Description
Strawberry Pretzel Pie is a deliciously unique dessert featuring a crunchy, salty pretzel crust combined with a creamy, sweet strawberry filling. This no-bake, chilled pie blends sweet and tart strawberry compote with fluffy whipped cream and cream cheese, creating a refreshing and satisfying treat perfect for summer or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Strawberry Compote
- 1 pound (454g) fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and sliced into halves or quarters (about 2 and ½ cups once sliced)
- ½ cup (120mL) water
- 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
- 1 and ½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 and ½ Tablespoons (15g) cornstarch
Pretzel Crust
- 2 cups crushed pretzels (about 5 cups of whole mini pretzels)
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (50g) firmly packed light brown sugar
Pie Filling
- 1 cup (240mL) heavy cream
- 8 ounces (227g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons Rodelle vanilla paste (or substitute with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or seeds from 2 vanilla bean pods)
Instructions
- Make the Strawberry Compote: Combine the sliced strawberries, water, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
- Prepare the Pretzel Crust: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9-inch springform pan or a traditional pie plate with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed pretzels, melted butter, and light brown sugar until the pretzels are evenly coated. Press the mixture firmly and evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before adding the filling.
- Whip the Cream: In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat the heavy cream until medium-stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes. Chill the whipped cream in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Mixture: In a large bowl, using the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth. Reduce speed to low and add the powdered sugar, then increase speed to medium-high again and beat until fully incorporated and smooth. Add the vanilla paste and continue beating until smooth. Scrape down sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine Filling and Compote: Fold the chilled whipped cream gently into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula until mostly incorporated. Next, fold in the cooled strawberry compote until the filling turns evenly pink and no white swirls remain.
- Assemble and Chill: Pour the filling onto the cooled pretzel crust and spread evenly with a spatula. Cover the pie with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze for at least 4 hours. For a softer sliceable pie, refrigerate; for a firmer, easy-to-slice pie, freeze and allow to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Fresh or frozen strawberries: Fresh strawberries give the best flavor, but frozen strawberries work well out of season; do not thaw before using. You may need to simmer the compote longer to thicken due to additional water from thawing.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is preferred for the compote, but bottled lemon juice is an acceptable substitute.
- Vanilla paste substitution: Use 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract if vanilla paste is unavailable, though vanilla paste provides visible flecks and richer flavor. Vanilla bean seeds from 2 pods may also be used for a natural alternative.
- Adjust simmer time: The compote simmers well when halved or doubled; adjust simmering duration accordingly to achieve a thick, spoon-coat consistency.
- Chilling options: Refrigerate for a soft, spoonable pie or freeze for a firm, sliceable pie. When frozen, let the pie sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
