Easy Frozen Lemonade Pie with Cool Whip
This Frozen Lemonade Pie is cool, creamy, sweet, and tart – the kind of dessert that hits the spot when it’s too hot outside to even think about a heavy dessert. The filling combines vanilla ice cream, Cool Whip, and frozen lemonade concentrate for plenty of lemon flavor without a lot of work.
This frozen lemonade pie is a great way to enjoy a classic summertime favorite without having to spend time outside in the heat. The tartness of the lemonade helps to cut through the sweetness of the whipped cream and graham cracker crust, creating a delicious flavor balance that’s sure to satisfy.
Make it with the homemade graham cracker crust below, or take the easy route with a store-bought crust and turn it into an almost no-bake dessert. Either way, you’ll want to give the pie several hours in the freezer before serving, making it a great make-ahead dessert for cookouts, potlucks, and summer get-togethers.
Key Takeaways
- Frozen lemonade concentrate gives this pie its sweet-tart lemon flavor.
- Vanilla ice cream and Cool Whip create a light, creamy frozen filling.
- The pie needs 4 to 6 hours to freeze, so plan to make it ahead.
- You can easily change the flavor with pink lemonade, limeade, or another frozen citrus concentrate.
Let’s look at how to make this delicious lemonade pie recipe, shall we?
Ingredients
- 10 whole graham crackers, or 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 ounces Cool Whip
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-quart vanilla ice cream
- 6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate
- Lemon flavoring oil or lemon extract
- Sliced lemon wheels and whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a pie plate with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
- Place the graham crackers in a large Ziploc bag and seal it. Using a rolling pin, crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. (You can also use a food processor if you prefer.)
- Place the crumbs into a medium-sized bowl and add in the butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Combine the ingredients together. Press the crust mixture into the pie plate.
- Put the pie plate into the oven and bake until the crust is done. Approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Let the crust cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the whipped topping, vanilla extract, ice cream, lemonade concentrate, a few drops of lemon flavoring oil or extract, and mix everything together.
Spread the lemonade pie filling into the prepared pie crust.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer to allow the pie to set. This will take 4 to 6 hours.
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftover lemonade pie covered in the freezer. A pie keeper works well, or you can wrap the pie tightly with plastic wrap followed by foil.
For the best quality, eat it within about one week.
If you’ve already garnished the pie with fresh lemon slices, remove them before storing leftovers. Fresh citrus doesn’t hold up particularly well after repeated freezing and thawing.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Let the ice cream soften first. You want it soft enough to mix easily with the Cool Whip and lemonade concentrate, but don’t let it completely melt.
- Cool the crust completely. Adding frozen filling to a warm crust is asking for trouble. Give the crust time to reach room temperature first.
- Don’t thaw the lemonade concentrate. The concentrate provides strong lemon flavor without adding too much liquid to the filling.
- Give it enough freezer time. Four hours is the minimum, but the texture will be firmer and easier to slice if you can give it closer to six hours or freeze it overnight.
- Let it sit briefly before slicing. If the pie is frozen very firm, let it stand at room temperature for about 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.
Frozen Lemonade Pie
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a pie plate with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
- Place the graham crackers in a large Ziploc bag and seal it. Using a rolling pin, crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. (You can also use a food processor if you prefer.)
- Place the crumbs into a medium-sized bowl and add in the butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Combine the ingredients together. Press the crust mixture into the pie plate.
- Put the pie plate into the oven and bake until the crust is done. Approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Let the crust cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the whipped topping, vanilla extract, ice cream, lemonade concentrate, a few drops of lemon flavoring oil or extract, and mix everything together. Spread the lemonade pie filling into the prepared pie crust.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer to allow the pie to set. This will take 4 to 6 hours.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- You can save time by using a store-bought graham cracker crust instead of making your own.
- If your family loves pink lemonade concentrate, you can use that in place of the regular lemonade concentrate to make a Frozen Pink Lemonade Pie.
- To make the pie more vibrant, you can add a bit of food coloring.
- Garnish with fresh lemon slices and whipped cream.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQs
Absolutely. In fact, this is one dessert that benefits from being made ahead because it needs several hours in the freezer anyway.
You can prepare the pie the day before you plan to serve it and keep it covered in the freezer. For longer storage, wrap it well to help protect it from freezer burn and unwanted freezer odors.
For the best texture and flavor, I recommend enjoying it within about one week.
Add whipped cream and fresh lemon slices just before serving rather than before freezing.
Yes. You can substitute homemade whipped cream for the Cool Whip, although the texture may be slightly different after freezing.
Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form and gently fold it into the other filling ingredients. Avoid using canned whipped cream, such as Reddi-wip, as a direct replacement in the filling. It’s better suited for adding to individual slices just before serving.
Easy Lemonade Pie Variations
Once you have the basic recipe down, it’s easy to change the flavor.
- Raspberry Lemonade Pie: Use raspberry lemonade concentrate if you can find it, or swirl a small amount of raspberry puree into the filling.
- Frozen Limeade Pie: Swap the lemonade concentrate for frozen limeade concentrate and garnish with fresh lime slices.
- Citrus Pie: Other frozen citrus concentrates can work, too. Just remember that changing the concentrate will affect both the sweetness and tartness of the finished pie, so taste the filling before freezing.
What To Serve With Frozen Lemonade Pie
This pie is especially good after a summer meal when you want something cold and refreshing rather than a rich baked dessert.
Serve it after barbecue, burgers, grilled chicken, or a casual cookout. For a summer dessert table, pair it with fresh berries, watermelon, fruit salad, or another simple dessert so guests have a couple of options.
And if you’re serving it outside, keep the pie frozen until shortly before dessert. Vanilla ice cream and Alabama summer heat are not known for their successful long-term relationship.
Frozen Lemonade Pie vs. Lemon Icebox Pie
Although the names are sometimes used interchangeably, frozen lemonade pie and traditional lemon icebox pie aren’t quite the same dessert.
This recipe gets its creamy texture from vanilla ice cream and whipped topping and is served frozen. Many lemon icebox pies use sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and sometimes eggs or cream cheese, with a texture that’s closer to a chilled custard or cream pie.
If you’re looking for an especially cold summer dessert with a creamy ice-cream-like filling, this frozen version is the one to make.
More Easy Summer Desserts
Looking for another sweet treat to keep things cool and easy? Try my Creamy Coconut Pie, a no-bake dessert with a graham cracker crust and toasted coconut, or Lemon Icebox Pie for another refreshing citrus option. Mango Popsicles are great when you want something fruity and frozen, while Easy Strawberry Cake puts fresh summer flavor front and center.
Ready for a Slice?
Sweet, tart, creamy, and cold, this Frozen Lemonade Pie checks all the right boxes for a summer dessert – and you can have it waiting in the freezer long before company arrives.
Would you make yours with classic lemonade, pink lemonade, or limeade?
