Frozen Orange Cloud Pie

This is throwback potluck pie at its finest. A buttery graham cracker crust holds a fluffy, tangy filling of sweetened condensed milk, bright orange zest, and a splash of orange soda that gives it a faintly fizzy, sherbet-like character. Folded whipped topping turns the whole thing into a frozen cloud that slices into clean, cool wedges right out of the freezer.

A few drops of yellow food coloring give it that classic orange creamsicle hue. The crust can go either way: chill it to firm or bake it for 10 minutes for a deeper, more toasted flavor.

Kitchen Tips

• Use freshly grated orange zest only. Bottled or dried orange peel tastes faintly bitter and lacks the perfumed oils that make this filling sing.
• Fold the whipped topping in gently with a spatula, not a whisk. Aggressive mixing deflates the air pockets that give the pie its cloud-like texture.
• Bake the crust if you have time. Ten minutes at 375°F (190°C) caramelizes the sugar and prevents a soggy bottom once the filling thaws on the plate.
• Let the pie sit out for the full 10 minutes before slicing. Freshly out of the freezer it’s too hard to cut cleanly, and the citrus flavor mutes when it’s that cold.

Variations

• Swap orange soda for lemon-lime soda and use lemon zest for a frozen lemon cloud variation.
• Use a chocolate cookie crumb crust instead of graham for an orange-chocolate creamsicle effect.
• Stir in ½ cup mini chocolate chips with the whipped topping for chocolate fleck through every bite.