Food and Recipes Holiday and Occasion Food 30 Quick Summer Pie Recipes For A Simple Delight Summer is all about easy, and these pies are perfect make-ahead treats. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Hector Sanchez; Food Styling: Erin Merhar; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas These fun pies are the perfect make-ahead treat for backyard barbecues and cookouts. It may be hot outside, but that doesn't mean ice cream is the only choice for a delectable dessert. Grab a slice of crumb-crust pie, and settle in for the summer. Here are some easy recipes for refreshing takes on classic Southern desserts. The Mixed Stone-Fruit Pie is an excellent choice for a quick sweet treat thanks to its no-cook filling. For a simple Southern delight, spend a few minutes in the kitchen preparing a Peach Divinity Icebox Pie or a Praline Key Lime Pie. Summer days in the South may be steamy, but our recipes for quick and easy icebox pies will have you chilling all season long. 01 of 30 Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie with Lemon-Blueberry Topping Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas This crowd-pleasing classic dessert shows us why icebox pies are a busy cook's best friend. In 20 minutes, this Graham Cracker Crust fills with the zesty flavoring of lemon juice, buttermilk, and sweetened condensed milk. The five-ingredient Lemon-Blueberry Topping pairs perfectly with this pie. 02 of 30 Mixed Stone-Fruit Pie Alison Miksch A no-cook filling makes a dreamy base for an icebox pie piled with freshly cut fruit. Plan and leave at least 12 hours to chill in the refrigerator. Choose your favorite stone fruits to top this pie. 03 of 30 Peach Divinity Icebox Pie Hector Sanchez This pie combines two of the South's favorite flavors: fresh peaches and fluffy, creamy divinity candy. Thinly sliced peaches and peach preserves, folded in with Sweetened Whipped Cream, help assemble this classic summer treat. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and even more peach slices. 04 of 30 Key Lime-Buttermilk Icebox Pie Hector Sanchez; Food Styling: Erin Merhar; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Whisk up a bowl of nearly instant filling, pour it into a foolproof crumb crust, and pop it in the freezer. Allow at least four to six hours for the pie to chill properly. Top with Sweetened Whipped Cream for this new twist on a classic dessert. 05 of 30 Strawberry-Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Strawberry and lemon are a classic summer pairing. From the satiny sheen of the filling to the mounds of fresh fruit piled on top, there is much beauty in an icebox pie, but none more than its sheer simplicity. Wait until you are ready to serve to top the pie with the strawberry mixture. 06 of 30 Mango-Lemon-Buttermilk Icebox Pie Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas This icebox dessert is simple, sweet, and perfect on warm summer nights. Crushed saltine crackers form the base for this tropical pie. Zesty lemon and mango are a perfect pairing to create this light, indulgent treat. 07 of 30 Praline Key Lime Pie Jennifer Davick This chilled, creamy pie is the dessert equivalent of a swimming hole—so refreshing you can't help but dive in. Garnish with lime slices and lime zest curls, if desired. Plus, a pie that only requires a half hour of active cooking time is perfect for busy summer nights. 08 of 30 Rebecca's Black Bottom Icebox Pie Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas This pie might be the best chocolate dessert with a rich, creamy filling and melt-in-your-mouth crust. Bittersweet chocolate and dark rum combine to form a decadent filling in this chocolate wafer crust. Garnish with whipped cream and shaved bittersweet chocolate. 09 of 30 Zesty Lemon Pie Jennifer Davick Impress your guests or family with the goodness of classic lemon icebox pie. This recipe features a from-scratch buttery crust, lemony-rich baked filling, and homemade whipped cream. This made-for-summer dessert is bright and bursting with flavor. 10 of 30 Strawberry Lemonade Pie Micah A. Leal Store-bought ingredients help this refreshing pie assemble quickly. The combination of strawberry and lemon is a bright, sweet, and zesty mixture made from chopped strawberries and frozen lemonade concentrate. This flavorful treat is as beautiful as it is delicious. 11 of 30 No-Bake Lemon Icebox Pie Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hilegas This no-bake pie couldn't be simpler. This bright and refreshing pie, with an old-school graham cracker crust, has just the right amount of tangy and zesty flavoring. To help the pie hold, firmly press the mixture into the crust. 12 of 30 Fudge Pie Iain Bagwell Use your favorite store-bought or homemade pie crust and fill it with a simple, decadent chocolate mixture. The chocolate mixture adds chopped pecans for a fudgy pie that resembles a Thanksgiving pecan pie. This recipe is as simple as mixing, pouring, and chilling. 13 of 30 Piña Colada Icebox Pie Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm This creamy pineapple pie, topped with lightly toasted shaved coconut, pineapple wedges, fresh pineapple, and mint sprigs, is one sweet slice of down-home delicious. Pecan shortbread cookies add a double dose of richness to the buttery crust. Pulsing cookies in a food processor is a quick way to create crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, gently crush cookies with a rolling pin or mallet. 14 of 30 Banana Pudding Pie Darcy Lenz Pie doesn't get much easier or better than this tasty twist on banana pudding. Once you try our speedy version of homemade custard, you'll never make instant pudding again. If you're a big fan of vanilla wafers, pick up an extra box and tuck a few into the meringue before baking. For party-pretty slices, dip the knife blade in cold water or lightly coat it with vegetable cooking spray. 