Lemon Icebox Pie with Graham Cracker Crust Made Easy
A chilled lemon icebox pie with a crisp, buttery graham cracker crust and a silky, tangy filling made from pantry staples—finished with a fluffy whipped cream topping.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish
- Food processor (or zip-top bag and rolling pin)
- Medium Bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Fork
- Whisk
- Flat-bottomed measuring cup
- Cooling rack
- Offset spatula or spoon
- Hand mixer or whisk (for whipped cream)
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust
- 150 g graham cracker crumbs about 1 1/2 cups; from about 10–12 full cracker sheets
- 50 g granulated sugar 1/4 cup
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 85 g unsalted butter melted (6 Tbsp)
For the lemon filling
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk 396 g / 14-oz cans
- 4 large egg yolks about 72 g total
- 120 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup; from about 3–4 medium lemons
- 2–3 tsp finely grated lemon zest to taste; start with 2 tsp
- 1/8 tsp fine salt
For the whipped cream topping
- 360 ml heavy whipping cream cold (1 1/2 cups)
- 30–40 g powdered sugar 3–4 Tbsp; adjust to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract pure
- thin lemon slices or extra lemon zest optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175°C / 350°F with a rack in the middle. Lightly butter or spray a standard 9-inch pie dish if making the crust from scratch.
- Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor, or place them in a zip-top bag and roll firmly with a rolling pin until sand-like with no large pieces.
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture looks like damp sand and holds together when pressed.
- Transfer the crumb mixture to the pie dish. Spread evenly, then press firmly across the bottom and up the sides (a flat-bottomed measuring cup helps).
- Bake the crust for 8–10 minutes, until lightly fragrant and just beginning to deepen in color at the edges. Set on a rack to cool while you prepare the filling.
- If your oven runs hot, lower it slightly to 165–170°C / 325–340°F after baking the crust so the filling bakes gently.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth and slightly thickened, about 30–45 seconds.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and whisk until thick, fully blended, and uniform in color, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Whisk in the lemon zest and salt, then slowly whisk in the lemon juice in a thin stream until evenly combined and slightly thickened.
- Taste and adjust if desired (add up to 1 tablespoon more lemon juice for sharper flavor, or a little more condensed milk/cream if too tart).
- Make sure the crust is warm or at room temperature (not hot). Pour in the filling, smooth the top, and gently tap the pie dish on the counter to release air bubbles.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has a gentle wobble when nudged (do not bake until fully firm).
- Cool on a rack until room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Cover loosely (without touching the surface) and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until fully set.
- Shortly before serving, whip the cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla in a chilled bowl until medium to stiff peaks form, about 2–4 minutes.
- Spread or pipe whipped cream over the chilled pie and garnish with extra lemon zest or very thin lemon slices if desired.
- Slice and serve cold; for clean slices, use a thin sharp knife and wipe between cuts.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 9gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 260mgFiber: 1gSugar: 48gVitamin A: 900IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 220mgIron: 1.2mg
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