Did you ever get those little orange creamsicle ice cream cups in elementary school? The ones with the flat wooden spoon-like thing? We would get them during the last couple days of school each year during field day, which was basically a bunch of random outdoor equipment and games that they put in a big field and let us all go crazy. BEST DAY EVER. No, I take that back. SECOND BEST DAY EVER. My favorite days at school were rainy day recess because it meant I could stay inside and read anything I wanted to. Field day meant the end of school, which always made me sad because I really liked school. But there was also ice cream and I really like ice cream.
Now, this creamsicle pie isn’t ice cream, but it is pie which is my first love when it comes to desserts. It was however the first chiffon pie I’ve made. Did you know the chiffon pie was created in 1926 by a man called the Pie King who owned a wholesale pie company in LA? I’m pretty sure that by some royal pie decree, it means you have to try this pie.
The first gelatin-based chiffon pies are credited to Fanny Merritt Farmer, who became popular for standardizing the units of measurement we use today. THIS PIE HAS HISTORY, GUYS! It’s also delicious. And a bit strange because it combines jello, sweetened condensed milk, and cool whip. How one would ever think to mix those ingredients together and then be like, “I’m going to stick this is a pie crust!” I have no clue, but I’m glad they did.
This light and airy pie has a filling that is like a cross between mousse and marshmallow fluff. Orange zest adds a sharpness that cuts through the other ingredients in the filling, bringing out more orange flavor that may get lost otherwise. A crust of crushed nilla wafers adds a much needed texture change to make the pie interesting and not like you are eating a slice of pudding, no matter how awesome a slice of pudding may be. Topped with vanilla spiked cool whip, this pie is an excellent (and much larger) alternative to those little creamsicle ice cream cups. Oh, and did I mention this recipe makes enough for two pies? Or, if you are like me, one pie and one bowl of chiffon filling to eat like a dip with more nilla wafers. If you go this route, use half the cookie crumbs and butter to make just one crust, and either use less of the cool whip on top, or just use all of it on one pie. Preeeeetty sure we all know which I would choose to do.
ORANGE CREAMSICLE PIE INGREDIENTS
- 1 3oz package of orange jello
- Juice of half an orange
- 1 heaping tablespoon of orange zest
- 2 8oz containers of cool whip
- 1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 3 cups of finely crushed nilla wafers
- 1 stick of butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350. Throughly mix nilla wafter crumbs and melted butter, split between two 9-inch pie plates and press the mixture evenly into each.
- Bake crusts for 12 minutes or until it starts to become a little golden. Allow crust to cool completely before adding filling.
- Heat orange zest and one cup of water to just under a boil. Mix it with the jello in a large bowl until the gelatin is dissolved.
- Squeeze the juice from half an orange into a measuring cup and add enough cool water to make 1 cup of liquid. Add this to the bowl with the jello.
- Add sweetened condensed milk, one of the containers of cool whip, and whisk until combined.
- Split filling evenly between both crusts, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours or until set.
- Once the filling is set, combine the vanilla extract with the second container of cool whip and top pies. Or eat 1/3 of it with a spoon and claim that the top layer is SUPPOSED to be that thin. Not that I would do that or anything. Either way, you now have orange creamsicle pie!
Don’t forget to tag #peonyandinkrecipes on instagram if you make this Orange Creamsicle Pie recipe!
xx
PS. Don’t worry, this lone bite was for picture taking purposes only. No part of this pie was, or ever will be, left on a plate. Andrew made sure of that.