15 of 30 Strawberry Icebox Cake Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Homemade has never been so simple. Start by beating the whipping cream, jam, and vanilla until combined. Next, pour the pie filling into a chocolate wafer cookie crust. Decorate with fresh strawberries. 16 of 30 Icebox Cheesecake Allrecipes A summery mix of fresh-picked berries adds a sweet burst of flavor to this versatile cheesecake pie. Create a new twist by pairing the filling with a chocolate or pretzel crust. Mascarpone cheese can substitute for cream cheese, and you can customize toppings to your preferences. Any choice is a good one! When you're ready to serve, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife to cut through the filling and crust, then insert a pie server underneath each slice and lift from the pan. 17 of 30 Cheesecake Tarts Van Chaplin We lightened up one of our favorite cheesecake recipes for a delicious (and guilt-free) summer indulgence. Instead of baking the batter in a spring-form pan, we used a set of four-inch tart pans with removable bottoms. Fresh nectarines and a colorful medley of berries add the finishing touch. 18 of 30 Watermelon Pie Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox A chilled dessert made out of watermelon screams a summertime snack. The heavy cream and mascarpone cheese mixture are thicker than traditionally whipped mixtures, so it won't melt as quickly in the summer heat. This dessert is charmingly retro. 19 of 30 Atlantic Beach Pie CREDIT: GREG DUPREE; FOOD STYLING: CHELSEA ZIMMER; PROP STYLING: AUDREY DAVIS This lemon-lime pie is ideal for sweltering summer days. It combines the best flavors of lemon and Key Lime pie into this smooth, silky, and zesty dessert. The Saltine cracker crust adds a hint of saltiness to balance the sweetness in the whipped cream. 20 of 30 Tropical Coconut-Citrus Pie Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Giulietta Pinna; Food Styling: Ali Ramee This tropical cake is the ultimate summer dessert. Coconut and citrus pair perfectly in this light and zesty treat, filled with cream cheese and marshmallow creme that resembles ambrosia. Garnish with citrus cut into triangles for a beautiful presentation. 21 of 30 Cherries-and-Cream Icebox Cake Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner This icebox cake is the perfect substitute when it's too hot to turn on the oven to bake a cherry pie. It layers graham crackers, whipped filling, and cherry preserves in a beautiful, no-bake presentation. Chill for at least eight hours, so the graham crackers are soft enough to cut through with a knife. 22 of 30 Key Lime Icebox Cake Hector M Sanchez Graham crackers help assemble this version of Key Lime pie quickly as the store-bought crackers cover the bottom of the tray. Spoon the custard mixture over the crackers and repeat three times. Freeze for at least eight hours and cover with whipping topping. 23 of 30 Caramel Pecan Icebox Cake Joy Howard Delicious chocolate wafers, toasted pecans, and prepared caramel create this layered pie. Like pecan cluster cookies, this treat is best when prepared a day in advance. Preparing the icebox cake this way helps the chocolate wafers to absorb all the flavoring. 24 of 30 Chocolate-Peanut Butter Icebox Pie Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Christine Keely Whether serving a large crowd or only your family, ice box pies make it easy to dish up everyone's favorite frozen treat. This version pairs chocolate and peanut butter for a classic combination. Even better, this impressive-looking pie only requires 20 minutes of active cooking. 25 of 30 Chocolate Icebox Pie Jennifer Davick This ultra-decadent chocolate pie recipe features a rich homemade pie filling topped with whipped cream and a light dusting of cocoa. Almond extract adds a cherry-like flavoring to this chocolate mousse. Use additional toasted sliced almonds as a garnish. 26 of 30 Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff This layered treat pairs fresh strawberries with bananas and crumbled graham crackers. Remove the frozen pie using plastic wrap as the handles. Use a large chef's knife to cut the pie into the desired number of slices, and serve immediately. 27 of 30 Creamy Peach Icebox Cake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox It only takes seven ingredients to make this show-stopping summertime favorite. While it only takes 20 minutes to assemble, this icebox cake is best when it has enough time to chill—at least eight hours. Layers of cool and creamy ice cream, sweet pound cake, and juicy summer fruit perfectly combine into this treat on a hot summer evening. 28 of 30 Millionaire Pie Micah A. Leal Crushed pineapple, sweetened coconut, maraschino cherries, and pecans combine in this sweet and creamy pie. This tropical pie is as beautiful as it is delicious. After chilling in the graham cracker crust, garnish with additional whipped topping, coconut, cherries, and pecans. 29 of 30 No-Bake Banana Split Pie Meredith Food Studios Serve a slice of this nostalgic, no-bake dessert filled with all your favorite fruits and toppings. Like a banana split, this treat uses chocolate wafers for the crust and can be customized to include any fruit or nuts you prefer. After 15 minutes of preparation and proper chill time, this refreshing dessert will serve a slice of creamy deliciousness to any who tries it. 30 of 30 S'mores Pie Erin Brocklehurst S'mores are a summertime classic. Instead of roasting marshmallows by a fire, this pie brings together all your favorite s'more flavorings in a graham cracker crust. Leave plenty of time for this pie to chill, and garnish it with chocolate shavings when it's time to serve. Pair these refreshing, no-bake desserts with any 33 Refreshing Drinks You'll Want to Sip All Summer Long. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit