Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie

For cookies and crust:

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, plus extra for dusting

1 1/2 cups butter-flavored Crisco or other vegetable shortening

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pie crust, store-bought or from scratch

For topping:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

For filling:

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 (3-ounce) package strawberry-flavored gelatin powder

1 quart fresh strawberries, stemmed and washed

1. A day in advance, make the cookie dough: Sift the flour with the baking soda, salt and 1 1/2 cups sugar into a bowl. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture is the consistency of cornmeal.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and use hands to mix into a dough. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface, then cut with a floured cookie cutter. Dust with extra sugar. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes and set aside to cool.

4. Reset the oven to 450 degrees and heat to temperature. Roll out the pie-crust dough if necessary and place into a 9-inch pie shell. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork, line the shell with heavy-duty foil and fill with pie weights.

5. Bake shell for 8 minutes, then remove the weights and continue baking 5 to 6 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

6. Make the topping: Beat the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar in a bowl until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream.

7. Make the filling: Combine 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in a medium pot. Stir in water until smooth, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in gelatin until dissolved, then let cool to room temperature.

8. Set aside three strawberries, slicing the rest in halves. Dip the halves into the gelatin mixture and place in cooled pie shell. Dip the three whole strawberries into the gelatin mixture and place in center of pie shell.

9. Use a pastry bag to pipe the topping around the outer edge of the pie crust. Crumble the cookies and scatter the crumbs over the cream-cheese topping. Serve.

Per serving (based on 8): 1,240 calories; 64g fat; 24g saturated fat; 125mg cholesterol; 13g protein; 153g carbohydrate; 92g sugar; 3g fiber; 580mg sodium; 90mg calcium.

- Recipe from Megan Roe