Lemonade pie is a refreshing no bake dessert filled with light, sweet, and tangy flavors. It’s the perfect, easy dessert for hot summer days!
This No-Bake Lemonade Pie is a summer staple at our house and has been since I was little. It’s so easy, super quick, and tastes amazing. It truly is the perfect pie for those summer days in central Alabama when it’s hotter than H-E double hockey sticks.
It’s just what the doctor ordered for a sweet tooth on those days where it’s hotter than a blister bug in a pepper patch… or hotter than $2 pistol… or as hot as pig snot… or burning slap up… or hotter than Hell and half of Georgia… or hotter than blue blazes… okay you get the point! We love our expressions down here.
What is No-Bake Lemonade Pie?
As the name states, No-Bake Lemonade Pie is an easy, quick, and refreshing dessert that requires absolutely no baking. Similar to a lemonade icebox pie, ingredients for this easy lemon pie recipe typically feature lemon juice from lemonade concentrate, sweetened condensed milk, whipped topping (or cool whip), and a homemade or pre-made pie crust.
Generally, the first two ingredients are mixed together in a large bowl followed by folding in the whipped topping. The creamy filling mixture is then poured into a pie crust made of graham crackers and chilled in the refrigerator until set.
No-Bake Lemonade Pie is generally served cold during the hot summer months as a light dessert that is both easy to make and brimming with zesty, lemon flavor. This delicious dessert is perfect for lemon lovers!
How should you store No-Bake Lemonade Pie?
No-Bake Lemonade Pie should be stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap. I do not recommend leaving this pie out on the counter for hours at a time. The pie can become loose and watery and the crust become soggy.
You should place the pie back in the refrigerator after serving where it can be kept, tightly wrapped, for up to three days.
Can I use a premade crust for No-Bake Lemonade Pie?
Absolutely, you can! You will never catch me objecting to the convenience of a ready-made pie crust. I do have instructions below for how you can make a homemade graham cracker pie crust, but if you don’t have the time or desire to try that out, get you a store-bought graham cracker crust and don’t think another thing about it.
Homemade crust or not, this is always a delicious lemon dessert.
Learn how to make a Homemade Graham Cracker Crust!
There’s something about a buttery, sweet, and salty graham cracker crust that makes for the perfect vessel for just about any pie. And while I am certainly no stranger to the convenience of a pre-made crust, sometimes I want to make a recipe a little special and make the crust, too.
How to make a Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
- 3 (8-ounce) containers frozen whipped topping, thawed (like Cool Whip)
- 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
- 2 (6-ounce) or (9-inch deep dish) prepared graham crackers crusts
Instructions
- In a very large bowl, stir sweetened condensed milk into thawed whipped topping. (Do this by hand, DO NOT use a mixer – an electric mixer can cause the whipped topping to fall which will result in a runny pie.)
- Next, fold in lemonade concentrate.
- Divide the filling between the two pie crusts and chill for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight. (Trust me, it’s going to be A LOT of pie filling, but keep piling it on there. If it’s impossible to fit it all in there, just be excited that you’ve made yourself a little snack with what’s leftover!)
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
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Hi Stacey! Of course I’ve waited til the last minute – but excited to make this for the 4th! Doing it as I write this! Is there anything you could add to make it a bit more tart – since the stores here only have store brand frozen lemonade 🙁 but also don’t want it to taste artifical. ( OR do you think store brands would suffice?) Thanks!
Store brands should be just fine. In fact, one major brand stopped making frozen lemonade concentrate, so store brands may be your only option. I do think you could absolutely add a few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the mixture for more tartness.
Does the lemonade still have ice crystals,kinda slushy?
No, you really need it thawed completely.
Can this be made in a 9×13 pan?
I’ve honestly never tried that, Wanda. I’d imagine if you made your own crust, the lemonade filling for both pies might be enough to fill a 9×13, but I can’t say for sure.
Great pie, tried making it for Mother’s day for friends, but I made the mistake of using an electric mixer on low speed. Only 1 pie came close to firm. Have arthritis in my hands! Made this pie so many times when I was younger and my daughter loved it too!!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Tonya!
In the article’s instructions it says to mix the lemonade and milk, then fold in the cool whip. Down in the recipe instructions it says to fold in the lemonade. So which is it?
The info in the post is more generically about lemonade pie. Follow the instructions in the recipe card. Honestly, it will work either way.
When mixing in lemonade concentrate, is it fully thawed or partially frozen?
It’s so sugary, it never really freezes completely, but you’ll want it mostly thawed for sure.
Can these pies be made ahead and frozen?
Thanks, Stacey.
Yep! Works perfectly!
I just made another No Bake Lemonade Pie, but it didn’t set up. Had to almost drink it. What makes yours set up ? How could I reduce this to only make one PIE ? We are only two people and don’t need two pies. Can it be frozen ? Thanks !
You can certainly freeze it to get it to set. What kind of lemon juice did you use? Yes, you can halve this recipe by using, 1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 (12-ounce) container of Cool Whip, and 1 (6-ounce) can of frozen lemonade concentrate.
I have made this and loved it. I used shortbread crust. and loved it that way also. Yum
That sounds like a great idea!
Can I use frozen fresh lemon juice instead of concentrate? Would the amount be the same (12oz)?
Unfortunately, I don’t think it would work the same.
I made this pie many years ago. I didn’t remember the recipe. Thanks. It’s a great lemon pie without the work and so nice and cool on these hot Mississippi days.
It’s certainly a favorite at our house!
A word to the wise….I bought WM brand frozen “lemonade” to use in this because that is all they had. BIG MISTAKE! Tasted awful, NOTHING like lemonade. From now on I will be using MINUTE MAID lemonade…the pink minute maid lemonade makes it extra tasty. Publix brand is good, too.
