There’s something truly magical about this White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe — it’s creamy, light, and topped with bright, fresh strawberries that bring holiday cheer to every bite. Trust me, this isn’t your average dessert; it’s a wonderful blend of textures and flavors that feels like a festive hug on a plate.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe has been a favorite in my family for years, and every time I make it, I’m reminded why—it’s refreshing yet indulgent, pretty enough to impress, and surprisingly simple to pull together once you get the hang of the crust and filling.
- Delicate Creamy Filling: The silky, light filling combines gelatin, whipped cream, and egg whites for a fluffy texture that melts in your mouth.
- Fresh Strawberry Topping: Strawberries tossed with confectioners’ sugar turn into a naturally sweet and syrupy sauce that balances the creaminess perfectly.
- Homemade Buttery Crust: The crust is flaky with a hint of sweetness, and making it from scratch gives that personal touch that store-bought just can’t match.
- Beautiful Presentation: The whipped cream topping with shredded coconut and a scalloped crust edge make it a showstopper for holiday dessert tables.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient in this recipe plays a vital role in making the pie light, creamy, and full of festive flavor. The trick is using quality products like fresh strawberries and real butter, which really elevate the end result.
- Unsalted Butter: Key for a rich, flaky pie crust without any added salt throwing off the balance.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the crust and thickens the creamy filling smoothly.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances all the flavors, especially in the crust and filling.
- Granulated Sugar: Balances the tartness and adds sweetness throughout the pie.
- Vegetable Shortening: Helps make a tender crust with the right crumbly texture.
- Gelatin: The secret to holding that fluffy filling together without heaviness.
- Whole Milk and Heavy Cream: They bring creaminess and body, making the filling so luscious.
- Egg Whites: Whipped to stiff peaks, they lighten the filling beautifully.
- Almond & Vanilla Extracts: Add that subtle festive note and warmth to the filling.
- Shredded Coconut: Gives additional texture and a tropical hint that complements the strawberries.
- Fresh Strawberries: The fresh fruit topping brightens the pie and adds a lovely contrast in flavor and color.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Sweetens the strawberry sauce naturally and blends quickly without graininess.
Make It Your Way
I love adding my own little twists to this White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe, especially depending on the season or the occasion. It’s versatile enough to tweak without losing that classic charm.
- Variation: I sometimes swap out strawberries for raspberries or a mix of berries when I want a twist, and it totally works!
- Dairy-Free Option: Using coconut cream instead of heavy cream makes it friendly for dairy-free guests while keeping it luscious.
- Nut Lovers’ Delight: Sprinkle some toasted sliced almonds on top with the coconut for extra crunch and flavor.
- Make It Mini: Try making individual tartlets with this method; they’re adorable and perfect for parties.
Step-by-Step: How I Make White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe
Step 1: Chill and Prepare Your Crust Ingredients
Start by cutting your unsalted butter into pats and then popping it in the freezer—this helps create those flaky layers we all love. While that chills, pulse the flour, salt, and sugar together in your food processor before adding cold shortening and then frozen butter. Slowly add ice-cold water to bring the dough together, but don’t overdo it! Aim for crumbly but coming together, then shape into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Step 2: Roll Out and Bake the Pie Shell
On a floured surface, roll your chilled dough about two inches larger than your pie plate. Transfer gently to your pie pan, trimming and creating a high-edge scalloped design by pinching with your fingers—that little touch makes the pie so festive. Freeze the pie shell for a half hour to keep its shape, then line with parchment and fill with weights or dry beans. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, remove the weights, prick the bottom for steam, and bake another 15 minutes until golden. Let it cool to room temperature before filling.
Step 3: Bloom Gelatin and Make Filling
Bloom your gelatin by sprinkling it over ¼ cup water and let it soften. Meanwhile, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt in a pan, add milk, and cook over medium heat until thickened and boiling, just one minute. Stir in the bloomed gelatin and extracts, and cool quickly in an ice bath.
Step 4: Whip Cream and Egg Whites
Whip ½ cup heavy cream to soft peaks and in a separate bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form while gradually adding remaining sugar. Fold these gently into the cooled filling with shredded coconut, then pour into the cooled pie shell evenly.
Step 5: Decorate and Add Strawberry Topping
Whip the remaining 2 cups of heavy cream to stiff peaks, pipe it beautifully over your pie with a large star tip, then sprinkle with more shredded coconut. Dice fresh strawberries and toss with confectioners’ sugar. The strawberries release a natural syrup, perfect spooned generously over each slice when serving.
Top Tip
Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks that make all the difference with this pie, turning it from good to unforgettable every time I make it.
- Keep Butter Super Cold: This is crucial for a flaky crust. I always freeze my butter even after cutting it; it prevents the dough from getting greasy or tough.
- Don’t Overmix the Filling: Once you add whipped cream and egg whites, fold gently to keep the airy texture intact.
- Chill the Pie Shell Before Baking: This step saves you from a sad, droopy crust and keeps all those edges beautifully sculpted.
- Strawberries Right Before Serving: Toss them with sugar no more than 30 minutes before serving so they stay fresh and vibrant, not soggy.
How to Serve White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe
Garnishes
I usually keep it classic: a generous swirl of whipped cream on top, a sprinkle of shredded coconut for that snowy effect, and fresh strawberries artfully arranged. Sometimes a light dusting of powdered sugar makes it extra elegant, especially if you’re serving it for a holiday gathering.
