Easy Strawberry Pie

Graham Cracker Crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix crust ingredients and press into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Prep Strawberries

Wash the strawberries well and blot them dry with a paper towel. Cut off the tops. If they are large, cut them all in half. If they are small, you can leave them as-is or just cut some of them in half.

Make Jell-O

In a small saucepan, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and cold water. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until it begins to thicken. Once it starts bubbling, cook it for another two minutes. Add Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.

Assemble Pie

Arrange half of the berries in your prepared pie crust. Pour some of the cornstarch mixture over the berries and jiggle it around a bit to make sure the mixture goes in and around all the berries. Repeat with the remaining berries on top, and cover with just enough of the cornstarch mixture to coat the berries and hold them in (you’ll have a bit of cornstarch mixture left over). Press the berries in so they are real cozy with each other, and brush the top with the cornstarch mixture to make the top glossy.

Refrigerate Pie

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. (I refrigerate uncovered until it’s mostly set, then cover with plastic. This is best served within 24 hours, because the strawberries will start to soften and release juices.)

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Using a hand mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Slowly beat in the maple syrup with the cream cheese until it is loose and creamy. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream.

Serve the pie slices cold, with a dollop of the whipped cream cheese on top!