Description
White Christmas Pie is a festive and creamy dessert featuring a tender homemade pie crust filled with a fluffy coconut and gelatin-based filling, topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries for a perfect holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup ice cold water, plus more as needed
Filling
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 cup water
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut plus more for sprinkling over top
Topping
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh diced strawberries
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Butter: Cut the unsalted butter into pats and place them flat on a plate. Freeze while preparing the remaining ingredients to keep butter cold.
- Make Pie Dough: In a food processor bowl, combine the flour, kosher salt, and granulated sugar by pulsing. Add cold vegetable shortening and pulse a few times. Add frozen butter and pulse until pea-sized pieces form. Gradually add ice cold water while pulsing until dough comes together when pinched. Pour dough onto floured surface, press into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll Out Dough: On a floured surface, roll dough to be two inches larger than a 10-inch pie plate. Transfer dough to pie plate, gently press in, trim edges, and create a high scalloped edge. Freeze for 30 minutes to firm the crust and prevent collapsing during baking.
- Bake Pie Crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place parchment paper with pie weights or dry beans onto the dough-lined plate and bake for 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, poke holes in the bottom to release steam, and bake for an additional 15 minutes until golden. Cool to room temperature.
- Prepare Gelatin Mixture: Bloom unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup water and set aside.
- Make Filling Base: In a medium saucepan, combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups whole milk and cook over medium heat, bringing to a boil. Cook for 1 minute while whisking constantly.
- Add Gelatin & Extracts: Stir in gelatin mixture over medium heat until dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in almond and vanilla extracts. Place saucepan in an ice water bath to cool quickly.
- Whip Cream: Beat 1/2 cup heavy cream to soft peaks and set aside.
- Whip Egg Whites: Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and remaining 1/3 cup sugar to stiff peaks and set aside.
- Combine Filling: Whip cooled filling mixture gently until creamy. Fold in whipped cream, beaten egg whites, and shredded coconut carefully using a rubber spatula.
- Fill Pie Shell: Spoon filling mixture evenly into baked and cooled pie shell.
- Whip Topping Cream: Whip 2 cups heavy cream to stiff peaks. Using a pastry bag with a large star tip, pipe decorative swirls on top of the filling and sprinkle with extra shredded coconut.
- Prepare Strawberry Sauce: Dice strawberries and mix with confectioners’ sugar. Let sit until strawberries release liquid, forming a sauce.
- Serve: Cut pie into slices and serve with strawberry sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
- Keep butter and shortening very cold for a flaky pie crust.
- Use pie weights or dried beans to prevent crust shrinking while blind baking.
- Make sure to cool filling mixture quickly to prevent gelatin from setting prematurely.
- Fold whipped cream and egg whites gently to maintain a light and airy texture.
- Fresh strawberries add a bright contrast and slight tartness that balances the sweet coconut filling.
- Pie is best served chilled and can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
