Strawberry Jello Pie with a graham cracker crust is a delicious slice of nostalgia! Serve this refreshing no-bake dessert for potlucks, parties, and backyard picnics. Make a Jello Cool Whip pie in 25 minutes, then chill.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For the fruit punch, use refrigerated punch, not the super-sweet type found on supermarket shelves. Look for this product in the refrigerated section by the cartons and containers of fresh juice.
Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need for this strawberry pie recipe with Jello.
STRAWBERRY JELLO PIE FILLING
- Graham cracker crust, homemade or store-bought
- Ice cubes
- Refrigerated fruit punch (Minute Maid Berry Punch)
- Boiling water
- Jello strawberry flavor gelatin
- Cool Whip (whipped topping), thawed
CRUST AND TOPPINGS
- Graham cracker crust, homemade or store-bought
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- Vanilla extract
- Fresh strawberries (if in season), or stemmed Maraschino cherries
EASY INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
Missing an ingredient for this no-bake dessert? Don’t put on your shoes and head to the market. Instead, check your fridge and pantry for these easy ingredient swaps!
- STRAWBERRY JELLO GELATIN: Cherry Jello gelatin.
- REFRIGERATED FRUIT PUNCH: Just use water!
- GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST: If you have other types of cookies on hand, make a vanilla wafer crust or an Oreo cookie crust. Another delicious option is a buttery homemade pie crust.
- HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM FOR GARNISHING: Buy a second container of Cool Whip, or use a spray-on whipped topping like Reddi Wip.
- FRESH STRAWBERRIES: Garnish with sliced bananas or kiwi. For great color, garnish whipped cream topping with lime zest.
BEST BAKEWARE FOR THIS RECIPE
When prepping strawberry Jello pie, you want a pan that’s both sturdy and beautiful. The combination of a rustic crumb crust and a metal pie pan evokes a sweet feeling of nostalgia. The piece below is by USA Pan.
Just before serving, I lifted the Jello pie from its pan, completely intact, and set it on a dessert stand. The pan’s non-stick surface made this possible. It’s not often you have an opportunity to admire the beauty of a crumb crust outside of its pan. It makes for a stunning presentation.
HOW TO MAKE THIS DESSERT
RECIPE PREP (OPTIONAL): For a sturdier crumb crust, par-bake it 12 to 18 minutes in the center of a 350°F oven. Transfer it to a wire rack to shed heat. Don’t prep the Jello pie filling until the crust has completely cooled.
Here’s how to prep the strawberry pie filling.
- STEP 1: Fill a tall glass half way to the top with ice. Pour cold fruit punch over the ice. Put it aside.
- STEP 2: In a heat-safe measuring cup, boil water in the microwave. Add hot water and Jello strawberry gelatin to a large mixing bowl. Stir 2 minutes until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
- STEP 3: Over the sink, remove unmelted ice and discard. Measure out 1 cup of cold punch. Add it to the hot Jello mixture. Stir until slightly thickened.
- STEP 4: Add thawed Cool Whip to the bowl. Gently stir or whisk until blended. Refrigerate pie filling for 30 minutes, or until it’s thick enough to mound.
KITCHEN SMARTS: This is a perfect make-ahead recipe for the holidays. Assemble this no-bake dessert a day in advance. It’ll take the stress out of prepping several recipes on the big day for your family gathering.
ASSEMBLE STRAWBERRY JELLO PIE
Here’s how to complete and serve this strawberry pie recipe with Jello.
- STEP 1: Spoon Jello pie filling into the crust. Refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight) until firm.
- STEP 2: Make homemade whipped cream. Chill metal bowl and whisk in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to the bowl. Mix on low speed. Gradually increase the speed. Whip until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- STEP 3: Garnish the pie with whipped cream. Fit a piping bag with a metal tip (Ateco #804 tip) and pipe on the cream. Or mound whipped topping in the middle of the pie. Swirl it with a spoon, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge so the pink filling is visible.
- STEP 4: Garnish the middle or edges of the pie with sliced strawberries. Or if strawberries are out of season, top each slice with a stemmed Maraschino cherry. Refrigerate Jello pie until serving time.
KITCHEN SMARTS: Elevate this simple recipe by topping it with homemade whipped cream. It’s an easy way to make Jello Cool Whip pie so much tastier! For a special touch, brush fresh strawberries with a clear glaze.
RECIPE FAQ & EXPERT TIPS
Transfer the tub of Cool Whip from the freezer to the fridge. Defrost it for 6 to hours, or overnight. Never defrost frozen whipped topping on the counter. It will deflate.
Once the gelatin has slightly thickened, spoon thawed Cool Whip over the gelatin. Gently stir until all of the whipped topping has been incorporated. The mixture should have a uniform color without streaks.
When adding Cool Whip to the gelatin mixture, fold in fresh pieces of strawberries. You can also add a thin layer of sliced bananas to the bottom of the crumb crust before spooning in the filling. To add a wonderful pop of color to the top, garnish the pie with lime zest.
It’s important to keep this cool no-bake dessert refrigerated between servings. If tented with foil and properly refrigerated, it can stay fresh in the fridge with a good texture for 3 to 4 days. Just keep it away from odorous foods like boiled eggs, garlic, onions, beans, etc.
For storage, this is not recommended. Although the pie will be edible, the filling will have an icy, flaky consistency. However, once the pie is made and garnished, you can firm it up a little more by sticking it in the freezer for 35 minutes.
Use Jello strawberry sugar-free gelatin and Cool Whip Lite. Use water instead of punch. For the crumb crust, omit the granulated sugar. Instead, replace it with 1/4 cup more graham cracker crumbs. Even with these modifications, the Jello Cool Whip pie will still be very delicious!
