Cool Whip & Frozen Yogurt Pie

COOL WHIP & FROZEN YOGURT PIE

Frozen yogurt pie has got to be one of my favorite no-bake desserts of all-time. There’s something about this easy-to-make frozen pie that looks like it took much more planning and forethought than it actually did.

I’ve been making it for years and I’m still amazed at how ridiculously easy it is to make this dessert. Just mix together the yogurt and the Cool Whip in a bowl and pour it over the crust.

That’s it. It’s as easy as that.

WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE RELIABLE

• only 4 ingredients
• no baking
• can be frozen overnight for optimal serving
• can be frozen as little as 4 hours before serving
• fruit in every bite

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START

• The flavor of this pie will be whatever flavor of yogurt you choose. There’s no need to add any additional flavorings or sweeteners because the yogurt does all of the heavy lifting there. Trust me, it’s plenty sweet and flavorful. You could add some pudding mix but it’s unnecessary. You can use any flavor you like. The possibilities are endless.
• The yogurt and Cool Whip combo creates a very creamy filling. If you were to increase the amount of yogurt in relation to the amount of Cool Whip the entire pie will freeze into a solid mass that can’t be cut into slices. Trust the ratio.
• Use thawed Cool Whip. If the pie is made with partially thawed Cool Whip there will be chunks of Cool Whip in the pie that didn’t mix in very well. To properly thaw Cool Whip, leave it out in the refrigerator overnight or leave it out on the counter for 20-30 minutes before making the pie.
• If you want a firm frozen yogurt pie that holds together well when sliced, freeze the pie overnight. If you don’t have that kind of time on your hands you can get away with freezing it for 4 hours before serving. The center of the pie might be a little on the softer side if your freezer tends to be on the warmer side.
• There’s fruit at the bottom of the crust. Every slice of pie will include fruit.
• You’ll need two small containers of yogurt for this recipe (they should be a combined 10.6 oz.). The recipe calls for an 8 oz container of Cool Whip.

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Store-bought pie shells are super convenient and fit into a standard 9 inch pie dish. They will save you some time and effort.

If you’d like to make the crust from scratch, I’ve given you the ingredients below. The flavor is pretty much exactly the same between the two, so use whichever sounds best.

For the from-scratch version:

• 1.5 cups graham crackers, crushed
• 5-6 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 Tbsp sugar

Combine ingredients in a bowl, then pour into a pie dish. Flatten the graham cracker mixture into an even layer along the bottom of the dish.

Place in refrigerator to chill for 20 min. Remove from refrigerator and fill with yogurt mixture.

YOGURT: 2 CONTAINERS, 5.3 OZ EACH

Choose a flavor of yogurt that sounds yummy. Strawberry, peach, blueberry, raspberry…you get the idea.

The recipe uses two containers to get a really intense flavor of whatever type of yogurt you choose, which forms the basis of the dessert’s flavor. You could even use plain/vanilla.

I like a standard non-Greek yogurt, which will make the pie a little softer and creamier. That said, this pie will work with Greek yogurt just fine, and it will be a tad more dense and have a stronger yogurt flavor, but it will freeze/slice just as easily.

Whatever you do, I would avoid using a “drinkable” kind of yogurt, or any type that says “blended”. These can be a little too liquidy, which will throw off the frozen texture of the pie.

COOL WHIP: 1 CONTAINER, 8 OZ, THAWED

The Cool Whip adds some lightness and body to the pie, and helps keep it sliceable by preventing the formation of ice crystals as it freezes.

Low fat Cool Whip works fine. I always use it and cannot taste a difference in the end result of the pie.

Do not use regular whipped cream though. It will not freeze in the same manner and ruins the texture of the dessert.

FRESH STRAWBERRIES, ABOUT 1 CUP, SLICED THIN

These go into the bottom of the pie. Be sure to slice the berries THINLY—they’ll be frozen when you eat this pie, so you want them to be easy to chew.