Side Dishes
This pie is a fantastic finale to holiday meals, but if you're looking for something to complement it, I love pairing it with simple spiced tea or a crisp, cold glass of sparkling water with lemon. If you want to keep the Christmas vibe going, a light citrus salad or even roasted nuts can balance the sweetness nicely.
Creative Ways to Present
For special occasions, I’ve turned this pie into individual servings in clear glasses to showcase layers of crust, filling, and strawberries topped with whipped cream. You can also serve it with a drizzle of chocolate sauce or sprinkle red and green edible glitter for that extra festive sparkle.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once assembled, this pie keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to cover it loosely with plastic wrap to avoid crushing the whipped topping. Leftovers are best enjoyed chilled, so keep it stored cold until serving.
Freezing
I’ve tried freezing this pie a few times, but because of the whipped cream topping, the texture changes a bit. If you want to freeze it, I recommend freezing the pie shell and filling separately, then topping with fresh whipped cream and strawberries after thawing.
Reheating
This dessert is best served cold, so reheating isn’t really recommended. If you want a softer texture, just let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! You can prepare the crust dough a day or two ahead. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it refrigerated until you're ready to roll and bake. This actually helps the dough relax and can improve texture.
Whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks and folding them gently into the cooled gelatin mixture is key. This adds air and lightness, making the filling feel like a cloud rather than heavy custard.
Yes! This pie works beautifully with raspberries, blueberries, or even chopped kiwi. Just keep in mind some fruits release more liquid, so adjust the sugar accordingly for the topping to avoid sogginess.
Blind baking the crust with pie weights and then baking it a little longer after removing the weights ensures a crisp bottom. Also, making sure your filling isn’t too wet before you add it helps keep the crust from softening.
Final Thoughts
Making this White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe always feels like a little celebration in my kitchen. It’s the kind of dessert that brings smiles and warm memories, whether you’re sharing it with close family or friends. Give it a whirl, follow the steps with care, and you’ll have a pie that’s every bit as special as the holidays themselves—trust me, you’re going to love it!
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White Christmas Pie with Strawberries Recipe
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
White Christmas Pie is a delightful holiday dessert featuring a flaky homemade pie crust filled with a creamy coconut and gelatin-based filling, topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries in a sweet sauce. This festive pie combines rich textures and flavors perfect for winter celebrations.
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
- ¼ cup ice cold water, plus more as needed
Filling
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- ¼ cup water
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup shredded coconut plus more for sprinkling over top
Topping
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh diced strawberries
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Butter for Crust: Cut the unsalted butter into pats and place flat on a plate. Put the plate in the freezer to chill while preparing other ingredients.
- Make Pie Dough: In a food processor bowl, pulse together flour, kosher salt, and granulated sugar. Add cold vegetable shortening and pulse several times. Add frozen butter and pulse until pieces are pea-sized. Gradually add ice cold water, pulsing between additions, and stop when dough comes together as a crumbly ball.
- Form and Chill Dough: Turn dough onto a floured surface, press it together into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll and Fit Dough: Roll chilled dough on a floured surface to a diameter two inches larger than a 10-inch pie plate. Transfer dough to pie plate, gently pressing to fit and crimp edges into a decorative high ridge. Place pie dough in freezer for 30 minutes to set.
- Blind Bake Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove chilled dough from freezer, place parchment paper over it, and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, prick bottom with a fork to release steam, and bake for another 15 minutes until golden. Cool crust to room temperature.
- Bloom Gelatin: In a small bowl, dissolve unflavored gelatin in ¼ cup water and set aside.
- Cook Filling Base: In a medium saucepan, whisk together ⅓ cup granulated sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually add whole milk while whisking. Cook over medium heat until boiling, then cook for 1 minute more.
- Add Gelatin and Flavorings: Whisk gelatin mixture into hot custard on the stove. Remove from heat and whisk in almond and vanilla extracts. Place saucepan in an ice water bath to cool quickly.
- Whip Cream and Egg Whites: Beat ½ cup heavy cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and remaining ⅓ cup granulated sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Combine Filling Components: Whip the cooled filling mixture in a mixer until creamy. Gently fold in whipped cream, beaten egg whites, and shredded coconut using a rubber spatula.
- Fill Pie Shell: Spread the coconut filling evenly into the cooled baked pie crust.
- Prepare Whipped Cream Topping: Whip 2 cups heavy cream to stiff peaks. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe decorative whipped cream on top of the pie filling. Sprinkle additional shredded coconut over the topping.
- Make Strawberry Sauce: Dice strawberries and toss with confectioners’ sugar in a bowl. Allow the strawberries to release juice that mixes with sugar to create a natural sauce.
- Serve: Cut pie into 8 to 10 slices and serve with strawberry sauce spooned over each piece.
Notes
- To prevent dough shrinkage, ensure the dough is well chilled before blind baking and avoid stretching it when fitting into the pan.
- If you do not have pie weights, dry beans or uncooked rice can be used to weigh down the crust during blind baking.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream and milk with coconut cream and almond milk and check gelatin alternatives for vegan options.
- The pie is best served the same day but can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; add fresh strawberries just before serving.
- Be careful to fold whipped ingredients gently to maintain the airy texture of the filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (⅛ pie)
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
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