This Lemon Icebox Pie is so easy to make! It’s creamy and zesty, with fresh lemon juice and zest and sweetened condensed milk—it’s a classic Southern dessert!
We serve this pie year-round and usually have one stored in the freezer to pull out for unexpected company. It’s like a breath of spring in the middle of winter.
Classic Southern desserts abound for the simple reason that they are usually easy and made of just a few, handy ingredients, and that’s the hallmark of this classic Southern Lemon Icebox Pie.
This old-fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie is creamy, zesty, sweet, and refreshingly cool as it slides down your throat.
And it’s so EASY to make!
Lemon Icebox Pie
The pie is called Lemon Icebox Pie because it’s kept in the refrigerator. Ice box pie history is that these desserts were easy to make and could be easily stored in the ice box.
Nowadays we have refrigerators, and you can also store this pie in the freezer if you want a firmer texture.
When stored in the refrigerator, the pie has more of a creamy texture, similar to one of our other family favorites, my luscious Key Lime Pie.
Ingredients for the Lemon Icebox Pie Recipe
This pie is one of my favorite non-chocolate desserts because it’s easy, number one, but also because it’s fabulous in its simplicity:
- Graham cracker crust
- Sweetened condensed milk – I prefer Eagle brand condensed milk
- Egg yolks
- Fresh lemon juice – don’t skimp on this, no bottled juice!
- Fresh lemon zest
Optional Whipped Cream Topping:
- Heavy whipping cream, cold
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
**Cook’s Tip: The crunch of the graham cracker crust is the perfect accompaniment to the creamy, lemony filling, but this pie could also be made in a regular pie crust or with a vanilla wafer crumb crust the way my friend Stacey makes it.
Tools Needed for the Lemon Icebox Pie Recipe
For this old-fashioned lemon icebox pie, you can use a store-bought crust or make your own with crushed graham crackers. I’ve done both and either way turns out just fine!
If you make your own crust you’ll need a pie plate for the pie and that’s it!
This plain, glass one from Pyrex is my go-to every time and it’s so inexpensive—you can keep multiple ones if you need to make lots of pies at one time! Check the price on Amazon and you can have the perfect pie plate in a couple of days!
How to Make Easy Lemon Icebox Pie:
Step 1.
Zest a couple of lemons.
Step 2.
Whisk together a couple of egg yolks along with a can of condensed milk and fresh lemon juice and zest.
**Cook’s Tip: Fresh lemon zest and juice will make your lemon icebox pie have the best flavor!
Step 3.
Toss in a pinch of salt, whisk it all until blended, then pour into the crust.
Step 4.
The pie only needs to bake about 15 minutes, then just let it cool and keep it in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or until you’re ready to serve.
Southern Lemon Icebox Pie Tips
- Pay close attention to what size pie crust you purchase. This filling is enough for a 9-inch store-bought graham cracker crust, which will say 6-ounces on the package. If you purchase the one that says 9-ounces that is actually for a 10-inch pie and you will not have enough filling.
- You can make the pie a couple of days in advance if you need to. It will keep well in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
- This is a great potluck pie to take to any event and it’s even ok if it’s still slightly frozen when you serve it. Folks will just think it’s a lemon ice cream pie!
Can You Freeze Lemon Icebox Pie?
Yes! Here are my tips for freezing:
- Wrap the chilled pie in plastic wrap, then cover with foil.
- Place the wrapped pie in the freezer. Store for 1-2 months.
How’s that for flexibility?
And don’t think you should only serve Lemon Icebox Pie in the summertime—it’s often on our Thanksgiving table and Christmas too!
Serve with Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Slaw or Fried Chicken, Butter Beans, and Mashed Potatoes.
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Lemon Icebox Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9- inch graham cracker crust (the 6-ounce)
Pie Filling
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
- 4 tsp fresh lemon zest
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Pie Filling
- Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Allow pie to cool completely on wire rack, about one hour. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours and up to two days.
Whipped Cream Topping
- Beat whipping cream at high speed of a stand mixer until foamy. Add sugar and vanilla and beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Spoon whipped cream over slices of pie.
Video
Notes
Tips for Making the Best Lemon Icebox Pie
- Pay close attention to what size pie crust you purchase. This filling is enough for a 9-inch store-bought graham cracker crust, which will say 6-ounces on the package. If you purchase the one that says 9-ounces that is actually for a 10-inch pie and you will not have enough filling.
- You can make the lemon icebox pie a couple of days in advance if you need to. The pie will keep well in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
- This is a great potluck pie to take to any event and it’s even ok if it’s still slightly frozen when you serve it.
- Wrap the chilled pie in plastic wrap, then cover with foil.
- Place the wrapped pie in the freezer. Store for 1-2 months.
Nutrition
If you love Lemon Icebox Pie, you might also like these great desserts:
Lemon Crinkle Cookies with Brown Sugar
Easy Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze
Update Notes: This post was originally published September 21, 2016, and on October 23, 2018, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.
My husband used to eat this without baking it. Is that safe?
Lots of people do that! I just prefer a brief stint in the oven.
@Wendy Vowell, I never have baked mine. They say the lemon juice cooks the eggs.
@Cheryl Roberts,
My mother never baked it either and I can hear her saying that the lemon juice cooked the eggs.
My husband LOVED it!!
This time I bought the 10oz crust by accident so I doubled the ingredients. How long should I allow it to bake?
This pie was voted best old fashioned lemon icebox pie out of 4 different recipes from my family. Super easy and yummy!
This pie was voted best old fashioned lemon icebox pie out of 4 different recipes from my family. Super easy and yummy!
Sooooo glad to find the original recipe. Mom is up in her 90 ‘s could not remember all the recipe. Now we have it, thanks!
Sooooo glad to find the original recipe. Mom is up in her 90 ‘s could not remember all the recipe. Now we have it, thanks!