If you leave them in large chunks they’ll be impossible to slice into the pie, and super hard to chew. Thinly sliced berries will be a little harder when frozen, but nothing too scary.

Other fruits you could try:

• Blueberries, or sliced peaches
• Raspberries
• Mandarin orange sections

HOW TO MAKE FROZEN YOGURT PIE

STEP 1: PREP THE CRUST

• If you’re using store-bought: Remove graham cracker crust from the box. There’s no need to bake it. Leave it right in the pie pan.
• If you’re using homemade: Place graham crackers into a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Empty them into a medium-sized bowl. Add the butter (already melted) and sugar. Stir until all of the graham cracker crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crust evenly into a pie pan. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow it to set up.

STEP 2: ADD THE FRUIT LAYER

Slice the strawberries or other fruit into 1/4 inch slices. Evenly distribute the berries in a layer over the graham cracker crust.

It’s important to make the berry layer an even thickness, and don’t mound them in some areas, otherwise the filling will be uneven, which means each slice won’t hold together well.

STEP 3: MIX THE FILLING

Empty the thawed Cool Whip into a medium-sized bowl. Add the yogurt.

Stir for about a minute until well-incorporated and a uniform color, such as a light pink for the strawberry version. Make sure to stir until there are no white or thick yogurt streaks.

The filling should be fluffy.

STEP 4: FILL THE CRUST

Spoon the filling onto the berry layer. Use a spatula to smooth it into an even layer.

Make sure to get it all the way to the edges. If the filling is thicker in some areas than others, the pie slices won’t stay together when you serve them.

STEP 5: FREEZE

Cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can also just pop the lid back on if you’re using a store-bought crust.

Place in the freezer to freeze. It’s important that the pie stay flat and nothing be placed on top of the plastic or aluminum.

How long will it take for frozen yogurt pie to freeze?

The recipe says to freeze for 4 hours but I prefer to freeze the pie over night. It cuts nicer and holds together better on the plate.

The pie is great the next day and can be frozen overnight, which makes entertaining so easy when you can assemble this treat the night before.

STEP 6: SERVE

Place pie on counter for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Use a sharp knife to cut.

I also like to quickly wipe the knife in between cuts, because it’s only two seconds and gives you nicer slices.

HELPFUL TIPS:

• The Cool Whip will need to be defrosted before blending. Either thaw Cool Whip in the fridge overnight OR take Cool Whip out 20-30 minutes before assembling pie and leave it on the counter. Cold Cool Whip does not blend smoothly.
• I recommend slicing fruit as thinly as possible to 1/4″ or less. Thicker slices are more difficult to cut through when frozen and are more difficult to chew.

Stir until it’s actually smooth. Take the 60 seconds to get the filling fully blended.

Streaky filling freezes unevenly.

Let it rest before slicing. Even 5 minutes makes a real difference.

The knife goes through cleanly instead of cracking the crust.

• Be sure filling does not exceed edges of graham cracker crust. It’s ok if it’s below the edges or exactly even, just don’t fill above edges, as it will be very messy.
• Cover pie tightly when freezing. Otherwise, it will pick up off-flavors within a day or two, as the freezer tends to impact taste when stored longer.

FLAVOR VARIATIONS:

There are unlimited possibilities for flavoring your frozen yogurt pie. As long as you’re using yogurt, Cool Whip, a graham cracker crust and some fresh fruit, the sky’s the limit.

Here are a few of our favorites:

• For a peach yogurt, add fresh peach slices or drained peach slices from a can. Especially good in late summer.
• For a blueberry yogurt, add a container of lemon yogurt to offset some of the sweetness, then stir in some fresh blueberries.
• You can’t go wrong with vanilla yogurt and a combination of your favorite berries. The more neutral flavor allows the berries to shine.
• Try a pineapple or coconut yogurt with some segments of mandarin orange. If using coconut yogurt, you can add a Tbsp or so of shredded coconut, but no more or the pie may not set properly.
• Make the recipe with raspberry yogurt, then stir in a handful of raspberries when adding the bottom layer of yogurt. Raspberries have a tarter taste than strawberries, resulting in a pie that isn’t so sugary sweet.

