Shoney’s Strawberry Pie Recipe (Easy Copycat)

If you’ve been craving that old-fashioned Shoney’s strawberry pie, this easy copycat recipe brings it right back home. It’s made with fresh strawberries, a sweet strawberry glaze, and a baked pie crust for that classic diner-style dessert so many of us remember.

This is the kind of pie that looks beautiful on the table but is actually very simple to make. The filling comes together with strawberry Jello, sugar, and cornstarch, then gets poured over fresh berries in a baked crust and chilled until set. A little whipped cream on top finishes it off just the way it should.

It’s a lovely spring and summer dessert, especially when strawberries are in season, and it has that bright, old-fashioned flavor that makes people smile. If you loved Shoney’s strawberry pie years ago, this homemade version is an easy way to enjoy it again.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe

• Simple Ingredients – Only 5 ingredients, and it takes no time at all to put together.
• Quick! – You can bake this classic strawberry pie in 10 minutes or less.
• Summer-Friendly – Warmer days call for easy pie recipes that don’t require the oven!
• Store-Bought Crust – The shell is a frozen pie crust you can pick up from the grocery store.

Why This Pie Tastes Like the Shoney’s Classic

There’s just something about an old-fashioned strawberry pie like this one. It has that familiar look and flavor so many of us remember — a flaky baked pie crust, fresh strawberries piled high, and that glossy strawberry filling that sets up beautifully in the fridge.

What makes this pie feel so much like the Shoney’s classic is the simple combination of fresh berries and that bright red glaze. It’s sweet, chilled, and made for serving with a big spoonful of whipped cream on top. Nothing fussy. Just a pretty pie that lets the strawberries shine.

It’s also the kind of dessert that feels a little special without being difficult to make. Once the crust is baked, the filling comes together quickly on the stove, then gets poured over the berries and chilled until set. That’s part of the charm of this recipe — it looks like something you picked up from a favorite restaurant, but you can make it right at home in your own kitchen.

If you remember Shoney’s strawberry pie from years ago, this homemade version brings back that same old-fashioned dessert feeling in the best way.

Ingredients

Get to your local grocery store to grab all the ingredients you need to make this delicious Shoney’s Strawberry Pie recipe:

• Fresh Strawberries: Try to find really high-quality strawberries – the farmer’s Market during the summer strawberry season is your best bet.
• Frozen Pie Crust: Buy ready from the store to save time – you’ll still get that nice flaky crust. 
• Strawberry Jello: For making Shoney’s special glaze.
• Sugar: Makes the strawberries taste even better and balances everything out.
• Cornstarch: Our secret weapon – It makes the filling all gooey and perfect.

How to make Shoney’s Strawberry Pie

Follow these simple instructions to make this fresh strawberry pie. Scroll down for the recipe card for more details.

1. Bake your pie crust according to the instructions on the package, then let it cool.
2. Wash and clean the strawberries, letting them drain in a colander. Remember to remove the stems and hulls.
3. Slice each strawberry in half and set aside.
4. Prepare an ice water bath in a small container – or use your kitchen sink.
5. In a medium saucepan, whisk together water, cornstarch, sugar, and strawberry jello on medium heat. Stir constantly until it comes to the ‘first boil’.
6. Remove from heat and place the saucepan in the ice water bath, stirring as it cools and thickens.
7. Add the sliced strawberries to your cooled pie crust.
8. Pour the thickened gelatin mixture over the strawberries, filling any gaps.
9. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Expert Shoney’s Strawberry Pie tips

With these pro tips in your back pocket, you’re more than ready to tackle this delicious recipe:

• Prep Ahead: Wash and hull the berries the day before – so that they are really dry before adding them to the pie.
• Weight It Down: Be sure to use pie weights on top of parchment paper to weigh down the crust. Aim for a light golden brown.  
• Egg Brush: Brush your pie shell with egg white before baking – for a crispier crust ready for all those juicy berries. You don’t want a soggy pie crust bottom!
• DIY Crust: If you want to make your own pie crust, be sure to check out our perfect pie crust recipe. 
• Berry Juicy: Since strawberries can be super juicy, make sure your gelatin mixture is well-thickened before pouring.
• Chill Time: Don’t rush the chillin’ process. Give your pie at least 2 hours in the fridge to set properly before serving

How to serve

When it comes to dishing out this Shoney’s Strawberry Pie, there are lots of options. Just note, serve your pie on the same day or the next – after two days, it will become soggy.

I love to dress it up with a big dollop of Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream.

Or how about a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream right beside your pie slice?

How to store

Alright, if by some miracle you’ve got leftover pie, here’s how to keep it fresh. First off, don’t let it stay at room temperature – keep it in the fridge.

Use plastic wrap to keep the moisture in. Make sure you cover it well so that the top doesn’t dry out or soak up any fridge odors – nobody wants a garlic-scented strawberry pie!

It’s even better if you put the plastic-wrapped pie in an airtight container. 

And remember, you’ve got about 2 days to enjoy the pie before it turns into a soggy mess – so dig in while it’s still good!

FAQs

Here are some of the questions people have asked me:

Can I make my strawberry pie the day before?

Yes, just keep it well wrapped in the fridge. See our instructions on how to store the above. 

Do I need to cut the strawberries, or can I leave them whole?

In this recipe, we cut the berries in half. I suppose it depends on the size of your strawberries – some strawberry pie recipes use them whole.

We think it looks great either way, so it’s totally up to you!

Why didn’t my strawberry pie set – it’s so runny?

Make sure you follow the recipe exactly and boil the gelatin mixture. 

You then need to let it cool and thicken before pouring it on the strawberries.  

Where did I get my inspiration for this recipe?

Ah, the tale of this copycat Shoney’s Strawberry Pie is a bit of a trip down memory lane, mixed with my love for kitchen experiments.

The real inspiration for this pie came from a family reunion last week. Cousin Susan brought her famous strawberry pie, and someone said, “This tastes just like Shoney’s!” A light bulb went off, and I knew I had a new mission.

I dove into my collection of family cookbooks, searched for similar recipes, and decided to make my own version. It turned out so nice, it earned a spot in my own personal cookbook – and now I’m so excited to share it with you all!

You might also like…

Want more great recipes? Take a look at these no-bake homemade pies:

• No-bake Cherry Cheesecake Pie
• Creamy Pineapple Pie
• Easy Cannoli Pie
• Simple Banana Split

Final thoughts

This simple strawberry pie is one of my favorite recipes (I know I have so many!) and I really wanted to share it with you. I hope you enjoy it over the coming summer months.

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the Pie Lady Bakes community! We’re all about sharing easy-to-make vintage recipes that remind us of the ones our moms and grandmas used to make.

If you haven’t already, you can sign up for my weekly email newsletter using this link. It’s absolutely free, and you’ll never miss out on any of my new recipes.

See you soon!

Judy

★★★★★ 

If you’ve made this delicious Shoney’s Strawberry Pie, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Be sure to give us a 5-star rating!

★★★★★ 

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