough recipe says follow lifting instructions.
Jocelyn says
Hi, Mike. I actually recommend using this particular pie filling in an already baked or no bake pie crust. You can bake it in a crust, but the pie slices don’t hold up as well when you cut into it later.
Mike Wilson says
ARRG Sorry it changed automatically filling to lifting.