Fresh Strawberry Pie

This Fresh Strawberry Pie features only 5 simple ingredients but is packed with sweet strawberry flavor.

Y’all, this pie is one of those desserts that’s been a staple in my family for as long as I can remember. My mom’s been making it for decades, and it’s one of those recipes that instantly takes me back. If you ever loved those strawberry pies from Shoney’s, you’re gonna fall head over heels for this copycat version.

It’s packed with fresh strawberry flavor and comes together in a flash!

And speaking of crust… Sure, you can make some homemade pie dough if you want to, but I’m all about keeping things simple—so a store-bought crust in a 9-inch pie plate works just fine here.

Other than warming up the strawberry gelatin mixture on the stovetop, this one’s as easy as mixing, chilling, and slicing. It’s the kind of dessert you can throw together without much fuss and still impress the folks around your table.

And there’s a little twist to this one, too. When I was growing up, one of my dad’s best buddies was diabetic, and Mom would make a low-sugar version of this just for him using sugar-free gelatin. I’ve included the modifications in the notes on the recipe card down below so you can pick what works best for your crew.

However you make it, I really think this is the best fresh strawberry pie I’ve ever had. Hope y’all love it as much as we do!

From Original Post – June 5, 2013

A post on Facebook the other day got me thinking about being grateful for closed doors and unanswered prayers. I know they seem like strange things to be thankful for, but think about it… Wherever you are in life, you’ve obviously had doors closed and prayers gone unanswered – or better yet, not answered in the way you thought they’d be answered.

For instance, when it was time for me to make my choice about college, I had scholarships at several universities. The one university that I really wanted to go to offered a full tuition scholarship to any student who scored above a certain number on the ACT. Well, I knew my parents didn’t really have the money to send me to college, but I really wanted to go. So, I studied and worked my rear off and finally got the score I wanted (after a few tries).

Well, I’ll save you the dramatic details, but it didn’t work out. I had the apartment and everything, but that door closed. As result, I found myself at a local university that was only about 30 minutes from home. It ended up as the most amazing college experience I could have ever imagined. And chances are, had I not found myself close to home, I may not have rekindled the relationship with my high school sweetheart and might not be married to her right now with the most amazing little boy. You see where I’m going here? 

While it was disappointing not being able to go to my dream college, I ended up having something even better happen. It can be something simple like catching a glimpse of a beautiful rainbow on the way home only because you got diverted to another route due to traffic or an accident. 

It can be something big like ending up with an amazing spouse and best friend because God’s plan wasn’t to send you to the college you had your heart set on. Things just have a way of working out. Whether you find yourself on the pinnacle of life or down in the valley, you’re there for a reason. 

And though you may not always have the vision to see it, the door that was slammed in your face was slammed because the sun is streaming through a window right around the corner and it’s the sunshine you need to see. 

You’ve just got to have the courage to go open that window.