Strawberry Pretzel Pie
This easy pie is the perfect summer dish that is as sweet as it is nostalgic
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 320kcal
Cost: $20
Equipment
- Glass or metal pie dish
- electric mixer
- spatula
- medium sauce pan
- large batter bowl
- zester
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 4 cups salted pretzels
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted (8 tbsp), plus more for greasing
- 1½ cups strawberries sliced (no tops), plus more to top the pie if desired
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 1 lemon zest and juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and move a rack to the center of the oven. Grease your pie dish with butter and line with parchment paper if desired. In a food processor, pulse the pretzels until they are well processed, but not completely smooth. It should still have some chunks here and there. Pour in the melted butter and pulse again until the pretzels come together into a "dough." It will become one large lump.
- Dump the pretzel mixture into the pie dish and push it in with your fingers, ensuring that the dish has a compact, even layer across its surface area. Then bake it in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, make the strawberry jam. Add 1½ cups of sliced strawberries to a sauce pan with 1 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of granulated sugar. Over low heat, allow the berries to melt and become jammy, the sauce thickening as you stir occasionally. Continue to watch and stir for about 5 minutes. Set aside too cool.
- In a large bowl, add the cream cheese and beat it on medium speed for 1 minute, until it appears soft and whipped. Add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and beat again until it looks well combined. Slowly add in 1 cup of heavy cream, and then keep beating until the mixture is whipped and not runny. This may take a few minutes.
- Add 2 tbsp of brandy, followed with the zest and juice of one lemon. Beat together once more until it is just combined.
- With a spatula, carefully fold in the cooled strawberry mixture, making sure not to over mix the mixture. Then pour the mixture into the pie dish, and smooth it out evenly without ripping up the crusty edges. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours (or up to 24 hours) to set.
- If desired, add fresh strawberries on top of the pie before serving. You can also toss the strawberries with an extra splash of brandy and a pinch of sugar to maximize the flavor. Slice and enjoy! Keep leftovers refrigerated.