Orange Creamsicle Pie perfectly captures the orange quiescently frozen treat we craved for every summer.  All the makings of orange curd, a little cream cheese and fluffy whipped cream. With the very first bite you will be in creamy orange heaven.

Remember when we were kids, we’d be playing outside, and we would run down the street chasing the melodious sounds of the ice cream truck? I’d be checking for loose change in my pockets and would hit the pavement running as fast my Keds could go.  The favorite frozen treats from my neck of the woods were Sidewalk Sundaes, Strawberry Shortcake, and Orange Creamsicle a.k.a. Dreamsicle. Because we were serious about our treats, there were some heated debates among us elementary-age ice cream connoisseurs.

The orange cream filling is full of orange zest and a little zap of lemon to help brighten the flavor. Even though it’s not as orange-colored as its frozen ice cream bar counterpart, it’s every bit as delicious. I almost added a drop of orange food coloring, but I didn’t. I wanted you to see the finished pie “as is.” Regardless of the color, it’s cloud-like creamy & all the flavor. Feel free to go the extra mile and use Candied Orange Peels for garnish. I snack on my citrus peels, therefore I had not a single one for garnish. Oops.

To start off, make the orange curd so it has time to cool for whipping into the filling. Pro Tip: Use a lemon cookie crust for an extra punch of citrus! Follow the link for Sandwich Cookie Crust recipe; lemon sandwich cookies are easy to find. However, if a gluten free crumb crust is what you need, I have you covered. See the notes in the recipe below to create a gluten free “graham” type crust.

The only thing that could make this better is having a minute or two to indulge in a slice. Get the kiddos busy and happily distracted; you can make it happen.

Whatever you do, make sure you grab a slice to “Treat Yo ‘Self.” Enjoy that trip down yesteryear with every bite; no running to the ice cream truck required.

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Orange Creamsicle (Dreamsicle) Pie

Recipe by Portlandia Pie Lady

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium-Easy

Orange Dreamsicle pie perfectly captures the creamy vanilla ice cream center surrounded by the orange quiescently frozen treat we craved for every summer!

Servings

8

Prep time

30

minutes

Refrigeration Time

4

hours

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• Orange Curd

• 1/2 cup pure cane sugar

• 1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 cup orange juice (add juice to juice from orange to make 1 cup)

• zest of 1 orange

• pinch of salt

• 4 egg yolks

• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

• Remaining Filling Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• Topping:

• 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract (optional)

• 1 prepared 9-inch lemon cookie or graham cracker crust

• See notes below for making a gluten free "graham" type crust.

Directions

• Orange Curd:
• Beat the egg yolks and pour through a sieve to get out those white "wiggly" things.
• In medium size saucepan, stir together the beaten-strained yolks, sugar, cornstarch, juices, zest and salt. Stirring with whisk constantly in the sauce pan over medium to medium-high heat, until mixture thickens (about 5-6 minutes).
• Remove pan from heat and stir in butter and stir until melted.
• Pour mixture into a separate bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed onto surface of curd to prevent skin from forming. Chill in refrigerator about 2 hours until thoroughly cooled.
• Filling & Assembly:
• With an electric mixer (I like KitchenAid), whip the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl beat the cream cheese until creamy and no lumps, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the whipped whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture and beat until fully incorporated, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add in the cooled orange curd and beat an additional 1 to 2 minutes until thoroughly incorporated.
• Spread into a prepared crust of choice.
• Topping:
• Cover (using strategically placed toothpicks to hold up plastic wrap) and refrigerate 4 hours before serving.
• With an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream, sugar, vanilla, and orange extract, until stiff peaks form. Pipe around edges of finished pie. Garnish with orange zest, candied orange peels, or orange curls.

Notes

• Gluten Free Crumb Crust: Pamela’s, Schar, and Simple Mills all have great gluten-free grahams to substitute for crust to make this gluten free.