Thanks for those tips, Sabrina!!
With the Covid virus around, the grocery stores are out of items. One item missing today was the frozen lemonade? GRRR! I want to make this pie for Friday. Could I substitute a good lemonade with some lemon zest grated in?
Thanks and take care!
Ugh! So sorry to hear you’re having trouble finding the lemonade. Being that it’s concentrate, I’m just not sure that replacing it with lemonade – even with added zest – would give you enough flavor.
I have a Question regarding cutting the recipe down in size to make only one pie. I assume all the ingredients are cut in half even the frozen lemonade concentrate?
Yes, you’d have to cut everything in half – even the lemonade.
This pies seems delicious! Thanks for this beautiful recipe!
Tomorrow is “Tasty Tuesday” for The Week of The Young Child (NAEYC). I’m trying this with my class of two year olds. I’m not sure if they like lemonade, but they love to cook! ????????
I sure hope the little ones will love this!!
Lovely refreshing summertime dessert! I made one change, I have to admit. I used gingersnap crumbs rather than graham crackers, just because it’s what my peeps like for citrus based pies. Give it a try!
Yum! I’m going to try that for sure!
Hi Stacey! Wonderful recipe site, glad I found you! This pie sounds wonderful and will give it a try soon. I have a nice suggestion: With leftover filling, put into tart size crust and share with an older person, friend or neighbor who doesn’t cook for themselves or could use a little dessert. (Although ….. your idea of having the leftover for my own snack sounded pretty ‘right on’ too!!) : < )
What a thoughtful idea! Thanks for sharing, Sherry!
Hi Camilla,
I have a net friend in the UK, and we have exchanged many recipes. She has advised me that Bird’s Dream topping is a great substitute for Cool Whip 🙂
https://www.birdscustard.co.uk/range/dream-topping/
I hope this helps.
Stacey my mom made something similar back in the day. I was excited to try you recipe and I’m happy to report excellent and popular results! This is outstanding and so refreshing on HOT days!
Thanks for the info, Jessi! So glad it turned out great for you!!
Hi,
I was wondering, as a non-American, is there an alternative to Cool Whip? It sounds delicious and so easy but I have no idea what Cool Whip is or what I can use instead. Any ideas?
Thanks!
DELICIOUS! Has to be a frozen pie, though; otherwise, it’s just a big ol’ blob of lemon cool whip! 🙂 I added two drops of lemon oil for an extra zing. Knocks you socks off, babe!
Great addition!
Hi Stacey, love your recipes and stories. I have a dumb question about this pie. Do you freeze it after you make it, or just refrigerate it? Thanks. Looking forward to trying this.
Thanks, Sharon! You can do either, actually. I usually just refrigerate it though.
One of my mother-in-law’s favorite summer deserts but uses a ritz cracker crust instead of graham cracker. Salty and savory instead of so much sweet… Awesome.
Sounds delicious! I love that sweet and salty combo!
I make this with frozen pink lemonade. The color is a pale pink and very refreshing. Helpful hint: keep the Cool Whip fully frozen until ready to use. It will keep the pie from getting to soupy. Definitely a keeper!
I have been making this for years. Made it Just this Saturday. Mostly limeade but once made the mistake of making it with grapefruit juice. It was actually very refreshing….not for everyone but good
Made one with orange juice, a little orange extract )the real stuff – not artificial *blech!*) and a chocolate crust. It’s in the freezer – will let you know the general consensus.
Sounds delish – so creative! 🙂
Was sent a similar recipe, but looked it up on the ‘net for reviews. Many complaints about it being runny. YOUR instructions said to fold, rather than use a mixer, and that made all the difference. I used limeade, and it was a HUGE hit! Added some green food coloring, but that was just me. Today, my husband asked if we had any left. I’d made the two pies and had one left, but told him I’d eaten it all today. He was broken-hearted until I admitted I’d just been teasing.. Will try the lemonade, next time. This is an awesome – and easy – recipe!
Now, I just have to make him eat dinner, first, before dessert!
LOL!! I’m so glad you found a recipe that works for you! I love a limeade pie, too! Thanks so much for taking the time to let em know how it turned out, Gail.
I make a similar pie, but if you add 3 ounces of softened cream cheese it makes even richer. And once I added a small, drained can of crushed pineapple, too. I grate a little lemon zest on top for decoration and extra tang.
LOVE this pie!
Delicious and so easy. I made this for a family reunion recently. It was a big hit. I’ve had request for the recipe. Thanks, keep them coming.
Wonderful! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back and letting me know! 🙂
Hi, there, Stacey! I made this over the weekend & it was wonderful! Very cool & refreshing. Thank you for sharing it with us. Definitely a recipe I plan on making again & again.
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
is the lemonade concentrate frozen or thawed?
It’s frozen, but it’ll be thawed by the time it’s all mixed in. 🙂
Do you think it would be okay to use Cool Whip Lite in this? What about fat free condensed milk?
My guess is it would be just fine. They might not be as light and fluffy as the original version, but I’m sure the taste would still be spot on. Let me know how it turns out so we can share the lighter version with everyone else. 🙂
The first time I made these my husband wanted to know why I made so many-I divided mine into three. They were all gone within a week. Love these pies!! These would really be refreshing on a hot day like today ;o)!!!!
sounds delish, plan on making one as soon as I can get to the store for the lemomade, have all the rest. I’m use to making the old fashion kind with fresh lemon juice but this sounds so much easier and better. It’s in the 100’s here also.
Yuuu-uuummmm! As a serious non-cook, I can’t wait to try this. Perhaps serve the leftover mix in a dish surrounded by Nilla Wafers or some such cookie?