

There’s something about the word “lemonade” that just makes me smile! It transports me back to my childhood and carefree summer days on Snail Lake beach in Shoreview, Minnesota (a St Paul suburb in the Twin Cities). Combine the flavors of tangy lemonade with sweet fresh berries, and that’s the taste captured in this effortless summer dessert.

To keep kitchen time to a bare minimum, cause who wants to be stuck inside when the sun is shining on a beautiful summer day, a store-bought graham cracker crust (or any cookie-based crust) serves as the base for this pie. The other ingredients are two packages of softened cream cheese, lemon juice, optional lemon zest, sweetened condensed milk, whipping cream, and blackberry jam. Garnish with fresh blackberries and fresh mint leaves for a show-stopping presentation.

If you have a fresh lemon, use it! The fresh lemon will provide both the optional zest (which enhances the lemony tang) and some lemon juice. Squeezing a lemon will yield between a quarter to a third cup of juice. This recipe requires ¾ cup; use bottled lemon juice to top off the fresh juice. If you don’t have a fresh lemon, just use bottled lemon juice and forget about the zest.

Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and add the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and, if using, the lemon zest.

I opted for making my own whipped cream. However, if you want to make this pie super easy – substitute the pint of heavy whipping cream for a tub of whipped topping, like Cool Whip eliminating the need for the added sugar and the time it takes to whip the cream. If you want the freshness of using real cream, as I used, beat the cream and sugar into stiff peaks.

Fold the whipped cream (or whipped topping) into the cream cheese mixture. Folding is a culinary term for gently combining two different weights into one smooth mixture. First, the lighter mixture (the whipped cream) is placed on the heavier (cream cheese) mixture. Then combine them by passing a spatula down through the mixture, across the bottom, and over the top. This motion traps air into bubbles to keep the blend fluffy.

Spoon the combined mixture into the pie crust. In a microwave-safe bowl or Pyrex measure cup, melt the blackberry jam in 30-second increments.

Allow to cool and drizzle on top of the pie. Use a table knife to create swirls in the cream filling. Decorate with fresh blackberries. If you have fresh mint, the green adds a pop of color.

The beauty of this recipe is that the lemonade filling will work with any berry – blueberries, raspberries, or even sliced strawberries. Simply use the corresponding flavor of jam. Too easy! Enjoy this delicious pie all summer long.
Blackberry Lemonade Pie
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes4-6
HoursEnjoy the cool, refreshing taste of lemonade and fresh berries in this super easy no-bake summer pie. Make this tangy-sweet creamy, lemony filling in minutes served in a store-bought graham cracker crust and garnished with fresh berries and mint in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
1 graham cracker pie crust
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
Optional: 1 teaspoon lemon zest
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream (see notes)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup seedless blackberry jam, melted and cooled
Optional Garnish: Fresh blackberries and mint leaves
Directions
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat for one minute. Mix in the lemon juice and zest and beat until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, beat the cream and sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Spread into the prepared crust.
- Spoon the blackberry preserves over the lemon filling. Swirl gently with a sharp knife. Cover and refrigerate until firm, 4-6 hours.
Notes
- Blackberries: Substitute blueberries, raspberries, or sliced strawberries with the corresponding flavored jam.
- Lemon juice: A fresh lemon will only yield about ¼ – 1/3 cup juice. Use bottled lemon juice to top off to ¾ cup.
- Shortcut: Substitute whipped topping (Cool Whip) for the whipping cream and sugar. No need to whip, just stir into cream cheese mixture.
More easy pie recipes…
😎Check out all my Summertime recipes!😎
