It’s a little early to be breaking out the icebox pies, but life’s too short (especially now) to wait for summer.
So, I took the chance in mid-April to enjoy some strawberry lemonade.
Thanks to the delightful series of pies I discovered on Taste of Home (I will be making more), I got to enjoy this wonderfully simple, extremely tasty pink lemonade pie.
All the more delightful, and new to me, it was made with a saltine crust. Just a sleeve and a half of saltines, a bit of sugar, and some melted butter; it’s like a graham cracker crust only salty and savory and extra sumptuous. I will be using it again, in both savor and sweet pies.
Like most icebox pies, this was quick and easy. You’ll likely still need to brave the grocery store for some of the ingredients, though many items are household staples. Namely, most of us—I don’t think—have 2 packages of cream cheese, unflavored gelatin, or 2 cups of (frozen or fresh) strawberries on hand.
However, with just a handful of extra ingredients, a little work, and a few hours of waiting, you’ll be able to have a little slice of heaven, even in self-isolation.
Here’s what I did, following the recipe with the exception of a little extra lemon:
Ingredients
- ~60 saltine crackers (about a sleeve and a half), coarsely crushed
- 1 c. sugar, divided
- 1 stick (½ c.) butter, melted
- 2 c. sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen, thawed if frozen)
- Juice from 1 lemon (~2 T.)
- Zest from 1 lemon (~2 t.)
- ¼ c. cold water
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
- ½ c. heavy whipping cream
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir to combine the crushed crackers, ¼ c. sugar, and the stick of melted butter. Use the bottom of a glass or your hands or something flat-bottomed to press the saltine crust into and up the sides of a 9-inch skillet. Bake until set and golden at the edges, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely.
Combine strawberries, ½ c. sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the cold water, and let stand 5 minutes. When ready, transfer the strawberry mixture to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Microwave the gelatin mixture for about 10 seconds, and then stir into the strawberry mixture.
Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and the last ¼ c. of sugar together until smooth. Gradually add in the cream, and then the strawberry mixture. Beat until well combined.
Pour the filling into the crust, and refrigerate covered until set, at least 2 hours and up to overnight, and then enjoy!!