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I love having strawberry shortcake all year, but I especially love it in summer when the berries are perfectly in season. Thanks to the sponsorship of Driscoll’s strawberries, I’m bringing you a new version of strawberry shortcake – in pie form!
They’re the perfect way to have your strawberry shortcake…and your pie too!
I wasn’t a huge fruit person when I was a kid (and, really, I’m still not). Strawberries were one of the only three fruits I’d eat – and that’s still the case today. If we’re ever at a party together and fruit salad is served, just watch me serve myself. You’ll notice strawberries are pretty much the only thing on my plate and I’m not too shy – I’ll dig deep for them in the bowl!
Whenever I open a clamshell of strawberries, the smell reminds me of my childhood. There was a strawberry field near the RV park in Anaheim we always stayed. The smell of ripening strawberries would fill our nostrils in the early morning air as we’d walk to Disneyland. I cannot smell strawberries without thinking of those trips!
Since National Strawberry Shortcake Day is coming up soon, I decided I needed to make my own version to celebrate.
But I decided to make it in pie form. I’m ME, you know.
Last week, when I opened a basket of Driscoll’s strawberries fresh from the store, I was again transplanted to my childhood. Strawberries are abundant here in California, but I prefer Driscoll’s berries because I like them the best. They’re the freshest and the juiciest, and they stay good the longest. #truth
Since Driscoll’s has been the strawberry in everyone’s shortcake for more than 100 years, I decided that it needed to be in mine, STAT.
Enter your newest favorite way to eat Strawberry Shortcake: in pie form!
Strawberry shortcake is awesome – but it’s messy. It’s not really finger food in its true form. You need a plate and a fork and lots of napkins (at least in my house – whipped cream usually outweighs the shortcake!) That’s why these pies are perfect – they’re one little bite and they stand up on their own.
Y’all know I love mini pies. I’m sort of addicted to them, and I have about a gazillion versions (give or take a few). I think this one is one of my favorites yet because I baked a cupcake inside.
Yes, you read that right. It’s a cupcake, baked inside a mini pie crust. Then it’s topped with fresh whipped cream and the star of the show: fresh strawberries.
These literally come together in minutes, and they’re perfect for serving at any party. Finally, a strawberry shortcake that isn’t too messy!
And it has a crust. Could it get any better?
I think not.
Mini Strawberry Shortcake Pies
Ingredients
Pies:
- 1 pie crust from a pack of two or from scratch
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
Topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 16 ounce package Driscoll’s strawberries hulled and sliced in half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two mini muffin pans with cooking spray (I like using the kind with flour for these pies).
- Unroll your pie crust and cut 2 1/2” circles using a round cookie cutter. Press one into each mini muffin cavity. You should get about 18-20 with re-rolling the dough. Chill until filling is ready.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk melted butter, sugar, and egg until thick and yellow (about 30 seconds by hand). Whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula and add the milk and the dry ingredients alternately, stirring in between each addition.
- Place 1 tablespoon of the batter in each prepared pie crust. You will have some batter left over; you can bake these in the remaining mini muffin tin cavities not being used for your pies (2 tablespoons per cupcake).
- Bake mini shortcake pies for 10-13 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before removing from the pan.
- They should pop right out, but if needed you can use the tip of a knife to help ease them out.
- Make the topping by placing the whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer and whipping on high using the whisk attachment. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla while mixing. Whip until peaks form (just a few minutes in a stand mixer; longer with a hand mixer).
- Right before serving, place whipped cream in a pastry bag or gallon size ziploc bag and pipe onto each mini shortcake pie. (I used a 1M tip to make the swirls; just snip off the tip of the bag and insert the tip before adding the whipped cream.) Top with half a strawberry.
- The whipped cream can be made a few hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator. I recommend cutting the berries close to when you are serving them. The mini shortcake pies (without their topping) can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.
Be sure to check out more Driscoll’s Strawberry Shortcake Inspiration recipes and enter their sweepstakes to win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and berries for a year!
How do YOU like to eat your strawberry shortcake?
These look absolutely delicious! I love strawberry shortcake and the fact that it’s in mini form makes it that much better.
I mean, really, how adorable are these??? LOVE Driscoll’s – best berries EVAH!! Pinned girl!
these look so yummy!
I’m wondering how many of these I could eat at one sitting. I couldn’t stop myself, these look incredible!
Another trip down memory lane…we did have some good times when you were young. You are right (of course) about making strawberry shortcake into finger food. What a great idea!!!
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