Recipe: Easy Cast Iron Strawberry Pie

Sure, there’s ice cream and no-bake icebox cakes, but if you ask me, there isn’t a more quintessential summer dessert than a sweet berry pie — preferably strawberry. This is a season that demands simplicity, which is why this super-easy version of the classic summer dessert starts with your trusty cast iron skillet — so you won’t be crimping any fussy edges!

Although this recipe skips the traditional bottom and top layers of crust, we still call for enough dough for a double crust. Why? For starters, the pie is baked in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, which is wider and deeper than your standard nine-inch pie plate. So instead of dividing your homemade dough in half, you’ll combine them into a giant disk of dough and roll it to about 16 inches wide. Don’t stress about rolling the dough into a perfectly round circle — just as all summer desserts should be, skillet pies are meant to be simple and rustic.

Once it’s draped over the skillet and filled with berries, the crust is folded over the fruit (similar to a galette), without actually covering the filling entirely.

If you only have a 12-inch cast iron skillet, you can absolutely use it! There will be a few small differences, but you will get the same delicious results. Using a larger skillet means you can expect a thinner layer of fruit filling and a crust that doesn’t cover quite as much of the filling.

As with all great skillet desserts, go ahead and serve your strawberry pie straight from the skillet. Because of its naturally nonstick surface and the subtly sloped edges of a cast iron skillet, this buttery-crusted pie is easy to slice and serve straight from the pan.

Start here: How To Make Flaky Pie Crust

If you plan to use store-bought crust over homemade, you’ll still want to use enough for a double crust. Start with one (14- to 16-ounce) package of pie crust (not pie shells). Once thawed, stack the crusts and roll out on a floured work surface. Because most store-bought pie crusts are slightly smaller than our homemade crust, plan to roll until it’s about 14 inches in diameter (any wider and the crust may crack). The crust won’t cover quite as much of the top of the pie, although you can expect the same results.

Although macerating berries is a great technique when serving the sweet gems with ice cream, it’s not the best approach for pie. Macerating draws out the fruit’s liquid, creating a sweet, fruity syrup — not ideal for pie, as it leads to a soggy bottom. Instead, wait until the pie dough is prepped and the oven is heated before prepping the berries.