This tangy dessert is near and dear to my heart. Each year I travel to Montana for the Fourth of July weekend and, nearly every holiday, pink lemonade pie is a staple for us. This recipe is incredibly easy, which is why I love it for the summertime. 

Sickly-sweet desserts can make the summer feel even heavier, so pink lemonade pie is the perfect way to fulfill your sugar hankering without all of that.

Ingredients:

1 8-oz. Tub of extra creamy whipped cream 

Note: I would not recommend canned whipped cream mostly because I have never tried it. Usually, a tub of Cool Whip is sufficient. 

6 ounces frozen pink lemonade

Note: I found this in the frozen aisle at Safeway, but note that you can always make your own pink lemonade by soaking lemons in water overnight, then adding some strawberries, sugar and mint to the mixture. If you want the frozen lemonade, which I recommend because it leaves less setting time for the pie, just stick that in a non-glass container and put that in the freezer. 

Graham cracker pie crust 

Note: I recommend the 9’’ one if you go with these proportions. You can also make your own by crushing graham crackers in a gallon-sized zipped bag with a roller pin and then shaping it into a pie tin with some sugar and melted butter. Who has time for that, though, amirite?

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Optional ingredients and garnishes: 

Lemon wedges

Mint leaves

Red food coloring

Pro-tip: Pullman Wal-Mart sells physical baby mint plants that I definitely recommend. Mint leaves smell wonderful, brighten your indoor or outdoor area, and are generally great garnishes for a lot of dishes. I also like to shave lemon into my sink when I’m done cleaning because it helps freshen the kitchen area. 

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I use spatulas or flat wooden spoons to scoop out the whipped cream and frozen lemonade, but honestly, this is the easiest step ever. For a gorgeous baby pink color I added about a tablespoon of red food coloring, but start slow and you can usually just eye it. 

Mix until the combination is smooth. The pie won’t taste exactly how it will once set, but you can taste to decide if you want to add more lemonade for that tangy flavor. I personally enjoy the sourness of the pie so I’ll add about 7 ounces of it as well as some lemon zest that I grate into the pie (this is totally personal preference).

Throw that baby in the fridge! It takes roughly 45 minutes to set, but I took it out after about 30 to finish decorating and then popped it back in the fridge. I also recommend placing it toward the back of your refrigerator if you added whipped cream and lemon garnishes because it tends to get colder back there. 

Slice and you’re ready to go! I loved preparing this pie and each bite feels like a splash of cool water on a hot July day.