There’s nothing tastier on a Jello pie than freshly-made whipped cream topping. To make it sturdy and long lasting, stabilize it with gelatin, cornstarch, or whipped cream stabilizer. Here’s more in-depth detail from Food52: How to make whipped cream stabilized.
So you’re prepping whipped cream for your no-bake dessert and it falls flat from over-whipping. Don’t start over. Instead, add in a few more tablespoons of heavy whipping cream to the mixture. Gently whisk it in. For more controlled results, hand whip the cream with a whisk.
For convenience, and to make this recipe faster, skip the homemade whipped cream. Instead, buy a second container of Cool Whip for the topping, or a canned aeorsol whipped cream.
Brush berries with a clear glaze. For a homemade fresh fruit glaze: boil 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup Minute Maid fruit punch (or apple juice). In a cup, dissolve 1 tablespoon corn starch in 1/4 cup fruit punch. Add it to boiled mixture. Cook until thick. Stir in 1 tablespoon corn syrup. Return mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and cool.
Stick the pie in the freezer for 35 minutes before serving. When slicing this dessert you’ll have cleaner, neater slices.
MORE COOL REFRESHING desserts
If you loved this Jello Cool Whip pie, you’ll really enjoy these cool refreshing desserts. They’re the ideal treats for hot-weather days!
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Strawberry jello pie
- Total Time: 4 Hours 45 Minutes
- Yield: 1 Pie 1x
Description
Strawberry Jello Pie is delicious and refreshing. The ideal no-bake dessert for hot-weather months, it’s super easy to make! Serve Jello Cool Whip Pie for potlucks, holidays and the 4th of July.
Ingredients
STRAWBERRY JELLO PIE FILLING
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 1 cup refrigerated fruit punch (Minute Maid Berry Punch)
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 1 box (3 oz.) Jello Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
- 1 tub (8-oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
CRUST
1 graham cracker crust, store-bought or homemade*
WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPINGS
Fresh strawberries (if in season), or stemmed Maraschino cherries
*CRUST SIZE: For this recipe I use a homemade 9-inch crust. But at the market you can buy a ready-to-use crust (6 oz.): graham cracker, vanilla wafer, or shortbread pie crust. Just know, with a smaller store-bought crust you might have a bit of leftover filling.
Instructions
STRAWBERRY JELLO PIE RECIPE
RECIPE PREP (OPTIONAL): For a sturdier crumb crust, par-bake it 12 to 18 minutes in the center of a 350°F oven. Transfer it to a wire rack to shed heat. Don’t prep the Jello pie filling until the crust has completely cooled.
- Fill a tall glass half way to the top with ice. Pour cold fruit punch over the ice. Put it aside.
- In a heat-safe measuring cup, boil water in the microwave. In a large mixing bowl, combine hot water and strawberry gelatin. Stir or whisk for 2 minutes until gelatin has completely dissolved.
- Over the sink, remove unmelted ice and discard. Measure out 1 cup of cold punch. Add it to the hot Jello mixture. Stir until slightly thickened.
- Add thawed Cool Whip to the bowl. Gently stir or whisk until blended. Refrigerate pie filling for 30 minutes, or until it’s thick enough to mound.
- Spoon filling into the crust. Refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight) until firm.
HOW TO GARNISH JELLO PIE
RECIPE PREP: Make whipped cream. Chill metal bowl and whisk in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to the bowl. Mix on low speed. Gradually increase the speed. Whip until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- Garnish the pie with whipped cream. There are several ways to do this. Artfully spoon whipped cream over the surface in wide swirls, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges so the pink filling is visible. Or add whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a metal tip (I use an Ateco #804 tip).
- Garnish the middle or edges with sliced fresh strawberries. Or top each slice with a stemmed Maraschino cherry. Return the pie to the fridge until serving time. For a slightly firmer pie, stick it in the freezer for 35 minutes before slicing.
Notes
HOW LONG WILL JELLO PIE LAST? It’s important to keep this cool no-bake dessert refrigerated between servings. If tented with foil and properly refrigerated, it can stay fresh in the fridge with a good texture for 3 to 4 days. Just keep it away from odorous foods.
CAN YOU FREEZE JELLO COOL WHIP PIE? For storage, this is not recommended. Although the pie will be edible, the filling will have an icy, flaky consistency. However, once the pie is made and garnished, you can firm it up a little more by sticking it in the freezer for 35 minutes.
HOW TO GIVE FRESH STRAWBERRIES A SHINY GLOWY LOOK: Brush the berries with a clear glaze. For a homemade fresh fruit glaze: boil 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup Minute Maid fruit punch (or apple juice). In a cup, dissolve 1 tablespoon corn starch in 1/4 cup fruit punch (or juice). Add it to boiled mixture. Cook until thick. Stir in 1 tablespoon corn syrup. Return mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and cool.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Chill Time: 4 1/2 Hours
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Jello Pie, Strawberry Jello Pie, Jello Cool Whip Pie, No-bake Dessert
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Have you ever made a strawberry pie recipe with Jello? What do you think about this easy no-bake dessert? Share your thoughts below!
This sounds fabulous and would add so much colour to the dinner table when served. Looking forward to trying it.
★★★★★
Such a beautiful pink jello pie! Perfect for spring and summer pot-lucks!
★★★★★
What a fun pie! I love that graham cracker crust and the fresh strawberries on top. So perfect for spring.
★★★★★
My Aunt used to make something similiar back in the 60s and it was my favorite, what a great memory you brought back to me with this. Cant wait to get everything to try this! Yum.
★★★★★
We love strawberries, and this strawberry jello pie was amazing! And so easy to make. A perfect spring and summer treat.
★★★★★