Jello pie is a quick and easy dessert that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser at parties, BBQs, potlucks, or a family dinner. If you have a family member that enjoys desserts but is watching their sugar, then I have tips to make this a low-calorie dessert.
So, whether you’re hosting a gathering or simply craving a sweet indulgence, this delicious pie is a go-to option for busy days or special occasions.
Nastagic Orange Creamsicle Jello Pie
Growing up in the early 1970s, my husband’s favorite ice cream bar was an orange creamsicle. As a special treat for our 42nd wedding anniversary, I wanted to create a recipe that would bring back fond memories of his childhood and simpler times.
Life is busy, so it also needed to be an easy dessert that took under 15 minutes of my time. More importantly, I wanted to make a dessert that was not loaded with sugar. So, I created this orange creamsicle jello pie using sugar-free jello and Lite Cool Whip. It turned out amazing and was a real treat to end our anniversary meal with.
If you would like more no-bake dessert recipes, try my Banana Split Cake or Lemon Poke Cake.
Jello Pie Ingredients
Here is the best part: you only need three simple ingredients to make this jello pie.
- Jello: You can get a box of regular or sugar free jello in your favorite brand.
- Cool Whip: I use a tub of store-brand whipped topping to save on my grocery budget. You can also buy regular or lite if you want to save some calories. It really doesn’t make the pie taste different.
- Graham Cracker Crust: I bought the small graham cracker crusts that are already made for this recipe. However, this recipe will fill one ready-made crust. You could also make your own crust. I show you step-by-step how to make a graham cracker pie crust in my Cherry Delight dessert post. For this recipe, you would press the crust into a pie pan instead of a 9×13.
📝 Note: You can find the full recipe with ingredients and measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
Instructions To Make Jello Pie
The opening sentence about making this recipe.
Make Jello
- In a medium-sized bowl, pour the packet of jello and 1 cup of boiling water into the jello mix. Whisk until all the gelatin mixture is dissolved.
- Whisk in 1 cup of very cold water.
Add Creamy Whip Topping
- Next, scoop the completely thawed Cool Whip into the bowl of jello and whisk until smooth and creamy. This step took me about 2 minutes.
Whisk and Chill
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator. Set your timer for 40 minutes to chill. I suggest giving it a stir after 20 minutes in the fridge and then allowing it to chill for another 20 minutes.
Fill Pie Crusts
- Scoop chilled pie filling into the premade crusts.
- Place pie in the refrigerator for 4 hours to chill and set up.
- To serve, top with a dollop of whipped topping and a small orange wedge.
Gina’s Tips For Easy Jello Pie Success
- It’s very important to thaw the Cool Whip completely. It is best to let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. This prevents any lumps.
- When chilling the jello pie, set it on a baking sheet to carry it to the refrigerator. Also, be sure the pie is sitting level while chilling.
Can You Use Another Jello Flavor?
The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. Here are some ideas for different flavors of jello and garnishes. If you make one of these, share a picture with me. I love seeing others’ creative kitchen sills.
- Strawberry Jello – Topped with fresh sliced fresh strawberries or a wedge of chocolate bar.
- Raspberry Jello – Topped with a dollop of raspberry jam
- Lime Jello – Topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a lime wedge
- Lemon Jello – Topped with lemon zest and a lemon slice
- Cherry Jello – Topped with Marchino cherries
- Blueberry Jello – Topped with fresh blueberries
- Watermelon Jello – Topped with diced watermelon
- Blackberry Jello – Topped with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh blackberry.
- Pineapple Jello – Topped with pineapple chunks and a sprinkle of to
Keeping The Pie Fresh
After the pie has set, cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out in the refrigerator. You could also slip it into an airtight container to maintain its freshness and prevent odors from other food in the refrigerator from affecting its flavor.
The pie will remain fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Make This A Sugar-Free Jello Cool Whip Pie
To make this a sugar-free pie, you can use sugar-free Jell-O and sugar-free Cool Whip. Simply substitute the regular Jello and Cool Whip with their sugar-free alternatives to create a delicious sugar-free version of the pie. As for the pie crust, I could not find one that was sugar-free. However, you could try making your own with a sugar substitute. If you find sugar-free graham crackers pie crust, please let me know.
Can You Freeze Jello Pie
I would not recommend freezing jello pie. The cream layer texture will be altered, and it will be watery when thawed.
Why did my pie separate?
Separation is normal and will not alter the taste. The very first recipe I made as a chile was 123 Jello. If you are old enough to remember this product, it was really cool to see the 3 layers. This is what the pie reminds me of: only two pretty layers.
More Easy Desserts
I Want To Answer Your Questions & Hear Your Comments
Do you have a question about this recipe❓ I will answer in the comment form below👇🏼 the recipe card. Did you make this recipe? If so, could you be a gem and leave a comment and rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below? This helps others find yummy 😋 recipes to make for their family and friends.
No-Bake Orange Creamsicle Jello Pie
Note: Be sure to read through the recipe’s post for tips and details about this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 box orange jello, regular or sugar-free
- 8 ounces Cool Whip, or your favorite store brand
- 1 graham cracker crust, premade
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, pour the packet of jello and 1 cup of boiling water into the jello mix. Whisk until all the gelatin mixture is dissolved.1 box orange jello
- Whisk in 1 cup of very cold water.
- Next, scoop the completely thawed Cool Whip into the bowl of jello and whisk until smooth and creamy. This step took me about 2 minutes.8 ounces Cool Whip
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator. Set your timer for 40 minutes to chill. I suggest giving it a stir after 20 minutes in the fridge and then allowing it to chill for another 20 minutes.
- Scoop chilled pie filling into the premade crusts.1 graham cracker crust
- Place pie in the refrigerator for 4 hours to chill and set up.
- To serve, top with a dollop of whipped topping and a small orange wedge.
Notes
- It’s very important to thaw the Cool Whip completely. It is best to let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. This prevents any lumps.
- When chilling the jello pie, set it on a baking sheet to carry it to the refrigerator. Also, be sure the pie is sitting level while chilling.
Been making this pie (with lots of flavor variations) for years. Start when the weather gets hot and seem to always have one in the refrigerator. Thanks for the reminder!!
Elaine, what are your favorite jello flavors to use when you make yours?
I made this pie to your exact instructions, and I must say I am very disappointed in the outcome. First of all, though I whipped it together the Jello somewhat separated from the cool whip with a thin layer of Jello on the bottom and the rest on the top. I did not like this with the graham cracker crust. I saw another recipe similar to this that had crushed shortbread cookies, and I think if I try this again, I will use those instead.
Norma, I have figured out that the brand of cool whip does make a difference. In this post I used walmart brand cool whip and as you can by the image in the post it seperated. But look at this post, No-Bake Chocolate Covered Strawberry Jello Pie I used name barnd Cool Whip in this recipe and it did not sperate. See pictures in each post. I didn’t mind the separation because it brought back memories of my childhood. There was a product called 1,2,3 jello that seperated and made layers that I loved to make.
Can you use pineapple juice instead of water
I’m not sure, however I think it would work. Not sure how the pineapple juice would do if you heat it up to dissolve the jello though. If you try it would you let me know. I’ll add that in the notes if it works well. Thanks