Bite Into Happiness: Homemade Fresh Strawberry Pie (Knockout Filling!)

Fresh Baked Strawberry pie Made Gluten-free

The ultimate goal when creating epic gluten-free strawberry desserts is to fool the toughest critics that they are actually enjoying a GF treat. It’s a win-win for those who have to avoid gluten, and the loved ones who you share with. (Or maybe you just want to take down a homemade pie alone – no judgment here!)

What is the trickiest obstacle when creating an absolute stellar gluten-free berry pie recipe? The crust, of course! Problem easily solved my with favorite GF pie dough. Now, we can move n to the fresh strawberry pie filling.

If fruit fillings that don’t properly set stress you out, I got you! Of course the pie thickener has be gluten-free, so that leaves us with gluten-free flour, cornstarch, or tapioca. Who won out?

GF flour works best with creamy, savory fillings so it was eliminated as an option. Many gluten-free baked fruit pies use cornstarch, but with some research I decided that instant tapioca was a solidly better choice.

Cornstarch’s thickening power is released once it hits boiling point as it bakes. But, it also has a tendency to break down, meaning a greater chance of a disappointing, liquidy filling. Acids, like lemon juice, or over baking could cause this.

Instant tapioca, on the other hand, is more of a sure thing. As it heats it absorbs the liquid, and creates a gel, kind of like strawberry gelatin or jello. It’s naturally gluten-free, breaks down clear so the bright, juicy strawberries can be the star, and sets into a nice, sticky texture.

Since you all know I don’t like to leave well enough alone, how did I take gluten-free fresh strawberry pie to next level status? With a thick layer of sugary, buttery streusel topping, of course! I wanted a generous layer that breaks into moist clumps so I borrowed from this 5-star gluten-free apple crisp without oats because there’s no need to reinvent the wheel!

overhead shot of unsliced strawberry pie on cooling rack.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

The great thing about making a homemade strawberry pie is you being in charge of what goes in! If you need a dairy-free recipe, or other ingredient modifications, I’ll go over what works here.

Of course, I always love to hear your adaptations in the comments. Share below, pretty please!

Gluten-free pie crust – I use my favorite flaky pie dough linked in the recipe below, but if you are looking for a shortcut, grab a pre-made GF crust from the freezer section, or use a dairy-free gluten-free crust, if needed.
Strawberries – The recipe was tested using fresh berries because they don’t release as much juice as frozen. You will need 6 cups (about 2 pints), hulled and halved or quartered, depending on their size.
Sugar – For the filling I use a mixture of light brown sugar and granulated for a little sweet complexity. The sugar amount can be adjusted, depending on the natural sweetness of the strawberries. If using peak-season, home grown strawberries, I would cut back by 2-4 tablespoons.
Instant Tapioca – I took a pic of the filling mixture with the tapioca because I wanted to show you exactly what to buy. Tapioca pearls vary in size. Larger pearls will hold their shape, kind of like tapioca pudding, so that isn’t the best option. Look for tapioca labeled granulated, instant, or quick-cooking, which breaks down during baking.
Crumb topping – This is where you will need to adjust ingredients for a dairy-free recipe. Swap out the butter with melted vegan butter sticks or coconut oil. Also be sure your gluten-free flour blend does not contain milk powder.

Let’s Make This Together!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

Step 1 – Make pie dough, roll, shape, and freeze.

fingers crimping the edges in a decorative flute.

This homemade gluten-free pie crust recipe is my absolute go-to and contains lots of easy tips if pie dough intimidates you! Once it’s prepared, chill for 1 hour, roll, transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, and flute the edges. Freeze while making the streusel and strawberry filling.

Step 2 – Make the Strawberry Filling.

the ingredients for the strawberry filling in a bowl with instant tapioca box next to it.

Next you’ll need to make the strawberry filling because the tapioca needs about 10 mins to sit and soften before baking. Stir everything together in a large bowl and set aside while you make the crumb topping.

Step 3 – Mix together the crumb topping.

The secret to a great gluten-free crumb topping is adding an egg yolk to bind the ingredients so it’s not dry or sandy. Seriously, the best streusel ever!

Step 4 – Bake to absolute perfection.

the unbaked strawberry pie with streusel on top.

