Black Bottom Strawberry Cream Pie
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure PolicyIf you love strawberry pie, this Black Bottom Strawberry Cream Pie is a delicious variation worth trying. A layer of chocolate on the bottom adds richness, while the cream cheese filling and homemade strawberry glaze make every slice cool, creamy, fruity, and perfect for warm-weather entertaining.
You are in for such a treat today! Strawberry pie is one of my favorite desserts, so naturally I thought it would be fun to try a little variation on this classic. Since I love strawberries with cheesecake and strawberries with chocolate, I figured why not bring all of these flavors together in one irresistible Black Bottom Strawberry Cream Pie?
This pie starts with a baked pie crust topped with a rich layer of hot fudge, which adds a delicious and unexpected chocolate flavor. Then comes a sweetened cream cheese layer, followed by fresh strawberries coated in a homemade strawberry glaze. The combination of chocolate, cream cheese, and strawberries is so good, and all of those creamy, fruity, and rich layers work beautifully together.
It’s also a relatively easy pie to make. If you’re not comfortable making pie crust from scratch, you can absolutely use a store-bought crust to keep things simple. I also have an easy go-to pie crust recipe here on the blog if you’d like to check that out.
Anyway, this is such a great warm-weather dessert, and I think you’re going to love it. Let’s get into all the delicious details.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a fresh twist on strawberry pie. If you already love classic strawberry pie, this version gives you something a little extra. The layer of chocolate on the bottom and the sweet cream cheese filling turn it into a dessert that feels familiar, but still special.
- The flavor combination is so good. Strawberries, chocolate, and cream cheese are all wonderful on their own, but together they make this pie feel a bit like strawberry cheesecake meets chocolate-covered strawberries. The fresh berries keep it bright and fruity, while the fudge and cream cheese add just the right amount of richness.
- It’s a great make-ahead dessert. Since the pie needs time to chill and set, it’s a wonderful recipe to prepare before guests arrive. This makes it especially nice for summer parties, cookouts, holidays, or any time you want dessert ready and waiting in the refrigerator.
Looking for more strawberry-inspired recipes? You’ve got it! Check out this collection of all my best go-to strawberry recipes. There’s so much to love!
Ingredients
It’s time to gather all the ingredients you’ll need to make this unique strawberry pie.
- Strawberries – Fresh strawberries are the star of this pie, used in both the homemade glaze and the fruit topping for bright, sweet flavor.
- Water – Water helps cook down the strawberries and creates the base for the glaze.
- Sugar – Sugar sweetens the strawberry glaze and helps bring out the natural flavor of the berries.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch thickens the strawberry glaze so it sets up nicely on top of the pie.
- Red food coloring – This is optional, but it can be added if you want the strawberry glaze to have a brighter red color.
- Pie crust – A baked pie crust creates the base for all those delicious layers. You can use a homemade crust or a store-bought crust to keep things simple.
- Hot fudge topping – Hot fudge creates the “black bottom” layer and adds a rich chocolate surprise beneath the cream cheese and strawberries.
- Cream cheese – Softened cream cheese makes the filling smooth, creamy, and just a little tangy, which pairs beautifully with the sweet strawberries.
- Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar sweetens the cream cheese filling while keeping it smooth and easy to spread.
- Whipping cream – Whipped cream is optional, but it adds a pretty, creamy finish around the edge of the pie before serving.
How To Make
Okay, let’s make this Black Bottom Strawberry Cream Pie. I’ll still take you through the steps below. I’ve also provided a full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Begin by preparing the strawberry glaze. Add the chopped strawberries, water, lemon juice, and cornstarch to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the strawberries are tender.
- Continue cooking until the glaze has thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add red food coloring, if desired. Set aside and allow the glaze to cool to room temperature.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare the pie crust as directed for a one-crust baked shell using a 9-inch glass pie pan. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
- Spread the hot fudge topping evenly over the bottom of the cooled pie shell. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the chocolate layer is set.
- In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate layer.
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- In a medium bowl, gently stir together the quartered strawberries and cooled strawberry glaze. Spoon the strawberry mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer.
- Refrigerate the pie until firm, about 1 hour.
- Just before serving, pipe or spoon the whipped cream around the edge of the pie. Slice, serve, and enjoy. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries for this pie?
Fresh strawberries are best for the topping because they hold their shape and give the pie that beautiful fresh berry texture. Frozen strawberries can become soft and watery once thawed, but you could use them for the glaze if needed. Just be sure to cook off any extra liquid so the glaze thickens properly. All that said, I recommend fresh.
Can I use a graham cracker crust instead of a regular pie crust?
Yes, a graham cracker crust would be delicious with the chocolate, cream cheese, and strawberries. Just keep in mind that it will make the pie a bit sweeter and slightly softer than a traditional baked pie crust.
How do I keep the cream cheese layer from mixing into the chocolate?
Make sure the hot fudge layer has chilled and set before adding the cream cheese mixture. It also helps to gently spoon the cream cheese filling over the chocolate layer in small amounts, then spread it carefully with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
More Strawberry Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
- Strawberry Ice Cream Cheesecake
- Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
- Strawberry Pretzel Cookies
- Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Marshmallow Frosting
- Strawberry Strudels
I think you’re going to love this Black Bottom Strawberry Cream Pie. I can’t wait for you to give it a try. If you do, please stop back and leave a comment and a 5-star rating below. I’d appreciate it!
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Black Bottom Strawberry Cream Pie
Ingredients
For the strawberry glaze
- 2 cups chopped strawberries
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Red food coloring optional
For the pie
- 1 pie crust homemade or store-bought
- 2/3 cup hot fudge topping
- 1 package 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 pint strawberries quartered
- 1/2 cup whipping cream whipped, if desired
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the strawberry glaze. Add the chopped strawberries, water, lemon juice, and cornstarch to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the strawberries are tender.
- Continue cooking until the glaze has thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add red food coloring, if desired. Set aside and allow the glaze to cool to room temperature.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare the pie crust as directed for a one-crust baked shell using a 9-inch glass pie pan. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely.
- Spread the hot fudge topping evenly over the bottom of the cooled pie shell. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the chocolate layer is set.
- In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate layer.
- In a medium bowl, gently stir together the quartered strawberries and cooled strawberry glaze. Spoon the strawberry mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer.
- Refrigerate the pie until firm, about 1 hour.
- Just before serving, pipe or spoon the whipped cream around the edge of the pie. Slice, serve, and enjoy. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.