This was the first dessert I ever made all by myself. I was 12, using strawberries from my mom’s garden and a pie crust from scratch. I still remember how proud I felt pulling it out of the fridge — that glossy red shine and sweet strawberry smell meant summer had officially arrived.

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought)

• 1½ lbs fresh strawberries, hulled

• ¾ cup water

• ¾ cup sugar (or coconut sugar)

• 2 tbsp cornstarch

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• Pinch of salt

• Optional: whipped cream for topping

Instructions:

1. Prep the crust:
   Bake your pie crust and let it cool completely.

2. Arrange strawberries:
   Set aside about 1 cup of the nicest strawberries for decorating. Slice the rest and place them evenly in the cooled crust.

3. Make the glaze:
   In a saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and water. Cook over medium heat until thickened and glossy, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and salt.

4. Finish the pie:
   Pour the warm glaze over the sliced strawberries. Top with the reserved whole or halved berries in a pretty pattern. Chill for at least 4 hours or until set.

5. Serve:
   Slice and serve with fresh whipped cream if you’d like. It’s best eaten cold on a hot day! ☀️

Nutrition (per slice, 1/8 of pie):

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 25 mins | Chill Time: 4 hours | Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins
Calories: 260 | Protein: 2g | Carbs: 38g | Fat: 11g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 21g