Blueberry Icebox Pie is the perfect no-bake pie for a hot summer's day. The rich filling is made with heavy cream, Greek yogurt, and bursting with blueberries. Enjoy this easy to make pie cold or frozen!
If you love no-bake summer desserts, also try my no-bake Limoncello cheesecake and my strawberry no-bake cheesecake.
Jump To
- Why you'll love this blueberry icebox pie
- The Blueberry Picking Story
- What ingredients are in a blueberry icebox pie?
- How to Make Blueberry Icebox Pie
- Expert Tips for the Best Blueberry Icebox Pie
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Store Blueberry Icebox Pie
- FAQ'S
- Some other no-bake recipes to enjoy:
- Blueberry Icebox Pie
This blueberry icebox pie was born during a summer in Italy when the heat was relentless and my in-laws had no air conditioning. No A/C, temps in the 90s by 11am, humidity so thick the mountains disappeared behind it - and a fan that mostly just moved the hot air around. The only relief was gelato and this pie. I have been making it every summer since.
It is a no-bake pie, or almost no-bake, depending on whether you choose to bake the crust - made with a buttery graham cracker base, a blueberry filling cooked down with a little Limoncello, and freshly whipped cream folded together with vanilla Greek yogurt.
It goes into the freezer for a few hours and comes out cold, sliceable, and exactly what you want when it is too hot to think about turning on the oven. My kids eat it frozen straight from the pie dish. I am not opposed to this.
Why you'll love this blueberry icebox pie
- No-bake, no fuss. You do not need an oven - just a stovetop for the filling, a hand mixer for the cream, and a freezer. The whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes before the freeze.
- Works cold or frozen. Serve it cold from the fridge for a creamy texture, or straight from the freezer for something closer to ice cream pie. My kids prefer frozen; I prefer cold. Both are excellent.
- Easy to double for a crowd. This pie is perfect for summer potlucks. Make two - one for home, one to bring - and you will not regret it.
- Swap the fruit easily. Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries - this filling method works with any soft berry. Use whatever is in season.
- Make it your own. Limoncello gives it a beautiful citrus depth, but orange juice works if you prefer non-alcoholic. The crust can be store-bought graham cracker, Oreos, or digestive biscuits.
The Blueberry Picking Story
The summer I first made this pie in Italy, all I could think about was a blueberry picking trip we had done in North Carolina a few years earlier. On a drizzly, humid summer morning, the kids grabbed their buckets and we climbed up to the top of the hill at the farm.
More blueberries went into mouths than into buckets, but we made it home with enough to bake a blueberry buckle that was genuinely one of the best things I have made. When we got back to Florida, I could not stop thinking about those blueberries. This pie came out of that craving.
Fresh-picked blueberries are a completely different thing from store-bought - sweeter, more jammy when cooked, more flavorful in the filling. If you have access to a farm or farmers market, it is worth it.
What ingredients are in a blueberry icebox pie?
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 12 full-size graham crackers
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (optional)
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
Olive oil note: an extra virgin olive oil crust has a slightly different, slightly savory flavor that some people love and some find unexpected. Vegetable oil is more neutral. Both work. Store-bought crust is a perfectly fine shortcut.
For the Blueberry Filling
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (reserve a handful of fresh berries for decorating)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons Limoncello or orange juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
- 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
How to Make Blueberry Icebox Pie
Step 1: Make the Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground. Add the sugar and oil and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. If it seems too dry, add water or milk a tablespoon at a time. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan.
Step 2: Bake or Freeze the Crust
To bake: bake for 8 to 10 minutes until just set and lightly golden. Let cool completely before adding the filling - a warm crust will melt the whipped cream. To freeze: skip the oven entirely and freeze the pressed crust for 30 minutes. Either method works. Baking gives a slightly crispier crust.
Step 3: Cook the Blueberries
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer the blueberries with the sugar and Limoncello (or orange juice) for about 5 minutes, until the berries burst and the mixture thickens slightly. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. For a smoother filling, strain through a fine mesh sieve. Let cool completely.
Step 4: Whip the Cream
Beat the heavy cream with the confectioner's sugar until stiff peaks are just about to form. Stop here - do not over-beat or you will end up with butter. Set aside.
Step 5: Make the Filling
With the mixer on low, add the cooled blueberry puree and the Greek yogurt to the whipped cream. Mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides and fold gently with a spatula until the filling is smooth and uniform.
Step 6: Assemble and Freeze
Spoon the blueberry filling into the cooled crust and spread evenly. Decorate the top with the reserved fresh blueberries. Transfer to the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Before serving, let the pie sit at room temperature for 10 minutes for easier slicing.
Yes, you could definitely use a ready-made crust. This pie is super simple to make, so make it even more simple by using a store-bought crust.
Yes, you could use frozen blueberries. Since they are getting cooked up, it doesn't matter if they're fresh or frozen.
