12 oz. cream cheese (1 1/2 bricks), at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 eggs
Topping Ingredients:
8 oz. sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
2 pints fresh strawberries
Powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
Instructions
For the crust, combine all ingredients and firmly press into a deep pie plate. I like to use the bottom of a measuring cup to really press the crust down firm. If you absolutely have to… you can skip this step and buy a pre-made graham cracker crust… but please don’t!
Once the pie crust is done, preheat oven to 350°. For the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and eggs. Mix until you have a smooth creamy texture. Pour into graham cracker crust and bake for 20-25 minutes, until center is almost set.
While the filling is baking, combine the sour cream and sugar for the topping. Mix until smooth. Spread over the warm filling and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. Before serving, cut the tops off of the strawberries and place them upside down on the pie. Dust with confectioners sugar.
