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    Home » Recipes » Pies and Tarts

    Pink Jello Pie - Easy Recipe for the Best Pie Ever!

    Published: Sep 8, 2021 · Modified: Aug 13, 2022 by Liz Mincin · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Pink Jello Pie is the ultimate no bake dessert. This simple pie is a family classic, but is often difficult to recreate outside of the US. My new recipe will help you make jello pie without Cool Whip, without loosing out on the flavour or texture of the finished product!

    Slices of pink jello pie.

    What is Jello Pie

    A classic Jello Pie is a retro no bake cream pie in a graham cracker crust. The filling is made with the simple combination of Jell-O and Cool Whip.

    The Classic Jello Cool Whip Pie

    My family's recipe calls for:

    • 1 small (3oz) package of Jell-O
    • 1 standard (8oz) tub of Cool Whip
    • ⅔ cup boiling water
    • 2 cups of ice

    In a large bowl, you would simply mix the Jell-O with the boiling water, until the powder is fully dissolved. Then add the ice, stirring for a few minutes to help cool down the mixture. After 2 minutes, remove any remaining ice cubes. Then add the Cool Whip and stir to thoroughly incorporate. Spread in your pie shell and refrigerate until set.

    Ingredient Issues for Jello Pie in the UK

    Now, if you're in the US, there's no issue with this recipe - all the ingredients are readily available in grocery stores. But, unfortunately, outside the US, this simple recipe poses a lot of problems!

    In the UK there are three key issues that need to be confronted when trying to make Jello Pie:

    1. Jell-O as a brand is not widely available in the UK.
    2. Cool Whip does not exist in Britain (nor does any similar pre-made thick set whipped cream).
    3. Graham crackers are also only available as a specialty import.

    Making Homemade Jello Pie without Cool Whip

    Of the three key issues with Jello Pie in the UK, the lack of Cool Whip is the most difficult to overcome. There are suitable direct substitutes for both the Jell-O and the graham cracker crust, but nothing quite like ready made Cool Whip.

    Now you may think: can I substitute homemade whipped cream for Cool Whip in Jello Pie? The answer is unfortunately no. A basic homemade whipped cream will not be sufficient for setting a Jello Pie. This is because Cool Whip actually has quite a few stabilisers in it as a product that help to ensure it sets more solidly than average whipped cream.

    You need, therefore, additional gelatine in the recipe to make sure your pie sets.

    To mimic the flavours of Cool Whip, I use my stabilised vanilla whipped cream. Along with this, I add an extra teaspoon powdered gelatine to the flavoured gelatine liquid. This helps to ensure your pie will set and not turn out runny.

    Ingredients for homemade jello pie without cool whip.

    So I cheated a little bit on using local British ingredients - I did use Jell-O brand jello for my most recent pie. The jello in Britain is called jelly and generally comes in condensed jiggly jelly cubes. These dissolve in boiled water the same way as the powdered Jell-O, so can be substituted directly in this recipe. Jell-O brand is also found in many import stores and available on Amazon or other online American grocers.

    Step by Step Jello Pie

    Step 1: Bloom the extra gelatine

    In order to add in the extra 1 teaspoon of unflavoured powdered gelatine, this needs to be softened first before use. Sprinkle your 1 teaspoon of powdered gelatine over 1½ tablespoons of water. Let this sit to soak for 10 minutes.

    Meanwhile, you can whip your cream.

    Step 2: Make stabilized vanilla whipped cream

    My stabilized whipped cream recipe provides the perfect basis for the cream for this pie. You will use the ratio of 1 cup heavy double cream (or whipping cream), 1 tablespoon of powdered icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

    Whip this to stiff peaks, but avoid overwhipping, for best smooth cream quality.

    Once whipped, set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    Mixing bowl with heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar to make cool whip substitute.
    Vanilla whipped cream, freshly whisked to stiff peaks in mixing bowl.

    Step 3: Make the Jello (or Jelly)

    Next, make the jello!

    Whether you are using powder of cube, place this in a large bowl and pour over your boiled water. Stir until fully dissolved and add in your softened extra gelatine. Continue stirring for a minute or two to make sure it is all smooth liquid.

    Add about a cup of ice cubes (or a large handful). Stir again for about 2 minutes while the ice cubes begin to melt. This is to cool the jello down prior to the addition of the cream. After 2 minutes, remove any ice that hasn't melted.

    Bowl of jello powder mixed in boiled water.
    Quick cooling boiling jello mixture with ice cubes.
    Jello and gelatine mixture after being quick cooled with some ice.

    Step 4: Putting it all together

    The last step is to stir it all together!

