Cinco de Mayo and strawberry season line up here, so what better way to celebrate than a strawberry margarita? Well, the answer is a pie made with fresh berries, lime and a hit of tequila. This sweet, tangy and cool treat has been a real hit from me. One family member tells me every time we share a meal that “that strawberry tequila pie is the best thing you make.” I get the hint, and I promise I will make it again soon. Make this to end a zippy Mexican meal, like Chicken Tinga, Posole, Queso Fundido Soup, or Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup. And yes, you can make some strawberry margaritas to drink with your meal too!
I love the sweet, simple crust made of shortbread cookies, but you can branch out if you like. I know some margarita cheesecakes and the like use pretzels for the salty hit. No need to use your best tequila here and I prefer a blanco, but reposado works too. I like to garnish with some lime slices and a strawberry or two. You could serve this with some whipped cream, maybe blended with some lime zest and a dash of tequila, but it is deliciously creamy on its own.
Ingredients
10 ounces shortbread cookies (like Lorna Doons)
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
7 – 8 strawberries (to make 2/3 cup puree)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
Zest of one lime
2 egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tablespoons lime juice
3 Tablespoons tequila
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray the whole pan with cooking spray.
- Put the cookies in a small food processor and grind to fine crumbs. Add the butter and process until combined and the mixture is wet throughout. Dump the crumbs into the springform pan and press out into a tight, even layer across the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
- Rinse and dry the food processer bowl, making sure there are no crumbs still in it. Cut the strawberries into chunks and process until smooth to produce 2/3 cup puree. This tales about 8 medium sized strawberries, but measure it out and if you need more puree, pour it back in the processor and add another berry or two (it is very hard to puree one berry, so I put it all back in the machine). Set aside.
- Put the cream cheese in the bowl of stand mixer and grate over the lime zest. Add the egg yolks and beat until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the condensed milk, again scraping the bowl, then add the lime juice and tequila and beat until smooth and combined. Add the strawberry puree and beat until well combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Pour the filling over the crust, then bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown and the center does not jiggle. Cool completely in the pan, the cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is fine. Run a thin knife around the edges of the pie if needed to loosen it from the springform, the unclip the pan and transfer the pie to a serving plate.
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