Frozen Lemonade Pie is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite treats of all time, but I’ve always been a little hesitant to post it because it’s so dang easy. Not that we’re not all about easy, but we’re talking easy enough that a really smart monkey could make it. Not only is it easy, it’s majorly delicious. It’s cold, creamy, and perfect for pulling out last minute when you need a sweet little pick-me-up. It would also make a great little treat for Mother’s Day!
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Crust
If desired, you can use a prepared graham cracker crust or several of the small prepared graham cracker tart crusts.
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Granulated sugar
- Butter
Pie Filling
- Cool whip
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Frozen lemonade concentrate – Thawed. You’ll only use part of this, unless you’re making a lot of pies! You can use lemonade, pink lemonade, or even limeade concentrate here.
- Lemon – Optional. If the filling mixture is too sweet for your taste, you can add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice it kick things up a notch.
- Food coloring – Also optional. Use this if you’d like to accentuate the yellow or pink color of lemonade or pink lemonade pie, or the green color of limeade pie.
Supplies
- Mason jars – You’ll want 8 of the 8 ounce squatty jars or 16 of the 4 ounce ones. I used the 8 ounce jars here, but I found myself wishing I had used the 4 ounce ones for a daintier portion.
How to Make Frozen Lemonade Pie in a Jar
- For the crust you’ll combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and that distribute that mixture evenly between your jars. If you’re using 8 ounce jars, you’ll need about 3 heaping tablespoons per jar. If using 4 ounce jars, you’ll need 2 level tablespoons of crust mixture. Lightly press the crumbs onto the bottom and partially up the sides of the jars.
- For the filling, you’ll fold together the Cool Whip and sweetened condensed milk. Then fold in the thawed, but still cold lemonade concentrate.
- Divide the filling between the prepared jars and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm.
- When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and allow to stand for 5 minutes before digging in.
Storing and Other Tips
- When pressing your crust, keep in mind that these are going in the freezer and will solidify a lot. Also keep in mind that graham cracker crust that is hard to eat will only lead to heartache and sorrow, and since we don’t want to be the cause of any kind of heartache, don’t press the crust in too firmly.
- These little pies would be an easy and adorable little treat for Mother’s Day. Print this label out, buy some cute ribbon, punch a hole in the corner, tie it onto the jar, and you have a happy mom.
Frequently Asked Questions
For best quality I recommend enjoying these within the first week. That said, they can still be good for up to 3 months in the freezer if the lids are tightly sealed.
These are best just barely thawed. They will still taste good if they thaw all the way, but the filling will be very light and loose.
Definitely! If making for an event, I would plan freezing no more than a week in advance for best texture.
Yes, but there may be some subtle differences in texture and thaw times. If you’re going to use cream, I recommend using sweetened, freshly whipped heavy cream.
Frozen Lemonade Pie in a Jar
Equipment
- squatty Mason jars 8 (8-ounce) jars or 16 (4-ounce) jars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- 12 ounces 1 ½ small containers of COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
- 1 14- ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 8 ounces lemonade concentrate thawed, but still cold
- Optional: 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Optional: 4 drops red food coloring and 1 drop yellow food coloring
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and toss with a fork or your fingers to combine. If using 8-ounce jars, lightly press 3 heaping tablespoons of the graham cracker mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of each jar. If using 4-ounce jars, use 2 level tablespoons. Set the jars aside.
- In a large bowl, gently fold together the COOL WHIP and sweetened condensed milk. Add the lemonade concentrate. If desired, add the lemon juice and food coloring. Evenly distribute the filling among the jars. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Notes
- Feel free to use a prepared pie crust and make one pie, or the small individual graham tart crusts from the baking aisle.
- When pressing your crust, keep in mind that these are going in the freezer and will solidify a lot. Also keep in mind that graham cracker crust that is hard to eat will only lead to heartache and sorrow, and since we don’t want to be the cause of any kind of heartache, don’t press the crust in too firmly.
- These little pies would be an easy and adorable little treat for Mother’s Day. Print this label out, buy some cute ribbon, punch a hole in the corner, tie it onto the jar, and you have a happy mom.
Questions & Reviews
Love love LOVE this idea! I’m off to find some jars and see how many different kinds of pies in jars I can make! 🙂 Thanks for being awesome . . .
We make this (only we call it ‘Pink Lemonade Dessert’ and reserve some of the crumb mixture to sprinkle on top for garnish) in my family and it is really the only justification for Cool Whip I’ve found. A little food snobby, but not really since I DO use/love it in this recipe, right? Memories of summer – 4th of July at ‘the lake’, sweet and tart and salty/sweet graham cracker crust all at the same time. And about anything with sweetened condensed milk gets my vote!
I’ve never heard anyone say they felt stabby…but that one line totally hit my funny bone! Heat and pregnancy do not mix! I know the psychosis it causes, ha ha! This looks amazing, and so easy my toddler can help make it. and I was just wondering what to do with these last few hours before husband comes home:-)
Holy yumminess!!! That looks divine!! I would be OK if those were taking up all my freezer space too!!!
This is too adorable for words….sweet
so going to make these.
Thanks so much!
Happy Day
So, I think that this is a perfect gift for my son’s teachers. Anything I should be aware of other than putting a little less of the filling in the jar if I use the lids?
Nope! Super easy! 🙂
Totally off subject, but I guess I’m the only one wondering why in the world you are legally required to wear pants. Was that a joke? Or what’s it all about? I can’t imagine having to wear pants in 94 degree weather.
Oh, I’m using the term “pants” pretty liberally–I pretty much don’t want anything on my bottom half. Dresses are my BFF right now, but I only have so many and I can’t wear them to doctor’s appointments unless I want to give them a peep show (that is, of course, until the measuring stops and the REAL peep show begins in a few weeks. Sorry about the TMI, haha). 🙂
Hahahaha! You make me laugh, Kate. 🙂
Where can you get the cute, squatty jars?
Check the canning aisle of Walmart and/or your favorite grocery store. I never had a hard time finding the 8 ounce ones in Utah, but they’re hard to find in Louisiana, although I have found them at Ace Hardware. I’ve always been able to easily find the 4 ounce ones. OR you could order them from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jarden-Home-Brands-Mouth-Canning/dp/B0000BYD0F/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1335998165&sr=8-20
Thanks!
I grew up with my mother making this…but as a normal pie, not in jars. To top it off she would shave a chocolate bar on the top. She used yellow lemonade not pink though. This is such a refreshing pie for a hot summer day! It always goes fast because everyone loves it!!
these sound yummy, simple, and inexpensive… but was wondering what you thought of a sugar cookie crust instead of graham cracker? (unfortunately its not very warm in NY yet, send some weather my way! hehe)
For sure! It would be awesome. And take ALL the hot weather you want… 🙂