Strawberry Slab Pie Recipe

Slide into summer with this mouth-watering strawberry slab pie.

It features a buttery double crust and a heavenly filling loaded with fresh fruit and lemon zest.

Whether you top it with a lattice crust or fun shapes or keep it simple, everyone will ask for seconds. 

And since it easily feeds a crowd, they can have as much as they want!

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Slab Pie

If you’re looking for a fun, easy way to showcase summer strawberries, this slab pie is it.

Crust Lover’s Dream: The crust is my favorite part of a pie. And this slab has double the crust for double the deliciousness. 

Stunning Presentation: The vibrant red strawberries against the golden crust create a visually appealing dessert that’s sure to delight. 

Customizable: Mix strawberries with other berries, peaches, rhubarb, etc., to create your ideal pie.

Ingredients

While this recipe calls for homemade pastry, it’s super simple to whip up. And other than the fresh fruit, it uses basic pantry staples. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the pie crust, forming the base of the dough.

• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps in browning the crust. It also helps in extracting juices from the strawberries.

• Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the pie crust.

• Cold Butter and Shortening: This blend creates flaky layers in the crust. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter, giving it richness and structure.

• Ice Water: Hydrates the flour and helps in binding the dough without activating gluten too much.

• Egg Wash: Gives the pie a golden and shiny appearance.

• Fresh Strawberries: The main filling component, providing moisture, sweetness, and flavor.

• Lemon (Zested and Juiced): Adds brightness and acidity to balance the sweetness of the filling.

How to Make Strawberry Slab Pie

If you’ve never made a pie before, this may seem daunting. After all, it’s the size of two pies in one!

But really, using a rectangular tray is much easier.

Here are the steps:

1. PULSE: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Then, pulse in the fat, followed by the ice water. 

2. KNEAD: Turn dough onto a floured surface, divide in half, and form into discs. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes or overnight.

3. PREPARE: Mix the strawberries with other filling ingredients and leave to macerate. 

4. HEAT: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

5. ROLL: Roll out one dough half to fit a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan. Leave some overhang. Also, roll the other half but set aside for now.

6. FILL: Spread the strawberry mixture into the crust and brush the edges with egg wash. Top with the other half of the pastry and seal the seam.

7. BAKE: Brush the top with more egg wash, poke a few steam holes, and bake until golden (about 50 minutes).

8. COOL: Let the pie cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing, or chill to serve cold.

How to Create a Lattice Top

Lattice tops give any pie a classic, picturesque look. But they also allow steam to escape during baking, which can prevent the filling from becoming soggy.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to create a lattice top for your pie:

1. Roll the top dough on a sheet of parchment slightly larger than the 10×15-inch jelly roll pan. Aim for a thickness of about 1/4 inch.

2. Cut long lattice strips. Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut 5-7 long strips about 1/2 to 1 inch wide.

3. Cut short strips. Cut the remaining dough into long strips, then cut them in half. They should be long enough to cover the width of the sheet tray.

4. Lay the First Set of Strips: Space the longest strips evenly down the length of the pie.

5. Weave the Lattice: Fold back every other strip to a little past the midpoint of the pie. Lay one strip of shorter dough perpendicular to the folded strips at the center of the pie. Unfold the folded strips over the new strip.

6. Repeat: Do the same with the long strips that were not folded back in the first set. Lay another perpendicular strip about 1/2 to 1 inch apart from the first strip. Unfold the long strips over the new strip. Repeat this process, alternating the strips you fold back until the pie is fully covered.

7. Trim and Seal the Edges: Use scissors or a knife to trim any excess dough from the edges. Pinch or crimp, then apply egg wash and bake.

Tips For the Best Strawberry Slab Pie

Ready to get baking? Me too. But before you start, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• No food processor? No problem! Cut the butter and shortening into the flour mix with a pastry cutter. Then, stir it with a fork as you mix in the ice water. 

• Crust shortcut. Use 2 (14.1-oz.) boxes of store-bought pie crust (4 circular pie crusts total). You’ll need to roll them out and press them together to fit the sheet tray.

• Prevent sogginess. Blind bake the bottom crust for about 10 minutes at 350°F. Alternatively, warm a sheet tray or pizza stone in the oven as it preheats, then place the pie on that hot tray to bake. 

• Easy decorations. Cut shapes out of the second layer of pastry and simply place them onto the pie for a fun, abstract design. Or, place the sheet on top with the cut-outs. 

• Don’t have a jelly roll pan? Use an 11×15-inch sheet tray instead. 

• Save the mess. Bake the pie on top of a larger tray to catch any drips.

• Chill thoroughly. Refrigerate the assembled pie for at least 2-4 hours to allow the filling to fully set.

• Variations. Try mixing in other berries, adding a cream cheese layer, mixing in chocolate chips, topping it with a crumble, or garnishing with whipped cream.

How to Store

I can’t say I’ve ever seen leftovers of this strawberry slab pie. My family devours it as soon as it’s cool enough.

But if you have some, here’s how to store them:

To Store: Refrigerate the fully cooled slab pie, covered tightly with plastic wrap or foil, for up to 3 days. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

To Reheat: Let the pie come to room temperature, then reheat individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Alternatively, reheat the whole pie in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed.

To Freeze: Assemble and wrap the unbaked pie in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 425°F for 50-60 minutes, 

Note: I don’t recommend freezing the cooked pie as the fruit will release a lot of moisture after thawing.

More Sweet Strawberry Desserts You’ll Adore

Strawberry Scones
Strawberry Dump Cake
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Strawberry Sorbet