Celebrate summer with these luscious lemonade pies. This is a type of pie, not just a recipe. It started out as a pink lemonade pie, made with pink lemonade fruit juice concentrate from your grocer’s shelf. But it soon evolved into pies made with any fruit juice concentrate. Since there is an amazing array of fruit drink concentrates, you can make an amazing array of desserts.
Lemonade Pies: The Best Dessert of the Summer
- They’re luscious. We serve these in the store often. They’re always a hit. The contrast of sweet and tart from the concentrate is delightful.
- They’re cool and refreshing. They’re frozen, almost like an ice cream pie. Juices, especially citrus, are always refreshing in the summer.
- They’re easy. If you use graham cracker crumbs so you don’t have to stop and crush graham crackers, they’re quick to put together. Make the crust, mix the filling, and pour it into the crust. Whip the cream and top it. Put it in the freezer.
- You can always have a couple on hand. You can make them ahead and store them in the freezer. That means that you can be a hero in a moment’s notice. Make a half dozen, maybe several flavors, and be stocked for much of the summer.
- They’re impressive. They’re pretty and present well. People always love them.
What You’ll Need for Your Lemonade Pies
A Springform Pan
These pies are made in a springform pan. You can use any springform pan. We recommend a silicone springform pan with a glass base. The ring peels off the dessert like a candy wrapper for a perfect presentation. Slide the dessert onto a serving platter then cut and serve right on the glass base. See the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P6CRi-dYwsThe remarkable advantage of these silicone springform pans is the double seal, silicone to glass. It’s virtually leak proof. You can bake brownies and desserts without a leaky mess in the bottom of the oven.
The Shopping List
- European Cocoa—the good stuff that the pros use– for when you make your lemonade pie with black cherries and a chocolate whipped cream topping.
- Dreamsicle Pie: Orange-Mango makes a great dessert. Add a little vanilla and you’ll have a pie that tastes just like a creamsicle ice cream pop.
- Black Cherry Pie: Switch out the pink lemonade with black cherries, chocolate cookie crumbs for the crust, and a chocolate whipped cream topping to make a superb pie.
- Leprechaun Pie: Make your lemonade pie with limeade and cream cheese to get a delicious pie that’s reminiscent of key lime pie.
- Pineapple Lemonade Pie: Add some pineapple juice and use regular lemonade to make this luscious pie.
More Lemonade Pie Ideas
Pink Lemonade Pie: Graham Cracker Crust Pink Lemonade Pie: Cream Cheese Filling Pink Lemonade Pie: Topping Pink Lemonade Pie: Graham Cracker CrustThis recipe is made in three parts: a graham cracker crust, a lemonade (or other juice concentrate) and cream cheese filling, and a whipped cream topping.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
Directions:
- Mix the crumbs, sugar, and butter in a nine-inch pie pan or springform pan. Mix until the crumbs have absorbed the butter and the mixture is uniform.
- Press the crumbs across the bottom of the pan and up the sides. We’ve found using a drinking glass to press the crumbs up the sides works well.
- Bake for eight to ten minutes at 350 degrees. (If it’s a hot July day, you can choose not to bake the crust. A baked crust holds together better because the heat melts the sugar to help hold the crumbs together.)
Pink Lemonade Pie: Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients:
- 1 8-ounce packet of cream cheese, softened
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup pink lemonade concentrate (not mixed with water)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
- AmeriColor Red Red food coloring or equal
Directions:
- Using the whip attachment and your stand-type mixer or with a handheld electric mixer, mix the cream cheese until softened. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk very slowly while mixing to avoid clumps, scraping the bowl as you go.
- Slowly add the lemonade concentrate and lemon juice and continue beating. Color with red food coloring as desired.
- Pour the mixture into the pie shell or springform pan and place it in the freezer while you mix the topping.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut
- red food coloring
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Place the coconut in a small plastic zip top bag. Add a drop of food coloring and seal the bag, trapping air inside. Shake until the coconut turns pink.
- Whip the cream until stiff, adding the sugar and vanilla in the process.
- Wait until the pie filling is slightly stiff on top, and gently spoon the cream over the pie filling. Garnish with the pink coconut.
- Freeze the pie until firm. Slice the pie with a warm, wet knife for smooth cuts.
(Updated from July 6, 2015)
