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4.63 stars (83 ratings)Aug 12, 2019 87
Easy, creamy frozen strawberry lemonade pie in a buttery graham cracker crust makes the perfect summer dessert. Simple and so refreshing!
Summer is still a few weeks from being over, and my question to you is: have you had enough frozen pie to make your summer perfect?
If not, please let me introduce you to this frozen strawberry lemonade pie. It’s so easy, so refreshing, and so very delicious.
Frozen pie for the win
This pie could just as easily be called strawberry ice cream pie because the creamy texture of the frozen pie is very ice cream-ish even though ice cream doesn’t appear anywhere in the lineup of ingredients.
If you’ve lived the life of one who has experienced the no-churn ice cream trend, you’ll understand what I mean. Combining whipped heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk and then freezing (no ice cream maker needed!) gives a startling resemblance to good old fashioned ice cream.
And that’s *kind of* what’s happening here.
In addition to those two ingredients, we also have:
- a graham cracker crust (yum)
- a quick and easy fresh strawberry syrup
- fresh lemon zest and juice
The lemon flavor, while subtle (you could add lemon extract to give it a little lemony boost if you’d like), is partly what helps makes this pie so delightful and refreshing.
After the graham cracker crust gets a quick bake in the oven and cools, it’s piled high with the fluffy, creamy, glorious, strawberry lemonade filling.Is now the right time to divulge that the pie also has a delicious strawberry cheesecake vibe as well? Yum. Like, really yum.
I, for one, am committing to a lot more frozen pie in my future. Hope you love this one!
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Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Pie
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 hours hrs
Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 6 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
4.63 stars (83 ratings)
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Ingredients
Crust:
- 12 (170 g) rectangle graham crackers
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) salted butter, melted
Filling:
- 3 cups (about 510 g) chopped strawberries
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 6 ounces (170 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
Instructions
For the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Finely crush the graham crackers. Stir in the sugar and melted butter and stir until evenly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch or 9.5-inch pie plate. Bake until lightly golden, 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
For the filling, add the chopped strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons water to a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Let the mixture cook for 5-6 minutes until the strawberries are really soft.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the solids with a large spoon or spatula (you’ll only be using the liquid, not the solids). You should have about 1 cup of strawberry puree. *If you have more, only use 1 cup for the recipe.* Let the syrup cool completely.
In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the cream cheese until soft and creamy. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the cooled syrup, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until smooth and creamy.
In a separate bowl (or in a high-powered blender), beat the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the strawberry cream cheese mixture until evenly combined.
Spread the filling evenly into the cooled crust (it will be piled fairly high, especially if using a 9-inch pie plate). It will thicken as it freezes. Freeze until firm, about 4-5 hours. I let it freeze completely and then cover with plastic wrap.
Remove the pie from the freezer about 10-15 minutes before serving. Slice with a sharp knife dipped into hot water and wiped clean (repeat between slices, if needed). Serve with fresh strawberries as a garnish, optional.
Notes
Make-Ahead: the strawberry puree/syrup can be made up to a week in advance. Well-covered, the pie should keep well in the freezer for several weeks.
Serving: 1 Slice, Calories: 610kcal, Carbohydrates: 66g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 21g, Cholesterol: 114mg, Sodium: 370mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 51g
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Recipe Source: adapted from the Food Network Magazine
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posted on August 12, 2019 (last updated October 6, 2022)
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Leave a Reply
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Arlene O. — Reply
Delicious and so refreshing in the southern heat we’re experiencing this weekend. It’s a bit of a test of patience lol, but a yummy end result so I would definitely recommend anyone to give it a try sometime!
I did 1.5x the recipe to fit in a 9×13 pan and it worked out great. Thanks so much for all you share with us, Mel!
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Arlene O. — Reply
I forgot to add that I kept the strawberries the same and just used the full amount of puree (1.5 cups), and that worked great.
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Debbie — Reply
Can you double the recipe and put it in a 9×13 pan? I need a dessert for a family gathering.
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Mel — Reply
See AlsoSparkling Strawberry LemonadeStrawberry Lemonade PieStrawberry Lemonade Cake with Sweet and Tart Lemon Curd Filling - Cake by CourtneyHomemade Strawberry Lemonade | WholefullyI think so (haven’t tried it myself). A 1 1/2 batch might be enough for a 9X13-inch pan.
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Arlene O. — Reply
Thanks for that suggestion, Mel! 1.5x was the right amount to fit nicely in my 9×13 pan. I did not increase the strawberries, though, since so many said they ended up with about 1.5 c of puree, and that’s what I ended up with, too.
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Mel — Reply
Glad it worked out, Arlene! Thanks for the report back.
