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A beautifully finished Lemon Icebox Pie in a ceramic dish, topped with swirls of whipped cream, fresh lemon slices, and mint leaves, sitting on a wooden kitchen counter.

The Best Lemon Icebox Pie Recipe (No-Bake, Foolproof, 5 Ingredients)

A classic no-bake lemon icebox pie made with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, cream cheese, and sweetened condensed milk in a buttery graham cracker crust. Creamy, tangy, and foolproof your ultimate summer make-ahead dessert.

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 460
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Graham Cracker Crust
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 12 full sheets
  • 1/3 cup 1/3
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
For the Lemon Filling
  • 8 oz cream cheese full-fat, brick-style (Philadelphia), softened
  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk 1 can, Eagle Brand recommended
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice from 3 to 4 medium lemons
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest from 2 medium lemons
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Topping
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • Thin lemon slices optional, for garnish
  • Fresh mint leaves optional, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch pie dish ceramic or glass preferred
  • 1 KitchenAid stand mixer or hand mixer for filling
  • 1 Food processor for crushing graham crackers
  • 1 Microplane or citrus zester for lemon zest
  • 1 Citrus juicer for maximum juice yield
  • 1 Rubber spatula for spreading filling

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pulse graham crackers in food processor until finely ground.
    A glass bowl filled with finely ground graham cracker crumbs sitting on a wooden kitchen counter, with an oven preheating to 350°F in the background.
  2. Add sugar and melted butter; pulse until mixture resembles wet sand.
    A glass mixing bowl on a wooden kitchen counter filled with a crumbly, buttery graham cracker mixture that looks like wet sand.
  3. Press firmly into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake 8 minutes. Cool completely.
    A golden-brown graham cracker crust pressed firmly into a scalloped 9-inch pie dish, ready for the filling.
  4. Beat softened cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
    A glass mixing bowl filled with smooth, white, whipped cream cheese, sitting on a wooden kitchen counter.
  5. Add sweetened condensed milk; mix until combined.
    A glass mixing bowl filled with a smooth, pale, and creamy mixture of whipped cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, sitting on a wooden surface.
  6. With mixer on low, slowly pour in fresh lemon juice, then add zest and vanilla.
    Fresh lemon juice being poured into a smooth, creamy, zesty yellow-tinted cheesecake filling in a glass bowl on a wooden counter.
  7. Mix until smooth. Filling will thicken as the citric acid reacts with the condensed milk.
    A glass mixing bowl showing a smooth, thick, pale yellow lemon cheesecake filling that is perfectly set and ready to be poured.
  8. Pour filling into the cooled crust. Smooth the top.
    A side-angle shot of a smooth, pale yellow lemon pie filling being perfectly leveled inside a pre-baked, golden graham cracker crust within a ceramic pie dish.
  9. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
    A classic lemon pie in a ceramic dish, carefully covered with plastic wrap, sitting on a wooden kitchen counter ready to be refrigerated.
  10. Before serving, whip cold heavy cream and powdered sugar to soft peaks. Spread over pie.
    A side-angle shot of a lemon icebox pie topped with a generous, artistic swirl of fluffy, freshly whipped cream, ready to be served.
  11. Garnish with lemon slices or mint. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping blade between cuts.
    A beautiful lemon icebox pie in a dish with one slice removed and placed on a white plate, garnished with lemon slices and fresh mint leaves, with a knife resting on the plate.

Notes

  • Room temperature cream cheese is essential. Pull it out at least 1 hour before starting.
  • Zest lemons before juicing. Use a microplane for best zest quality (no bitter pith).
  • Fresh lemon juice only. Bottled juice lacks aromatic compounds for bright flavor.
  • Full chill time is critical. Texture improves significantly between 4 and 8 hours.
  • Store in refrigerator up to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months.