You could make a strawberry, peach, key lime, or even lemon ice box pie.
No, there is NO gelatin in this pie filling.
I like to bake it to set it. It only takes about 8 minutes. You just have to let it cool down before you spoon in the filling. You could also freeze the crust.
Expert Tips for the Best Blueberry Icebox Pie
- Cool everything before assembling. Both the crust and the blueberry puree must be completely cool before you add the whipped cream filling. Even a slightly warm crust will cause the cream to deflate.
- Do not over-whip the cream. Stop at stiff peaks - when the cream just holds its shape. Over-whipping at this stage turns it grainy and it can break when you fold in the yogurt.
- Strain the blueberry puree for a silkier filling. This is optional but worth it if you want a very smooth, creamy texture without any skin or seed bits.
- Let it sit before slicing. Ten minutes on the counter makes the difference between clean slices and crumbling. If it is too frozen to cut cleanly, give it a few more minutes.
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt. Low-fat yogurt adds too much moisture and the filling can become icy in texture. Full-fat vanilla Greek yogurt gives the creamiest result.
- Limoncello vs. orange juice. Limoncello adds a beautiful floral citrus note that lifts the blueberry flavor. Orange juice gives a lighter citrus brightness. Both work - choose based on your audience and preference.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different crust - Oreos, digestive biscuits, or crushed vanilla wafers all work in place of graham crackers. An Oreo crust with blueberry filling is excellent.
- Gluten free - use gluten-free graham crackers or GF cookie crumbs for the crust; the filling is naturally gluten free.
- Dairy free - substitute coconut cream for the heavy cream and use dairy-free yogurt. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
- Different berries - raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries all work with the same method. Adjust the sugar slightly depending on the sweetness of your fruit.
- Add citrus zest - stir lemon or orange zest into the filling or sprinkle on top before freezing for an extra brightness.
- Toppings - a cloud of whipped cream, a drizzle of white chocolate, or a handful of toasted slivered almonds on top are all lovely.
How to Store Blueberry Icebox Pie
Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Or wrap the whole pie well and freeze it whole. It keeps best when the surface is not exposed to air - any unwrapped area will develop ice crystals and dull the flavor. Let slices thaw for 10 minutes before serving.
FAQ'S
Yes - frozen blueberries work perfectly in the cooked filling. No need to thaw them first; just add them directly to the saucepan. For the garnish on top, fresh blueberries look better.
Absolutely. A store-bought 9-inch graham cracker crust saves time and works fine. Just fill and freeze.
No - the combination of whipped cream, Greek yogurt, and freezing is enough to set the filling into a sliceable, creamy texture without any gelatin.
No. You can press the crust into the pan and freeze it for 30 minutes instead. Baking gives a slightly crisper result, but the frozen crust works well, especially on hot days when you do not want to turn on the oven at all.
Some other no-bake recipes to enjoy:
- blueberry lemon bundt cake
- strawberry marshmallow and cracker cake
- strawberry no-bake cheesecake
- blueberry banana muffins
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Blueberry Icebox Pie
Ingredients
- crust ingredients
- 12 full-size graham crackers
- ¼ cup sugar optional
- 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
- filling ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries if using fresh, reserve a handful of berries to decorate on top
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Limoncello or orange juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon confectioner's sugar
- 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend ingredients in processor until graham crackers are finely ground. Add the vegetable oil; process until moist crumbs form. If it seems to dry, you could add a little water (or milk) a tablespoon at a time until you reach the right consistency. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and sides of pie pan.
- Pie crust options: you could either bake crust 8-10 minutes until firm, or freeze the crust. Or you could use a store-bought crust.
- To bake crust: Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let crust cool down on the counter before you add the filling.
- To freeze crust: Press crumb mixture onto bottom and sides of pie pan. Press firmly to ensure the crust is even. Transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes.
- In a small skillet on medium-low heat, simmer the blueberries with the sugar and Limoncello (or orange juice) for about 5 minutes. Add the blueberries to a blender and give it a whirl.
- Whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in the confectioner's sugar until peaks form. Take care not to over-beat, or you'll be left with butter.
- On low speed, whip in pureed blueberries and the Greek yogurt until combined.
- Stop the mixer and fold in the mixture, scraping the sides of bowl with a spatula until fully combined.
- Spoon the blueberry filling into the graham cracker crust.
- Decorate with blueberries.
- Transfer the pie to the freezer and freeze until solid enough to slice, at least 2 hours or up to overnight. To make serving easier, let the pie sit out for 10 minutes at room temperature before slicing.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
I didn't have limoncello so I used fresh orange juice. Very easy to make and I made another one this weekend!
shouldn't the preheat the oven be taken off?
You could either bake the homemade crust or you could freeze it so the ground up graham crackers firm up. Completely up to you. ENJOY!
Really enjoyed making and eating this pie! It's the perfect summer pie and is simple to put together! Kids loved it!