If you want to increase the protein content of this pie, replace the yogurt with Greek yogurt. It makes for a thicker, denser pie, making it a little more tart.

It’s fine, and cuts easily, too!

STORAGE AND MAKE-AHEAD

You can make the Frozen Yogurt Pie ahead of time and freeze until you’re ready to enjoy it, and making it the night before means no last minute steps on serving day. Frozen Yogurt Pie will keep in the freezer for up to 1 week; the longer it’s in the freezer the more likely the filling will pick up freezer flavors and the more likely the crust will suffer from textural changes.

It is important to wrap the Frozen Yogurt Pie very well for freezer storage to preserve quality. Wrap tightly with foil or plastic wrap, or the plastic lid if it’s still in its original carton, and store in an airtight container.

Any exposed edges should be pressed well with plastic wrap, otherwise those spots will dry out and get really icy when you serve them.

Can I take the Frozen Yogurt Pie somewhere? Yes!

Take it along in a cooler with lots of ice. As long as your trip is no more than about 15 to 20 minutes, the pie should arrive at its destination still fairly firm.

For a trip that will take longer than 20 minutes, Frozen Yogurt Pie should be treated like other no-bake desserts, keep it refrigerated.

FAQ

CAN I USE GREEK YOGURT INSTEAD OF REGULAR YOGURT?

Absolutely. Using Greek yogurt will result in a filling that is a bit thicker and has a tangier flavor.

The end product will be denser but will still be able to be sliced. Plus, there’s an additional protein punch.

Using regular yogurt with the addition of the whipped topping creates a lighter and more airy filling. It’s all preference.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I USE TOO MUCH YOGURT?

Using more yogurt than what is called for in the recipe will result in a filling that will be dense and icy. It’s important to use the right balance of whipped topping to yogurt for a filling that is light and creamy.

Use two 5.3 oz containers (10.6 oz total) of yogurt and one 8 oz container of Cool Whip for best results.

HOW FAR AHEAD CAN I MAKE THIS?

This frozen yogurt pie freezes well. You could make this pie the day before serving and freeze until ready.

This will give the pie the best texture and flavor. You could make this 2-3 days ahead of time as well.

I would not recommend making it any farther ahead of time than a week as flavor and texture will not be as good.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT CRUST?

The graham cracker crust in this recipe holds up really well frozen. If you slice it too soon after bringing it out of the freezer, the pie could be harder to slice than normal but the slices will still hold together.

Blind-baked pastry crusts don’t do so well when frozen, so I would avoid that option. An Oreo cookie crust would be delicious in this pie, and the crust is a bit richer and would go well with chocolate or vanilla yogurt.

WHY IS MY PIE ICY INSTEAD OF CREAMY?

There are a couple reasons this could happen. Did you use more yogurt than called for?

This will create an icy pie. Was the filling completely stirred?

Any clumps could have created spots of iciness in the finished product. Was the Cool Whip completely thawed before use?

It needs to be completely thawed before adding to the recipe. Lastly, was the pie uncovered when stored in the freezer?

Leaving a pie uncovered will lead to excess moisture and ice crystals building up in the pie. Make sure to follow these tips for a perfectly creamy pie.

CAN I ADD MIX-INS TO THE FILLING?

You can! Just make sure whatever mix-ins you use freeze well.

I’d say that finely-shredded coconut, mini-choc chips, or a small handful of mini-marshmallows are all good choices. Really though, additions to frozen yogurt are more of an accent so don’t go crazy, about a Tablespoon of whatever you’d like to add will do.

Too many additions to the pie will make it harder to spread the filling and for the pie to set up nicely, less is more with this recipe and you’ll have the best texture and find it much easier to slice. If you’re looking to make a pie with a filling that’s loaded with additions then this isn’t the recipe for that.