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Holly W — Reply
Made this for a small family gathering over the weekend and it was a big hit! I didn’t change the ingredients at all but I did change the amounts so I wouldn’t have leftover filling and to have enough servings for everyone. I used all the strawberry syrup (about 1.5 cups), all the cream cheese (8 oz), all the whipping cream (2 cups/1 pint) and increased the lemon juice to 1/2 cup. I also slightly increased the graham crackers (15) but could have used a couple more and butter (2.25 Tablespoons). I baked the crust in a 10″ springform pan. There was more than enough room for all the filling. It was easy to cover and freeze and made plenty for the 10 people at our dinner. It’s a great summer treat for sure!
Rating: 5
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Sabrina — Reply
Delicious! Perfect for summer!
Rating: 5
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Lindsey — Reply
Could I use frozen strawberries?
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Mel — Reply
Yes, I think you probably could!
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Dami — Reply
Hubby doesn’t like cream cheese and I cannot have it, so do you think a combo of mascarpone and sour cream would work instead? This sounds so good!
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Mel — Reply
Definitely worth a try! I haven’t tried it myself so I’m not sure but I think it stands a good chance of working.
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Dami — Reply
Thank you for the quick response. This looks so good.
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Leslie M — Reply
I’ve made this a couple times this summer and it’s so.good. I made the following adjustments:
bought the small graham cracker crusts. I was just feeling lazy.
Used all 8 oz cream cheese and 2 c cream
Used all the strawberry syrup (well, up to 1.5 cups). I think the second time I still just had 1 cup and it turned out great still.And that made two pies.
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Jamie Zimmer — Reply
I made this for a small bridal shower (COVID style) around the pool. So delicious! A perfect summer dessert! Everyone loved it!
Rating: 5
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Yvette — Reply
Can cool whip be used instead of the cream….?
I make a lemonade pie using just about the same ingredients is why I’m asking..-
Mel — Reply
Could definitely try!
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Kathryn — Reply
My son wanted to learn to cook/bake this summer so we chose this recipe. Based on the comments about extra filling, my son choose the spring form pan of the options I gave him because he wanted lots. Best decision as it filled it up a decent amount. This was a bit of an involving recipe but it went smoothly enough and he was a great helper. We cooked the crust in a turkey roaster outside to keep the heat down in the house.
Rating: 5
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Mel — Reply
Proud of your son!
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Kesa — Reply
Another winner Mel! This is exactly what it says, it taste just like a frozen strawberry lemonade. The best part, my 8 year old did most of it and couldn’t have been more proud!
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Trena — Reply
My BFF made this for me for dessert one night and it was amazing!!! So delicious and a perfect summer dessert. I’m still dreaming of it. We will have to make it again soon! Thanks for a good one!
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Mel — Reply
Thanks for letting me know!
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Kerri Andersen — Reply
Man this was not a disappointment at all! I found it was good after about 24 hours in the freezer, but even better after 48 hours. My brother, sister in law, and husband all a loved it and they aren’t the easiest to please. I haven’t had people rave about a dessert so much in a long time, and I bake desserts a lot! This was a labor I’d love I’d say and was going to be really annoyed if it wasn’t amazing, and it did not disappoint. Also, the leftover warm strawberries were a dessert in and of itself for my little girls. They gobbled them up. This is definitely a dessert I will make every summer!
Rating: 5
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Mel — Reply
Thank you for taking the time to review this recipe, Kerri! Glad it was a hit for you and everyone you served it to!
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Sarah — Reply
I needed two pies so doubled the filling recipe and easily had enough for three. I liked it – it’s refreshing and a little tart (and a pretty color!) – but it tastes more like lemon than strawberry. Next time I’ll probably purée the entire strawberry concoction and only strain the seeds. I also omitted the sugar from the crust.
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Mel — Reply
Thanks for the review, Sarah!
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Sarah — Reply
I just made this pie again for Mother’s Day but tweaked the quantities a little bit so I wouldn’t have leftover ingredients. I used all 8 oz. of the block of cream cheese, rather than just 6 oz. And I used 1 pint of heavy whipping cream (2 cups) rather than 1 1/4 cups. After simmering the strawberry sauce I pureed it all in a blender and then strained it through cheesecloth to catch the seeds. I ended up with about 1 1/2 cups of strawberry sauce and I used it all in the filling. They were out of graham crackers at the store so I bought two ready-made graham cracker crusts and the filling was the perfect amount for two pies.
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Bree — Reply
Made it! Loved it! Turned out perfectly! Thanks so much!
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Mel — Reply
Thank you, Bree!
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Adrienne — Reply
I was so excited to make this, but I don’t think it turned out like it was supposed to.
My filling was very liquidy; I poured it into the crust, but there was no way it was going to fit. So, I dumped it back into the bowl, put the crust into the freezer and out the bowl of filling into the fridge for a bit for it maybe to firm up a bit. I attempted a second time to put the filling in the crust and have just transferred it to the freezer; I’m REALLY hoping it’ll freeze through. I’m so disappointed.
