Inspired by a twist on the classic margarita, this blackberry margarita pie is perfect for summer! This no-bake freezer pie recipe is refreshing and has all the salty-sweet flavor of a classic margarita!
When the mercury rises, it’s time for all the no-bake desserts! This frozen blackberry margarita pie, for instance. With a pretzel crust for a salty kick, and a creamy lime filling with blackberry swirls, this pie has summer written all over it.
I’ve been a fan of blackberry and lime together for some time. In fact, for a while, I was bringing lime blackberry cakes to just about every party. I used the lime cake recipe here, and the blackberry cake filling here. One day I’ll get the combo properly written up on the blog.
So of course, when I was thinking about fun summer options for our Year of Pie, lime came to mind! I literally just put up a creamy lemon pie recipe though, and already have a tasty key lime pie. We need new, exciting… or maybe just a slight variation on a tried and true favorite.
A few years ago, I tried this frozen margarita pie recipe, and I really liked it. I swap out the graham cracker crust for a pretzel crust, and I think there’s an additional little tweak or two, but otherwise, it’s perfect! The filling is not too sweet, with a balanced lime and tequila flavor.
I also love that it doesn’t use frozen whipped topping. There is nothing wrong with using whipped topping! It’s just not something we keep in the house without a specific recipe in mind. So when the whim to bake a pie strikes, I like recipes where I have a better chance of having ingredients on hand.
Frozen Blackberry Margarita Pie Recipe Tips
Thankfully, this recipe is pretty easy to follow. I actually had my kids in the kitchen “helping” at various times when I was making the pie for pictures. No bake pies are a good place to have little ones help because they’re very hands-on in certain steps, with almost immediate gratification in seeing everything come together.
My first tip for recipe success is to have a level spot for your pie dish in the freezer. Don’t try to precariously balance your pie plate on something in the freezer that looks flat-ish. I’ve been there, done that, and the cleanup isn’t fun. Not to mention, your pie filling won’t freeze evenly so some slices will be thicker than others.
Second, keep things simple and use a store-bought jar of blackberry jam or preserves. When I have extra blackberry cake filling on hand, I’ll use that. But most of the time, I’ll just pick up a jar at the store or the farmer’s market. A looser jam works better for creating swirls, but you can see that even the thicker store-bought varieties work well.
And, of course, you can feel free to trade out the blackberry for any other flavor you’d like!
Do I have to use tequila?
No, you don’t. If you’d like to make a margarita pie without the alcohol, do it! Add a little extra lime juice, and you’re all set! This recipe isn’t “boozy” enough to give anyone more than a sugar buzz, but as not everyone imbibes, having a zero-proof version is appropriate in certain situations.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, you can! I recommend making it no more than 2 days in advance though if you don’t plan on tightly wrapping it for longer storage. For the best results, consume within a month. Otherwise, the texture suffers a bit from extended time in the freezer.
When you are ready to serve, remove the pie from the freezer 15 minutes before you plan to slice. At that point, it should be easy to cut through and enjoy!
I hope you love this delicious frozen margarita pie recipe, darlings!
Frozen Blackberry Margarita Pie
Inspired by a twist on the classic margarita, this blackberry margarita pie is perfect for summer! This no-bake freezer pie recipe is refreshing and has all the salty-sweet flavor of a classic margarita!
Ingredients
Pretzel Pie Crust:
- 1 1/3 cups pretzel crumbs (see notes)
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
No-Bake Margarita Pie Filling:
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons tequila blanco (see notes)
- 1/3 cup blackberry jam (see notes)
- lime zest for garnish
Instructions
- If you haven't already, pulse the pretzels in a food processor or crush with a rolling pin until very fine.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, lime zest, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Pour the crust mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and press evenly along the bottom and up the sides. Place the pie crust in the freezer while you mix up the filling.
- Pour the chilled whipping cream into a clean mixing bowl (if using a hand mixer) or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Start beating on low speed and work up to high speed until medium firm peaks form and you have whipped cream. Don't overbeat! Stop as soon as you see the peaks. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and tequila.
- Once the tequila mixture is smooth, spoon in the whipped cream in 3 batches. After you add a batch, fold it carefully into the condensed milk with your spatula until smooth. Mix slowly so you keep as much air in the whipped cream as possible.
- Once the pie filling is smooth, remove your pretzel crust from the freezer and pour the filling into the crust.
- Dollop the blackberry jam over the pie and then use a chopstick or butter knife to swirl the jam around the pie.
- Top the pie with lime zest for decoration, if desired.
- Return the pie to the freezer and chill for at least 2 hours, up to 3 days before serving. It will last a little longer if properly wrapped once frozen solid, but it's best the week it's made.
- When you are ready to serve, let the pie sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to soften a bit. Cut, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a food processor to easily crush your pretzels. The number of pretzels you'll need varies with the shape used. I needed about 10 rods or about 35 mini twists.
- I use unsalted butter in this recipe because that's what I keep on hand. I have used salted butter, and it's also worked great. In this particular recipe, because you want that salty flavor in the crust, either works with no modification on your end.
- To get your lime zest, carefully rub a whole lime against the fine side of a box grater. Apply enough pressure to remove the green portion of the rind but not the pith (the white part). Do this before you cut the limes for juice - it's easier and safer!
- Because this recipe is blended with other flavors, use blanco tequila for the brightest tequila flavor. Blanco tequila is aged in oak barrels for no more than 2 months and works best in this recipe. If you don't have blanco tequila, you may use a reposado, which has been aged 2-11 months. I don't recommend using an anejo tequila, which has been aged longer and is more suited for sipping than cooking.
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