Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

a post by Jenni {aka Mom}

This light, fluffy, refreshing pie is perfect for summertime! On days like today, when we’ve got 30 quarts of freshly picked strawberries begging to be used, this treat is quick to whip up in the morning and have waiting in the fridge for after supper.

It’s one of our family’s favorite “healthy-ish” strawberry dessert recipes. It’s very low in added sugar, and you could make it healthy-ER by using homemade cream cheese made from raw milk and a homemade whole wheat crust made with freshly made butter.

I do take the time to make many, many healthy-ER recipes, but I must admit that I keep this recipe in my “quick and easy” bag. I allow the extra treat of a graham cracker crust (I even get the pre-made ones sometimes), and I use purchased low-fat cream cheese. It still turns out wonderfully, and it’s still a pretty reasonable desert choice, calorie and nutrition-wise.

If you adore the super-sugary iconic American Jello-O or Jello-O knock off cheesecake pies, then you may not like this. It’s just sweet enough to be dessert, but it’s not sickeningly American sweet, if you know what I mean. You can actually taste the berries and the cream cheese. I find this delightful, but I know that others will prefer more decadent fare.

It should be noted that this pie is officially Rooster Approved - meaning that my middle child, Rooster, who is one of the pickiest eaters I’ve ever known, not only “likes” it enough to eat one piece one time cheerfully but also to ask for seconds. :-)

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Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

3 Tb honey

½ cup water

2 cups fresh strawberries; washed, stemmed, and cut in half (OR 1 ½ cups frozen strawberries)

12 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

1 graham cracker pie crust

If using fresh strawberries & desiring a slightly more sweet pie, drizzle 1 TB of the honey over the berries, cover, and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours). When ready to make the pie, place berries in the blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

In a saucepan, stir honey and water together. Sprinkle gelatin on top and swirl just until wet. Allow to bloom (about 2 minutes). Once the gelatin has bloomed, bring just to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.

Transfer gelatin mixture to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add cream cheese and strawberry puree. Mix well on high with electric mixer, until smooth. Cover bowl, and place in refrigerator until just beginning to set (about an hour).

Pour the pie filling into the crust. Cover (without allowing cover to touch the top of the filling), and chill in refrigerator for about 3 hours or until fully set. Garnish with fresh strawberries and freshly whipped cream, if desired.