This strawberry slab pie is layered with a buttery crust, silky vanilla cream cheese filling, freshly chopped strawberries and a lemon glaze. It is easy to make and a delicious way to impress your friends.
Here in Minnesota, you have to start pretending that it’s summer at some point. For some people, that might mean going swimsuit shopping, others might go on vacation to a warm place. For me, that means making summer desserts like this strawberry slab pie and wearing sandals even though there is still snow.
Strawberries are one of the things that remind me of summer. My family used to go strawberry picking every summer until we got too busy to do it as a family. In addition to this, Minnesota strawberry season is only a week or two long so you have to drop everything and go right when they peak. But due to grocery stores, modern tech, and greenhouses, I can now get strawberries at any time of the year. This means that I can make strawberry pie whenever the craving hits.
Slab pie is so much better than other pie options because there is no need to crimp the crust, they take less time to bake, and are much more effortless.
The Crust
This crust is so simple. With only 4 ingredients, one bowl, and no need for a food processor, it could not get any easier. It is almost a cross between cookie dough and a classic sable tart shell.
The Cream Cheese Filling
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good cream cheese filling? This vanilla Cream cheese filling perfectly complements the fresh flavor of strawberries and is so easy to make.
The trick to getting a smooth and creamy filling is to always use room temperature cream cheese. When cream cheese is at room temperature it blends smoothly and without chunks, and you can keep it dense and silky because you don’t need whip a ton of air into it.
Whenever you want a cream cheese dessert to be dense and silky, you want to mix it for the least amount of time possible. Although this is especially important when making a cheesecake, I have found that room temperature always has better results.
Lemon Glaze
It is unavoidable. If sliced strawberries are placed on something without a seal, they will dry out. That’s why this easy lemon glaze is an absolute must. In addition to sealing the strawberries into the slab pie, the lemon glaze also helps complement the flavors of the pie.
Here is a few tips to get a perfect lemon glaze:
Make sure that all of the ingredients are completely dissolved before you turn on the stove. If the corn starch is not completely dissolved, you might get some chunks of corn starch through out your glaze and you will have to strain it.
Let the glaze bubble until it is thick and translucent. The goal is that the glaze will set. If you do not let it thicken before you take it off the stove it will not set.
Don’t forget to stir! You need to stay by the glaze the entire time it cooks. If you do not constantly stir the glaze, it will not cook evenly. Also, this helps you avoid burning the glaze.
When you make this recipe, tag me on Instagram so that I can see what you are baking! If you are on Pinterest, don’t forget to save this recipe so that you can find it again later!
Strawberry Slab Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1½ cups Flour
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- ½ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Melted Butter
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz Cream Cheese room temperature
- ⅓ cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¾ cup Water
- ¼ cup Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Corn Starch
- 3 lbs Strawberries sliced
Instructions
- Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. (180° C)
- Combine all of the ingredients for the crust in a small bowl. Mix until a crumbly dough forms. Press the dough into the prepared pan.
- Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes or until it is a golden brown. Allow the crust to cool while you make everything else.
- Mix together the cream cheese and the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and set aside.
- Combine the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan. Stir until all of the ingredients are completely combined and the cornstarch is completely dissolved.
- Heat the glaze over medium heat stirring constantly until the glaze is thick and translucent. Remove from heat and allow the glaze cool to room temperature. (This process can be sped up by placing the glaze in the refrigerator.)
- While the glaze cools, wash, dry, and cut the strawberries into slices.
- Spread the cream cheese filling into the bottom of the crust and place the strawberries on top. Spread the glaze onto the pie with a spatula.
- The pie will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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