    Add the chilled whipped cream to your jello and stir well to thoroughly mix through. Ideally, you want to avoid pockets of unmixed cream or jello. Though, in practice, these won't massively impact the flavour or texture of your pie, so don't worry too much!

    Once you have your filling mixed, pour this into your prepared pie shell. Refrigerate until set (about 4 hours).

    Adding whipped cream to strawberry jello.
    Jello and cream mixed together to form pie filling.
    Spreading pink jello pie filling in the pie shell.
    Jello pie ready for the refrigerator to set.

    I used a homemade crushed lotus biscuit pie shell, but you can also find cookie crumb/biscuit bases pre made in most grocery stores. In the US, preprepared graham cracker pie crusts are readily available.

    Jello Pie Flavors

    Jello Pie is conventionally pink and made with strawberry jello. There's no formal rule to this though.

    For a pink pie, my family's favourite is often Cherry Jello Pie, instead of strawberry, but you could also make this recipe with raspberry or even watermelon.

    Use orange jello for a Creamsicle Jello Pie or lime for a zesty green Lime Jello Pie alternative.

    FAQs for Jello Pie

    How long does Jello Pie keep?

    Jello Pie is at its best the day after it is made (allowing it to set overnight) and leftovers easily last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    Can Jello Pie freeze?

    It is not recommended to freeze Jello Pie. Jello in the freezer can loose its ability to gel, which means that the filling for the pie may become runny when defrosted.

    My Jello Pie spots, what happened and is this a problem?

    If you have white spots in your pie, this will be because the cream hasn't been stirred through enough. This is unlikely to cause any real issue with texture or flavor.

    Similarly, if your pie has some dark pink/red spots in it, don't worry - your powdered Jell-O likely didn't fully dissolve. This is not normally a problem and shouldn't impact the flavour or texture of the pie. Sometimes, if it really hasn't dissolved enough, the texture may become a bit grainy.

    If you find larger lumps of uncoloured undissolved gelatine this is likely from the additional gelatine you have added to the mixture. This most likely will result from not soaking the gelatine long enough to soften prior to use. Lumps from the extra gelatine will be less pleasant and more noticeable in your pie's texture, so be sure to soak this for the full 10 minutes - ensuring that all of the gelatine is soaked and none remains dry. Stir it into the boiling water thoroughly to dissolve.

    If you like this recipe, you might also like these other classics:

    • Grandma's Old Fashioned Pound Cake
    • Seven Layer Chocolate Cake
    • No Bake S'mores Cheesecake
    Slices of pink jello pie.

    Pink Jello Pie

    Liz Mincin
    An update on my family's classic Jello Cool Whip pie but without Cool Whip. A UK friendly version of the retro American classic.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Chilling 4 hrs
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 slices
    Calories 235 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 prepared 9" cookie crumb pie crust
    • 1 cup heavy double cream or whipping cream
    • 1 tablespoon powdered icing sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
    • 1 small (3oz) packet of Jell-O or 1 standard (135g) packet of jelly cubes
    • 1 cup ice
    • ⅔ cup boiling water
    • 1½ tablespoon tap water

    Instructions
     

    • Place 1½ tablespoons of tap water in a small bowl and sprinkle the 1 teaspoon of powdered unflavoured gelatine over this. Ensure all gelatine is soaking and allow to soften for 10 minutes.
    • In a medium bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks. Avoid overmixing. Place in the refrigerator until ready for use.
    • In a separate large bowl, add the Jell-O or jelly cubes and pour over boiling water. Stir to dissolve and add the softened gelatine, stirring to fully melt.
    • Add about 1 cup (or a large handful) of ice cubes to the flavoured gelatine liquid. Stir for about 2 minutes to cool the mixture down and remove any remaining unmelted pieces of ice.
    • Spoon the whipped cream into the flavoured gelatine liquid and stir to fully incorporate.
    • Pour the jello pie filling into the prepared pie crust and spread evenly. Place the pie in the refrigerator to set (about 4 hours, but best made the night before).

    Notes

    Step by step instructions with images available in the blog post.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 24.5gProtein: 0.6gFat: 14.8gSaturated Fat: 8.8gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 12mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 16gCalcium: 10mg
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    Image of Liz Mincin blogger and recipe developer behind Waiting for Blancmange.

    Hi, I'm Liz! I'm an American expat in the UK, with over 20 years experience baking and creating desserts. Taught tricks and tips by my mother and grandmothers, I'm sharing recipes and baking tips from my Italian American and Southern roots, along with a few British staples picked up from my time living across various regions in the UK.

    More about me →

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