Before you pour the strawberries into the frozen crust, stir in about 3 tbsp streusel into the filling. This helps the build the structure for better slicing. Top the strawberry mixture with the remaining crumble and bake in a 400ºF oven for 15 minutes. Leave the pie in, but lower temp to 350ºF and bake for 35-45 minutes more.

Other Topping options

Although I’m sharing a take on old fashioned strawberry pie with streusel topping, there are plenty of ways to make this strawberry dessert sing!

Instead of a crumb topping, top with double lattice crust. That bubbly, sweet strawberry filling will burst through as it bakes and just begs for creamy scoop of cool ice cream on top. If making a lattice intimidates you, check out this easy gluten-free apple pie recipe, which walks you through step-by-step.

I have a theory, oats are for crisp, streusels are for fruit pies. I have no idea how that idea spawned, or why I stick to it. If you are more of a equal pie-topping opportunist, there’s nothing wrong with an oat crumb topping either.

To serve, let the pie cool for at least four hours. (Tt will be agony waiting, but worth it!). This gives time for the filling to set up nicely so it’s easy to slice and serve. Top with ice cream, whipped cream, or just enjoy as is!

Bonus fruit pie baking tips

No one likes a soggy bottom. 😳 (I’m talking pies, people!) Therefore, I have some easy tips for a nice, crisp bottom crust, as well as tricks to make your pie-baking ventures a complete success!

Place the filling in a frozen pie crust. It’s important to bring the fat (butter) back down to a cold temp before baking for ultimate flakiness.
Add a little bit of the crumb topping to the fruit filling. This gives more structure and height so the slices don’t collapse when serving.
While the oven is preheating, place a metal baking sheet in the oven, which the pie pan will sit on to bake. The extra heat from the pan reflects into the crust, making it crisp. Before you place the assembled pie on, lay a piece of parchment paper down to catch any drips.
Start at a high oven temperature for first half of baking time. With the cold butter, hot metal baking sheet and pie dish, it crisps the crust quickly. Finishing baking at a slightly lower temperature until the filling bubbles throughout.
Use a silicone pie shield to protect the outer crust. While we are using excess heat to crisp the bottom and sides, you do not want the edges to become overly browned and tough.

a slice of strawberry pie with fresh strawberries on top.

Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa

Gluten-Free Strawberry Pie (Knockout Filling)

Bite into happiness with this juicy, fresh gluten-free strawberry pie recipe topped with a thick, buttery streusel crumb topping. The easy, homemade strawberry pie filling uses a simple ingredient for no-fail thickening so you can serve up perfectly-set, luscious slices!

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Servings: 8

Author: Melissa Erdelac

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

⅓ cup packed brown sugar

⅓ cup granulated sugar

1 egg yolk

⅛ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 ¼ cup gluten free all purpose flour

Strawberry Pie Filling

6 cups fresh strawberries (about 2 pints)

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup instant granulated tapioca

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Text Ingredient List

Instructions

Prepare the gluten-free pie dough and chill in a thick, wrapped disc for at least 1 hour. Roll out to fit a 9-inch pie plate and flute edges. Freeze the crust while making the topping and filling. A frozen crust bakes up flakier!

Crumb Topping

In a small bowl stir together sugar, brown sugar, egg yolk, and salt. Add melted, warm butter and stir to combine.
Mix in the flour until no flour pockets remain and it becomes a thick dough. Set aside.

Strawberry Pie Filling

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (to catch any drips) on the middle rack to preheat with the oven.
In a large bowl stir together strawberries, sugar, brown sugar, tapioca, and lemon juice. Add 3 tablespoons of the crumb topping to the filling and combine. This helps build the structure of the filling.
Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes while the oven finishes preheating. This gives time for the tapioca to soften before baking.
Pour the filling into the frozen crust. Clump off the streusel and sprinkle over the strawberries.

Baking

Carefully transfer the assembled pie to the hot baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
Leave the pie in the oven, but reduce the temperature to 350ºF and continue baking for 35-45 minutes. At this point, I place a pie shield on to protect the crust edges. The pie is finished baking when the filling starts to bubble throughout, not just at the edges. If the streusel is becoming too browned before the pie is done, very loosely tent foil over the top while it finishes baking.
Let the pie cool on a wire rack for 4 hours for filling to set and thicken. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

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