Upon re-reading the recipe and the comment thread, I’ve discovered that perhaps I added in too much strawberry syrup? I made the recipe for the syrup as asked but then dumped in all of it. I didn’t even think to remeasure it and clearly didn’t read the steps where it mentions 1 cup.
I’m sharing this only because there were questions about adding more syrup, and I would definitely say, “don’t!”See AlsoStrawberry Lemonade Pie Recipe-
Mel — Reply
Darn! Sorry this didn’t work out so well for you, Adrienne! I’ll make the note more clear in the recipe about only using 1 cup.
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Bethany — Reply
I can’t believe I’m saying this about a Mel recipe, but this was not for me. It came together just as you explained, so no complaints there. But I was just a little heavier than I was expecting, more cream cheese than strawberry lemonade flavoring. I think I was expecting a fluffy/light taste. On a positive note, I used the solid part of the strawberries that didn’t go through the strainer on the overnight oatmeal pancakes this morning. That was delicious!
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Bethany — Reply
Lol…oops, “I” was probably heavier after eating, but it did mean to say “it”. :,-
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Mel — Reply
Sorry you didn’t love this one, Bethany!
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Gwen — Reply
My in-laws are lemon zealots–only unadulterated lemon desserts will suffice for family functions. I have become less and less of a lemonphile the longer I have eaten exclusively lemon desserts. My husband didn’t want me to rock the boat with strawberries, but I made this pie for a family function anyways. It was a smash hit! Everybody loved it!!!! Thank you so much Mel <3
Rating: 5
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Mel — Reply
Yesss! So happy to hear that, Gwen!
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Erin — Reply
The best dessert I’ve ever eaten this was perfect in every way.
There was quite a bit of extra filling, but I froze it in a bowl and ate it like ice cream for 2 weeks, so no complaints here .
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Mel — Reply
Haha, sounds like a great way to take care of the extras!
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Nicole — Reply
Made it to celebrate the first day of school after dinner with the family. Everyone loved it. I didn’t have graham crackers but I did have those Mexican fluffier graham crackers (they were cheaper when I made s’mores last time!) thy worked great still and a little less sweet in a good way. My fav part though was the strawberry pulp leftover I didn’t want to waste so I thought it looked kinda like chunky jam and I put it in the fridge and have been spreading it on toast and it’s amazing! Thanks for another great recipe!
Rating: 4
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Mel — Reply
Awesome way to use up the strawberry leftovers, Nicole! glad you loved this recipe – thanks so much for letting me know!
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Amy — Reply
Thanks for this recipe! It is a nice balance of tangy flavor from the strawberries and lemon and the cream. Delicious!
Rating: 5
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Mel — Reply
Thanks, Amy!
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Holly — Reply
So if I end up with more than a cup of syrup should I just measure out a cup after it cools? Reduce it? It’s about 1.5 cups, but I didn’t weigh the strawberries, just measured 3 cups of the cut up berries in a quart measuring bowl. Should have weighed them
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Holly — Reply
Oops – just read the response to someone else with the same question. Got it! Use 1 cup. (Throw the rest in a smoothie or over waffles?) haha
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Brittany — Reply
How would you recommend transporting this and still keeping firm? Wanting to make it for my moms birthday!
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Mel — Reply
If it’s in a cooler with ice, it should travel pretty well.
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Anne — Reply
My family loved this pie and could not stop eating it! It’s all gone after one night. I cheated though and used an already prepared crust and my delicious strawberry freezer jam for syrup. Worked great and came together quickly. Thank you!
Rating: 4.5
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Mel — Reply
Great shortcuts, Anne!
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Mel — Reply
Glad you found your answer, Holly! Hope you enjoyed this pie! I suppose you could throw the whole 1 1/2 cups in there just not sure how that would affect the texture of the pie.
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Rikki — Reply
Made this today for dessert on Sunday. I have a regular old pie dish so I had extra filling that I put into two ramekins. I just had one of them and it is soooo good even without the crust! Can’t wait to have it on Sunday!
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Mel — Reply
Yay! Glad you loved the flavor, Rikki!
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Valerie — Reply
Question. I would love to make this for a church dinner, but it may be at room temperature for an hour or so if I did. Will that matter? I would take it there frozen of course…
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Mel — Reply
Hmmm…I definitely think an hour might be pushing it unless you can maybe keep it in a cooler with ice?
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Patricia — Reply
Hi Mel – made this today and it is freezing as I type! I was a little over zealous with whipping the heavy cream so I ended up with more stiff peaks than soft – hey, a little texture never hurt anyone, right? There was some mix that didn’t fit in the crust so I poured it in a container and am freezing that as well – thanks for another delicious recipe!
