Mini Strawberry Pies

With all this warm weather I have already started making fruity desserts even though it's only the first week in February. I just can't make something pumpkin or chai when it's 65 degrees and sunny out, it just doesn't make any sense! So I went a little crazy with my strawberry purchases last week and I was left with a pint of strawberries and no recipe. I searched the blogosphere and landed on the cutest looking strawberry pies known to man. Of course I didn't have any pie crusts in the fridge so I had to make that, which isn't all that hard, but still. However, I did have a mason jar of lemon curd so I decided to use that to give the dessert a little tartness. I simply spread a little of the lemon curd across the bottom of the pie and then piled on the strawberry filling. It kept the dessert from being overly sweet and turned out perfect.


This recipe came out so well that I've decided it's going to be a definite spring staple on my future dessert shop menu. I'm going to call them Strawberry Lemonade Pies and they are going to be delicious! If you don't have mini pie pans you can either make them in muffin tins, like the original recipe did, or you can make one big pie, although your cooking time will have to be slightly longer. I can't wait to make these again when we go strawberry picking this spring, I will most certainly be making more than 4!

Mini Strawberry Pies (adapted from Cooking With My Kid)

2 cups strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 tsp lemon juice

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter

1 recipe pie dough (here)
1 batch lemon curd

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 4 mini pie pans.

2. Toss strawberries with sugar and let macerate for 10-15 minutes. Roll out half of your pies dough and cut to fit your mini pans. Place in pans and crimp the edges however you choose. Make the crumb topping by cutting the butter into the flour and brown sugar until you have pea size pieces.

3. Once the strawberries have released some of their juices, drain. Add the cornstarch, and lemon juice and toss to combine. Spread about 1 1/2 Tbsp of lemon curd onto the bottom of the pie. Place 1/2 cup strawberry filling into the pie and top with the crumb topping. Repeat with the other 3 pies. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Take out of the oven and allow to cool, or eat warm!