Kool Aid Pie
This easy no-bake dessert is light, sweet, creamy, and smooth. Kool-Aid Pie is made with five simple ingredients; it’s quick to make and perfect for your summertime cookouts and 4th of July celebrations!
This pink pie will definitely turn heads! It looks and tastes like a refreshing glass of strawberry lemonade. The fun pink colors with whipped cream edging make it the most popular pie on the dessert table.
Even better is that it tastes as good as it looks! Lighter than cheesecake and creamier than pudding pie, it melts on your tongue in the best way imaginable!
Why You’ll Love Kool Aid Pie
- Easy no-bake recipe
- Uses pre-made ingredients
- Takes just a few minutes to decorate
- Can be prepared ahead of time (and even frozen)
- Perfect for cookouts or parties
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This makes the pie rich and creamy.
- Strawberry syrup: A little bit goes a long way; you don’t need much to sweeten the entire pie.
- Strawberry lemonade Kool-Aid powder: This is why it is called Kool-Aid pie; the packet flavors the pie and gives it pink colors.
- Whipped topping: You will use this in the pie filling and as optional decoration on top.
- Graham cracker pie crust: Save yourself time and buy a pre-made crust.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are optional, but they add a lovely flair to each slice of pie.
How to Make Kool Aid Pie
- Step One: In a medium mixing bowl, mix the sweetened condensed milk, strawberry syrup and Kool-Aid powder until the color is even and the Kool-Aid is completely dissolved.
- Step Two: Gently fold in the whipped topping until the mixture is creamy and a consistent pink color.
- Step Three: Spread evenly into the prepared graham cracker pie crust and cover lightly with plastic wrap.
- Step Four: Refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until set.
- Step Five: When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and serve chilled with piped on whipped topping and fresh strawberries, optional.
Equipment Needed
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- Large mixing bowl – Use a large enough one to hold all ingredients.
- Rubber or silicone spatula – This works best when you gently fold in the whipped cream.
- Piping bag and tip – This is optional, but it lets you create pretty designs on the top of the pie
- Plastic wrap – If you’re going to store your pie in the refrigerator, use a pie plate with an airtight lid or cover it with plastic wrap.
What to Serve with Kool Aid Pie
This is the perfect pie for cookouts, BBQs and outdoor parties. Here are some more of my favorite food to bring to the cookout with the kool-aid pie:
Variations and Substitutions
- Use different Kool Aid flavors. For example, try it with blue raspberry Kool-Aid powder, blueberry jelly and blueberries on top.
- Make it with different drink powders. Make a lemonade pie using the amount of lemonade powder to make 2 quarts of lemonade, then top with fresh lemon slices.
- Decorate with strawberries. Instead of using whipped cream on top, decorate the pie with thinly-sliced strawberries.
- Go With chocolate crust. Create a stunning flavor contrast using an Oreo or chocolate graham cracker crust. It will taste like chocolate-covered strawberries.
Storage Instructions
Since this pie contains dairy, you must store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for 5-7 days.
Can I Freeze?
Yes, you can freeze this pie. Wrap the pie well, as a whole pie or individual pieces, and place it in the freezer for 3-5 months. It can be served frozen or thawed in the refrigerator before being eaten.
Kool Aid Pie Tips and Tricks
- Except for the whipped cream, mix all the ingredients well. Don’t leave any lumps or unmixed Kool-Aid powder in the filling.
- Gently add the Cool Whip. Fold it in and use a rubber spatula. If you overmix the Cool Whip, it won’t be as creamy or fluffy.
- Taste as you go. Adjust the amounts if you want it to taste sweeter or the strawberry flavors to stand out more.
- Keep it covered and chilled until you serve it. This will protect the light texture and keep it tasting fresh.
What Is Kool Aid Pie?
A Kool-Aid pie is a no-bake pie flavored with a Kool-Aid packet (among other ingredients). While you can make it in many different flavors, most people like to make a pink version, as I did.
Can I Make Graham Cracker Crust?
Yes, you can make your own graham cracker crust. All you need is some graham crackers and butter. I have a fantastic recipe for graham cracker crust in my pumpkin cheesecake recipe. When you make your own crust, you’ll know what’s in it and can make it taste just how you like it, instead of using a pre-made graham cracker crust.
Can I Use Another Pie Crust?
Yes, you can use any pie crust that you want. Even though this easy dessert is usually made with a graham cracker crust, try it with puffed pastry or a buttery pie crust. Be creative and have fun making this delicious pie.
Can I use a homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip?
Yes, you can use homemade whipped cream to make this no-bake dessert recipe. In fact, I have a recipe for homemade stabilized whipped cream that I love. It makes the same creamy pie as the tub of Cool Whip!
Can I use liquid Kool-Aid instead of the powdered mix?
Yes, you can use liquid Kool-Aid instead of a Kool-aid packet. If you use a liquid drink mix, I suggest using one bottle of it.
What flavors of Kool-Aid work best for the pie?
That’s the fun part of this Kool-Aid pie recipe – you can use your favorite flavors to make a delicious dessert you love! While my pie tastes like pink lemonade, try it with other flavor options like black cherry or fruit punch. Or, use orange to make an orange Kool-Aid pie. The flavor possibilities are endless in this easy recipe.
All you need is some graham crackers and butter. Smash the graham crackers into crumbs, add the butter, spread it into your pie plate, and bake it! It really is that easy.
This recipe makes 16 servings.
This is a summertime favorite, but where did it come from? Honestly, no one really knows! In 1999, someone wrote to the Columbus Dispatch asking for the recipe on a hot summer day. A reader submitted the recipe that they found in their card file. Rumors swirled that people thought Kool-Aid printed the recipes on their packages of Kool-Aid, but the company never confirmed it.
The best way to make the no-bake kool aid pie recipe without sweetened condensed milk is to combine your favorite Kool-Aid flavor with Cool Whip and place this mixture in the pie crust. It won’t be nearly as creamy or sweet, but it tastes delicious and a lot lower in calories.
No-Bake Desserts
Want more no-bake desserts? Here are some of my favorite recipes:
- Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie: Light bananas and rich fudge combine to create an irresistible pie.
- No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake: This simple dessert can be made in minutes! Tart cherries and creamy cheesecake combine to make a pie everyone loves.
- Butterscotch Cookies: These tasty cookies will disappear faster than you can make them. They are a treat for your taste buds.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Haystacks: These chocolatey treats are sweet, salty, and incredibly crunchy.
- Strawberry Icebox Cake: This tasty cake has layers of delicious whipped cream, strawberries, and crunchy graham crackers.
You’ll also like this No-Bake Creamsicle Pie.
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Kool Aid Pie
Ingredients
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14oz can
- 2 tbsp strawberry syrup
- 1 packet strawberry lemonade Kool Aid powder 0.19oz packet
- 1 tub Cool Whip 8oz container
- 1 graham cracker pie crust 9-inches
- Whipped topping optional garnish
- Fresh strawberries optional garnish
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, strawberry syrup and Kool Aid powder until the color is even and the Kool Aid is completely dissolved.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping until the mixture is creamy and a consistent pink color.
- Spread evenly into the prepared graham cracker pie crust and cover lightly with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours or until set.
- When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and serve chilled with pipped on whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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I do an Adult version of this pie. I make orange pineapple. I do the basic pie with orange kool-aid. I add chopped mandarin oranges, chopped and drained, and a can of crushed pineapple, well drained. It tastes like the orange pineapple sherbet i grew up with. I also mix my ingredients in a glass mixing bowl so I can see when the kool-aid is completely mixed in. Black Cherry is awesome.