Lemon Icebox Pie

By Vallery Lomas

Updated Sept. 3, 2024

Lemon Icebox Pie
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
4¼ hours
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes, plus 3 hours’ chilling and freezing
Rating
4(179)
Comments
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This tangy, creamy lemon icebox pie hits all the high notes, and it couldn’t be easier to prep. Using lemon curd provides a ton of lemony tartness and flavor, and means that you don’t need to fuss around with juicing and zesting fresh lemons. The cream cheese balances out the tart citrus notes, while also making this recipe super creamy. And you don’t even need to turn on your oven. Be sure that your cream cheese is super soft so that there won’t be lumps in your pie. This pie can be served straight from the freezer for a semifreddo-like texture. Plus, it cuts precisely when it’s very cold. You may also opt to let it rest at room temperature to soften a bit before serving.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 (9-inch) pie; 8 servings
  • 2(8-ounce) packages full-fat cream cheese (453 grams), at room temperature
  • ¾cup/180 milliliters heavy cream 
  • 1cup/300 grams lemon curd (homemade or store-bought)
  • 1baked 9-inch graham cracker crust, homemade or store-bought
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

485 calories; 39 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 16 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 302 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Using either a hand mixer in a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high until smooth and creamy. Add the heavy cream and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the lemon curd and beat until no streaks of curd remain and it’s fully incorporated.

  2. Step 2

    Spoon the filling evenly into the pie crust and refrigerate for one hour, then transfer to the freezer for at least two hours, until ready to serve. Cut slices and serve cold. Store in the freezer, covered, for up to two weeks.

Ratings

4 out of 5
179 user ratings
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Comments

Cathlyn

I made this for a dinner with friends. I made the crust from scratch, as well as a homemade lemon curd. It is extremely easy to make but I didn’t find it lemony enough. I ended up making a raspberry sauce to pour over the top, which was a nice contrast. I would make it again, but I would increase the lemon zest in the recipe.

Dennis Bates

I’ve been making a lime yogurt pie that couldn’t be easier. The crust is Trader Joe’s triple ginger snap cookies pulverized in a food processor with quarter cup melted butter. Bake the crust 10 minutes at 350 then let cool. Spoon in 4 or 5 Chobani lime, no fat Greek yogurts, top with lime zest and freeze. Serve after tempering at room temp. Refreshing!

Ralph

The directions are unclear about the cream cheese. One package is usually 8, not 16 ounces, so it requires two 8 ounce packages. Also, it was a little bland for my taste, so I added about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to brighten it up, but that’s a matter of personal preference.

Sandy V.

Guests loved it. Great texture and flavor. Perfect after a spicy meal. Used homemade curd from Meyer lemons.

Karen

Agree that it's not lemony enough. Also kind of heavy.

Mike. Peoria, AZ

Made this again tonight. I note the 12.7 oz jar of Bonne Mamam lemon curd is just a tiny bit more that one cup so I used the whole jar (325 grams). I like to measure ingredients by grams so I weighed 3/4 cup of heavy cream and it's 175-180 grams. Instead of dirtying a measuring cut I just put the bowl on my kitchen scale and add ingredients by weight. I used the 10-inch pie shell and it filled the shell, glad I didn't use the 9-inch, Great recipe. Try it.

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