Bite Into Summer With These 3 Mouthwatering Pie Recipes

Summer is all about fresh fruit and bright flavors — and these pies make the most of the season’s bounty beautifully. A peach crumble that’s a summertime dream, an iconic Southern treat, and a no-bake strawberry pie make for some of our top desserts to put on repeat this summer. Let’s dive right in.

Peach Crumble Pie (Serves 8)

Peaches are at their juiciest and most flavorful in the summer. While eating them like an apple is heaven in and of itself, these deliciously succulent gems also make foroutstanding pies that are big on bright, summery flavor.

Ingredients:

— 1 refrigerated pie crust (room temperature)

— ½ cup all-purpose flour

— ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

— 1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar, divided

— 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

— 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

— ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

— 3 pounds ripe but firm fresh peaches, peeled and cut into thin ¾-inch slices (about 8 cups)

— ¼ cup cornstarch

— 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger (about 1 oz)

— 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
— 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

— 1 tablespoon fine yellow cornmeal

— Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F with oven rack in lower third of the oven. Fit the piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate, folding under edges and crimping with a fork, if desired. Chill the piecrust while preparing the filling. Place a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven and preheat for about 20 minutes.
2. Stir together flour, pecans (if using), ½ cup of the brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ½ tsp of salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter, then pinch the mix between your fingers and blend until the mixture begins to clump, and the butter is completely incorporated.
3. Toss together peaches, cornstarch, ginger, lemon juice, vanilla, remaining ¾ cup brown sugar, remaining 1 tsp cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes.
4. Lightly sprinkle cornmeal evenly over the bottom of chilled crust, then top with peach mixture and all of the juices from the bowl. Crumble pecan mixture on top.
5. Place pie on preheated baking sheet and bake at 375° for approximately 75 minutes, or until liquid is bubbling and topping is golden brown, shielding pie with aluminum foil if necessary. Note: Every oven is different, so be sure to frequently check your pie to prevent excess browning. Once at the halfway point is ideal, and then every 5 minutes once you reach one hour of baking.
6. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, serve with vanilla ice cream. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Atlantic Beach Pie (Serves 8)

Fans of key lime pie will love this Southern staple. Creator Bill Smith was inspired to back this bright, citrusy treat by the lemon pie served at North Carolina seafood restaurants during his childhood. Notoriously easy to make, this pie will quickly become a part of your summer rotation.

Ingredients

— 1 ½ cups finely crushed saltine crackers (approximately 1 sleeve)*

— 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

— 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

— 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

— 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

— 4 large egg yolks

— ¼ cup fresh lime juice from 2 large limes

— ¼ cup fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons

— 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

— ¼ cup powdered sugar

— Lemon and lime zests for garnish

Note: The hint of saltiness in the crackers is the perfect complement to the citrusy filling, but feel free to substitute a graham cracker crust if you want something even sweeter.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together crushed crackers, melted butter, sugar, and egg whites in medium bowl. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch glass pie plate and firmly press into the bottom and sides. Freeze for about 10 minutes.
2. Bake crust in preheated oven until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
3. Whisk together condensed milk and egg yolks until smooth. Whisk in lime and lemon juice and pour mixture into crust.
4. Return to baking at 350° until center of pie is just set, about 15 minutes (give it a jiggle if you’re not sure). Transfer to wire rack and cool for about one hour, then refrigerate until chilled, another two hours.
5. Before serving: beat heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spread the whipped cream topping over the chilled pie, leaving about a half-inch of custard visible around outer edge. Garnish with lemon and lime zests (if desired) and serve. Pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days (sans whipped topping).

No-Bake Strawberry Pie (Serves 8)

Sweltering summer temperatures have you feeling like you don’t want to turn on your oven, yet you’re still craving something sweet for dessert? Have no fear — there are a ton of no-bake options for those days when it’s too hot to even move, and this one is a definite winner. Summer strawberry flavors shine through beautifully in this quasi-icebox cake that’s a snap to make.

Ingredients

— 9 graham crackers, broken into pieces

— 3 tablespoons sugar

— pinch kosher salt

— ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

— Cooking spray

— 10 oz fresh strawberries, plus 4 more, halved for garnish

— 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

— ¼ teaspoon lemon zest

— 3 ¼ cups heavy cream

— 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

— Vanilla extract (optional)

Method

1. Place graham crackers, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until mixture becomes fine crumbs. Add the butter and pulse again until moistened and combined.
2. Spray a 9-inch-deep dish pie plate with cooking spray, and transfer the crumbs to the bottom and sides of the plate, covering evenly. Refrigerate for one hour.
3. While the pan is cooling, roughly chop the berries and mash them until very juicy and broken into smaller pieces. Stir in the milk and lemon zest and set aside.
4. In the large bowl of a standing mixer (or with a hand mixer), whip 2 ½ cups of the heavy cream on medium speed until stiff peaks form (2 to 5 minutes). Using a spatula, gently fold the berry mixture into the whipped cream, then dollop mixture into prepared crust. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours, or overnight.
5. Before serving, place the remaining ¾ cup of heavy cream in the medium bowl of a standing mixer and whip until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and splash of vanilla and continue to mix for 2 to 3 minutes. Note: These final two steps are optional. Feel free to skip if you don’t want the extra work, though it does look pretty and will definitely impress your guests!
6. Using a teaspoon or piping bag, dollop whipped cream along the edge of plate and garnish with half-cut strawberries. Slice and serve.

Summer is pie season. Stone fruits like peaches are at their glorious peak, fresh strawberries are as sweet as ever, and bright citrus flavors take you back to the nostalgia of long, hot days spent at the shore. These 3 palate pleasers are the best of the best, capturing the season’s signature flavors in pie form.

Recipes adapted from Southern Living’s “The Best Pie Recipes To Make All Summer Long”