Lemon Icebox Pie

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This Lemon Icebox Pie is a nostalgic, no-bake dessert made with just 3 ingredients and a simple graham cracker crust. Using fresh lemon juice and zest (no lemonade mix), the flavor is bright, tangy, and sets perfectly with no eggs.

If you ask me, there is no better potluck dessert than this. I’ve been making graham cracker crust desserts for years on this blog, and this lemon icebox pie recipe might be my favorite thing to come out of my kitchen.

I tested and tweaked this recipe until I had a pie that is 100% no-bake, completely egg-free, and quick to pull together, while still setting up clean enough to slice beautifully every single time.

This is a great pie to bring to potlucks, BBQs, or anything that demands a fresh and fruity dessert. Trust me, you’ll be making this lemon pie all summer!

Why You’ll Love This Icebox Pie Recipe

• The lemon flavor is strong and all from real lemons. No lemonade mix or lemon extract in this recipe.
• Assembles in just 5 minutes, it’s a great dessert to whip together.
• There are no raw eggs in the lemon pie filling, and no baking is required.
• This no-bake lemon pie filling is made with just three ingredients: condensed milk, lemons, and cream cheese.

Ingredients

• Prepared Graham Cracker Crust: You’ll need one 9″ graham cracker crust. You can use a homemade graham cracker crust or a store bought crust. *See the note below on crust prep.
• Lemons: Fresh lemons are the best here! You’ll need both the zest and the juice from three large lemons for the filling. Make sure to zest the lemons first before juicing!
• Cream Cheese: I use full fat cream cheese in place of the raw eggs found in many traditional lemon icebox pie recipes. The cream cheese sets up firm after chilling and gives you clean, beautiful slices. Make sure it’s fully softened to room temperature before you start. Cold cream cheese will give you a lumpy filling.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: Eagle Brand or any whole milk sweetened condensed milk works here. It adds sweetness and helps the filling to set. The lemon juice naturally reacts with the dairy to thicken it, and combined with the cream cheese, the filling sets perfectly without any baking at all.

Recipes Notes For The Graham Cracker Crust

One of the things I love most about this recipe is that neither a homemade nor a store-bought crust needs to be baked. However, there is one small difference in how you handle them:

Homemade Graham Cracker Crust: Press your crust into the pie plate and pop it in the freezer while you make the filling. The freezer will firm up the crust enough to hold the filling without any baking.

If you prefer a crisper crust, you can bake it at 350°F for 10 minutes and let it cool completely before filling. A no-bake crust will be softer, and a baked crust will have more snap.

Store bought crust: No baking needed. The crust can just be filled and chilled.

How To Make Lemon Icebox Pie

Step 1

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and lemon zest. Use the paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese and zest together until the cheese is smooth.

Note: adding the lemon zest with the cream cheese means it’s beaten longer in the mixer. That releases the natural oils in the lemon zest, making it extra lemony!

Step 2

Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat on medium speed until fully combined.

Step 3

Turn the mixer down to low speed and slowly stream in the lemon juice. Don’t rush this step, or the filling will come out lumpy.

Step 4

Fill the graham cracker crust with the lemon pie filling. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until set.

Tip: The filling will look loose at first, that’s normal! You’ll notice it starting to set up as you fill the crust. That’s the lemon juice and dairy reacting naturally. A full chill in the fridge does the rest.

Step 5

Once set, cut the pie into even slices, wiping the knife clean in between each cut. Top with a dollop of fresh whipped cream if desired. Keep the pie chilled until serving.

Tips for the Best No Bake Lemon Pie

• Soften your cream cheese completely. This is the most important step for a smooth, creamy filling.
• Stream the lemon juice in slowly. Every time I’ve rushed this step, I’ve ended up with lumps. Slow and steady wins here.
• A stand mixer is ideal, but a hand mixer works too. The paddle attachment on a stand mixer does a great job of knocking out every last lump, but for convenience’s sake, a hand mixer can be used!
• Wipe your knife between slices. It makes a noticeable difference in how clean and pretty the slices look.

Storage and Leftovers

This pie can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the fridge before serving.

Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days when covered in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer.

Freezing Icebox Pie

This pie freezes beautifully, whole or in individual slices, for up to one month. Beyond that, ice crystals can form on top.

For best results, freeze uncovered until solid, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or transfer slices to an airtight container. Enjoy slices straight from the freezer, or thaw the whole pie in the fridge for a few hours before slicing.

More No Bake Dessert Recipes

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