8 No-Bake Pies to Satisfy a Summer Sweet Tooth
Yearning for fresh dessert ideas to make it through the dog days of summer? Move over, peach cobblers and apple pies. Step aside, homemade ice cream (and your ice-and-rock-salt mess). When the temps really heat up, icebox and other no-bake pies steal the show. Keep your oven off and your kitchen cool with these decadent no-bake pies that are the perfect afternoon or after-dinner pick-me-up.
No-Bake Peach Pie
This luscious dessert comes together easily and is the perfect ending to summer supper with friends. Use the softest and juiciest peaches you have, even slightly overripe fruit. For added peach oomph, chop some of the topping and stir it into the filling.
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No-Bake Fresh Strawberry Pie
No-Bake Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe
Glorious fresh strawberries are the focus here—tons of them, piled atop a layer of creamy filling. You can leave small berries whole in this no-bake strawberry pie recipe.
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Mini Vegan Key Lime Icebox Pies
Mini Vegan Key Lime Icebox Pies Recipe
This "custard" has an insanely rich and silky mouthfeel born from a partnership between avocado (which also provides the natural green coloring) and tofu. The blend of fats released from the ground nuts and a bit of added coconut oil combined with the sugary moisture of the dates create not only a cohesive crust, but one that is deep in flavor and wonderfully crisp once chilled.
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Double Chocolate Pudding Pie
Double Chocolate Pudding Pie Recipe
This five-ingredient, no-cook pie comes together quickly thanks to the use of a few store-bought ingredients. The recipe makes two pies, so plan to gift one or freeze it for later.
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No-Bake Samoa Pie
Save a stash of Samoas (or Caramel DeLights) in order to make an epic pie that looks, and tastes, just like the classic Girl Scout cookie. Use the back of a measuring cup to press the crust into the pie plate and add heavy cream to the caramel when melting for a smoother, drizzle-with-ease consistency. Serve chilled, as you would a coconut creme pie.
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Easy Key Lime Pie
Dessert doesn't get easier, or more delicious, than a no-bake key lime pie. Requiring just a handful of ingredients, this easy pie is a great recipe for less experienced bakers—especially considering what a crowd-pleaser it is. Perfect for the hot summer months when you'd rather reduce your oven use, the luscious key lime filling sets up to creamy perfection with the help of Cool Whip. Though we provide instructions for a homemade graham cracker crust, you can make this key lime pie recipe all the easier (and skip the oven altogether) by opting for a pre-made, store-bought pie crust instead.
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Peanut Butter Pie
When this reader-submitted pie recipe made its debut in Cooking Light in 2001, it became an instant classic. We loved the results, and since it makes two peanut butter pies, you can share one with a friend and keep the other for yourself. Several tasters in our Test Kitchens enjoy serving this pie frozen. Swapping reduced-fat peanut butter, cream cheese, whipped topping, condensed milk, and graham cracker crusts slashes the fat and calories found in traditional peanut butter pie, making it a little more waistline-friendly.
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Thai Tea Pie
Warmly spiced Thai tea mix—which you can purchase at an Asian market or online—stars in this show-stopping, no-bake pie. The tea is steeped in sweetened condensed milk which is then used to make a stovetop custard; after straining out the tea leaves (definitely use cheesecloth), you'll simply pour the vibrantly colored custard into a peanutty, no-oven-necessary crust and refrigerate until set. If you're looking for a pie that's sure to impress, trust us, the sweet Thai tea against the salty, toasty flavor of the peanuts is a combo you won't be able to get enough of.