This root beer float pie recipe is held together by Cool Whip, nostalgia, and absolutely no intention of turning on the oven. It's creamy, nostalgic, ridiculously easy to make, and tastes like somebody folded an old-fashioned root beer float into a pie crust just to prove they could.
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Table of Contents
🥰 Is this root beer float pie recipe for you?
This no-bake root beer float pie deserves a spot in your summer dessert lineup if...
- You still think a frosty mug of root beer is one of mankind's greatest achievements.
- It's too hot to turn on the oven, but dessert remains non-negotiable.
- You need an easy make-ahead dessert for cookouts, potlucks, or Fourth of July celebrations.
- You love old-fashioned recipes with just enough nostalgia to make you wonder where the summers went.
- You appreciate recipes that look impressive but require almost no effort. We support strategic laziness around here.
Expert Tip: Be sure you are using root beer extract and not root beer concentrate. They are different!
🧾 Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this creamy no-bake root beer float pie. Just don't skip the root beer extract. It's the secret to getting that classic soda fountain flavor.
If you are looking to cut calories you can use diet root beer and sugar-free instant pudding.
- Crumb crust: Shortbread is my favorite because it lets the root beer flavor steal the spotlight, but a graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust works just fine if that's what's hanging out in your pantry.
- Cool Whip: The shortcut that keeps this pie light, fluffy, and gloriously low-maintenance. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight for the best texture.
- Heavy cream: Just enough to make the filling extra rich and creamy.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix: This is what gives the pie its structure. Don't make the pudding first. Just toss the dry mix right into the bowl.
- Root beer extract: The tiny bottle doing the loudest job. Don't substitute root beer concentrate or flavoring. They're different products, and this recipe was tested with extract.
- Root beer: Use your favorite brand. A&W gives you that classic creamy soda fountain flavor, while Barq's adds a little extra bite.
- Maraschino cherries: Optional... unless you're trying to convince people they're eating a real root beer float. Then they're practically required.
Be sure to grab the free kitchen cheat sheet with extra tips, faqs, storage, and more.
📖 Recipe
Frozen Root Beer Float Pie
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup root beer, chilled
- ¼ cup half & half cream, or whole milk
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 tablespoon root beer extract
- 8 ounces Extra Creamy Cool Whip, plus more for garnish
- 8 maraschino cherries
- 8- inch shortbread cookie crumb crust
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together root beer, cream, pudding mix, and root beer concentrate for about 5 minutes, or until mixture starts to thicken.
- Gently fold in whipped topping until combined and no streaks remain.
- Spoon mixture into pie crust.
- Cover and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
- About 10 minutes before serving remove from the freezer and let thaw a little.
- Top with whipped cream and serve.
Notes
- Use full-fat ingredients for the best flavor
- Thaw frozen cool whip in the fridge overnight. If it's thawed at room temperature it will lose its creamy texture.
- Let your no bake pie sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Add the whipped cream topping just before serving.
- Don't prepare the pudding mix. Just dump the ingredients into a large bowl to make your pie!
- Serve root beer float pie either refrigerated and creamy or slightly frozen.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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🔪 How to make root beer float pie
This pie comes together in about five minutes, which barely gives you enough time to wonder if you forgot a step. You didn't.
- Throw the root beer, heavy cream, instant pudding mix, and root beer extract into a bowl.
- Whisk until it thickens up. It's giving soda fountain magic with almost zero effort.
- Fold in the Cool Whip with a gentle hand. Don't beat it into submission. Fluffy is the assignment.
- Spread the filling into your prepared crust and smooth the top. Freeze until firm.
😱 What can go wrong (and how to fix it)
🥤 The filling didn't thicken.
Double-check that you grabbed instant pudding mix, not cook-and-serve. Also, don't prepare the pudding first. The dry mix goes straight into the bowl.
🥤 The flavor is disappointing.
Root beer extract and root beer concentrate are not the same thing. Use the extract if you want that classic soda fountain flavor.
🥤 The pie is icy instead of creamy.
If you serve it straight from the freezer, it'll be pretty firm. Let it hang out on the counter for about 10 minutes before slicing.
🥤 The filling looks flat.
Overmixing the Cool Whip knocks out some of the fluff. Fold it in gently until the streaks disappear, then call it good.
🥤 The slices won't hold together.
The pie probably needs more freezer time. Four hours is the minimum, but overnight gives you the cleanest slices.
🥤 Your crust crumbles when you cut it.
A store-bought crust is already set, but if you're making your own, chill it well before adding the filling.
👩🏻🍳 FAQs
You can, but the pie won't be quite as stable. Cool Whip helps the filling stay light and slice cleanly after freezing. If you use homemade whipped cream, whip it to stiff peaks and plan to serve the pie within a day or two.
They're not interchangeable. Root beer extract is a concentrated flavoring used in baking, while root beer concentrate is designed for making soda. This recipe was tested with root beer extract, and that's what gives it the classic root beer float flavor.
Yes, but it'll have a softer, mousse-like texture. If you want clean slices, freezing is the better option.
It will be fine in the refrigerator for a day or so, but it will be a much softer consistency.
📚 More no-bake pies to keep summer civilized
No bake pies are my favorite option for a sweet treat in the summer! Once you've discovered the joy of making dessert without heating up the kitchen, there's really no going back.
🍌 No-Bake Banana Pudding Pie layers vanilla pudding, Nilla Wafers, and whipped cream into the kind of dessert that mysteriously gets smaller every time you walk through the kitchen.
🍋 No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake is a creamy copycat of the old Woolworth's favorite with just the right balance of sweet and tangy.
🔥 No-Bake S'mores Pie brings all the campfire flavor without smoke in your eyes or anyone arguing over whose marshmallow caught fire.
🥤 Dr Pepper Icebox Pie is root beer float pie's Southern cousin. If you think soda belongs in dessert, this one is absolutely your kind of recipe.
🏡 Some recipes are family heirlooms. Others are happy little acts of rebellion against 102-degree afternoons and kitchens that feel like saunas. This root beer float pie belongs in the second category, right next to paper plates, backyard laughter, and pretending one slice is plenty.
Randall Black says
I made this pie. It was really easy and very good. I used blond Oreo Cookies crust. The whole pie was really good.