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Mel — Reply
How did it turn out, Patricia?
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Patricia — Reply
So creamy and refreshing! No one noticed the heavy cream bits 🙂
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Deborah — Reply
I am making two of these this weekend.
Can I use unsweetened frozen strawberries?-
Mel — Reply
I think so – although you might omit the water or decrease it since frozen strawberries will have more liquid.
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Holly — Reply
I’ve already volunteered to bring this for Sunday dinner. Even though we really only need one pie I’m seriously considering making one strawberry and one raspberry
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Catherine — Reply
Hi Mel, I must have very juicy berries! I have about 1.5 cups of strawberry puree/syrup..do I just use 1 cup for the recipe?
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Mel — Reply
Yes, I’d probably stick with the 1 cup so the consistency and texture of the pie is still creamy!
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Tanya M — Reply
This looks delicious! I’m going to try it with raspberries since my bushes are loaded with berries and I can only make so much freezer jam! 🙂
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Mel — Reply
I bet it will be so tasty with raspberries!
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Lexie Cooper — Reply
I saw this post and had to make it today for my birthday. Best birthday pie ever! It is so good!! I made two pies…and now I have leftovers. #winningatlife
Rating: 5
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Mel — Reply
You are the best for making this so fast – and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Seriously, I hope it was the best day. (Phew, so glad the pie was a hit, I’d feel super guilty if you made it for your birthday and hated it).
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Lexie Cooper — Reply
I wasn’t worried at all. My family loves your site and everything we make is wonderful. If there is ever a question about something, you will always hear “well how does Mel do it?”
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Mel — Reply
Thanks, Lexie! 🙂
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Amy W. — Reply
Okay. You know how I feel about making pies- even frozen ones! But I just might have to fight the bullet and get some pie-making done. Now that I’ve seen it, I’m not sure I can live without it! Thanks, girl! Looks fab!!
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Amy W. — Reply
Ugh. Bite the bullet. Will autocorrect never be my friend?
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Megan H. — Reply
Simply delicious! And it divided perfectly into 24 mini cupcake sized pies for the ladies at a church!
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Mel — Reply
What a great idea to make them mini size, Megan!
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Ashley — Reply
Can’t wait to try this!! Do you have suggestions for use of the discarded strawberries?
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Mel — Reply
Great for fruit leather (the rare times I do that, just use parchment on a baking sheet and use a low heat oven) or tossed in a smoothie!
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Dawn — Reply
In your opinion, would it still set if omitting the 1/2 C sugar for the strawberry syrup? Thanks for posting! It looks delicious!
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Mel — Reply
I’m not sure – the sugar definitely helps the strawberry syrup thicken up but you could cook the strawberries a bit longer and see how it works out.
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Sarah — Reply
I would omit the sugar in the crust instead if you’re trying to reduce the amount of sugar and calories. I never add sugar to a graham cracker crust and it’s always sweet enough.
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Jennifer — Reply
Hey Mel! This looks amazing. How would you compare the sweetness level of this pie with your Magnolia Lemon pie? That one was delish, but just a tad sweet for our tastes. Could the sweetened condensed milk be reduced to half the can?
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Mel — Reply
This is definitely a sweet pie (the lemon juice helps offset it a little) but you could play around with using less sweetened condensed milk (not sure how it would affect the overall texture but it would probably be ok – If using half the can, I’d probably dial down the cream cheese to 4 ounces)
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Marilyn — Reply
Oh my goodness, this looks so refreshing and delicious. It’s on my new recipes to make list. You are so awesome
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Mel — Reply
Thanks, Marilyn!
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Elita@BusyNeedleQuilting — Reply
I love that you use fresh ingredients for your recipes! When I moved to Europe, I had to re-learn how to cook as there will be little access to a tin of this or box of that ready-made anything! Looking forward to making this soon!
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Mel — Reply
Thank you, Elita! Cooking from scratch definitely helps when you are in an area where prepared mixes/ingredients are hard to find!
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Marie — Reply
I’m coming in from Africa so I appreciate fresh ingredient recipes too! We actually can get strawberries right now and I have a lemon tree in my yard so this will have to be on my to make list. Can I do it without cream cheese as that is not so valiable? I have to sub other biscuits for graham crackers but it works
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Marie — Reply
Correction- available!
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Mel — Reply
Hi Marie! Do you have something else that could sub in for the substance of the cream cheese? Like a smooth ricotta or mascarpone?
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Paige Flamm — Reply
Oh yum! My birthday is in a couple weeks, and I’ll definitely be sending this recipe to my husband!
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Lori — Reply
Well that pie looks rather delicious! Where do I put my order in? 🙂
I’ll have to add it to my Mel recipes to make sometime.
