This no-bake Lemon Icebox Pie recipe has a bright lemon filling, rich crumbly crust, and mounds of sweet whipped cream on top. With a few simple ingredients and just 30 minutes of assembly time, it's the perfect make-ahead summer dessert. Simply chill it in the fridge for a few hours before entertaining!
I LOVE lemon desserts! That's why you'll find loads of amazing lemon desserts on my blog like Lemon Lush and Lemon Curd Cake. If you're a lemon lover too, you're going to fall in love with this easy no-bake icebox pie recipe.
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What is an icebox pie?
An icebox pie is a traditional dessert that was extremely popular in the 1950s. They come in all sorts of flavors but share these key elements: no-bake recipe with a mousse filling that requires chilling in the refrigerator.
A chilled lemon icebox pie has a light and fluffy mousse filling similar to the filling in a lemon chiffon pie. A classic chiffon filling gets its airy texture by folding egg whites into a curd or thickened filling. A classic mousse filling gets its equally airy texture by folding whipped cream into a thickened filling.
We loved this no-bake lemon icebox pie! It's creamy, luscious and just perfect. Lemon desserts are my favorite and definitely going to make this again. We only have a few slices left!
- Kathryn
Why you'll love this recipe
When I was little, I loved a classic '50s dessert made from lemon Jell-o called Lemon Fluff. My mom's version was the best! It had the perfect combination of sweet and lemony filling with a layer of crumbled cookies on top!
Using her 9-by-13-inch lemon dessert as inspiration, I created this no-bake lemon icebox pie with a similar fluffy, tangy mousse filling in an incredible cookie crust.
I used lemonade concentrate and unflavored gelatin for the thickened base, and folded in pillows of whipped cream to make the mousse filling. It's seriously dreamy in your mouth.
Plus, I've recently retested the recipe to ensure it turns out perfectly every time -- even if you're a beginning baker!
I know you are drooling, but there's still more to love about this recipe:
- No-bake recipe: This no-bake pie is the best summer dessert. Use a few simple ingredients to make a creamy chilled dessert - no oven needed!
- Easy to make in advance: You'll only need 30 minutes to assemble the pie! Then chilling time in two stages. Place it in the fridge to set for a few hours so you can enjoy your time hosting instead of baking in the kitchen!
- Flavorful: From the creamy lemon filling to the crisp cookie crust, there is so much refreshing flavor in this icebox pie.
Ingredients
When developing this pie recipe, I researched classic '50s no-bake desserts. I knew I didn't want to use flavored gelatin, like the classic lemon fluff recipe, because I couldn't get the intense lemon flavor I wanted.
I landed on the combination of lemonade concentrate and unflavored gelatin to mimic the '50s dessert, and am so pleased with how this beauty turned out. Check out the ingredients I used below to recreate the classic flavors of this dessert. See recipe card for quantities.
- Vanilla wafer cookie crumbs: From about 50 cookies.
- Unsalted butter: To bind the crust together.
- Frozen lemonade concentrate: Thawed, but still cold. Gives the pie a bright lemon flavor.
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Unflavored gelatin: Helps to thicken the filling and make the mousse structure.
- Heavy cream: For the creamy ingredient in the pie filling, I swapped traditional canned milk for heavy cream, it's just so much richer!
- Yellow food coloring, optional: If desired, you can brighten the color of the pie with a few drops of liquid food coloring.
- Confectioners' sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Garnish, optional: You can garnish the top with lemon zest curls, candied lemon zest, or extra crumbled cookies. The crumbled cookies are more reminiscent of the classic dessert, but the lemon curls are just so pretty!
Hint: You can make cookie crumbs by placing the cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulsing until fine. Alternately, place the cookies in a plastic zipper bag and crush them using a rolling pin until fine.
How to make lemon icebox pie
- Make the crust: In a food processor blend cookie crumbs with the butter. Press into a 9-or 10-inch pie plate.
- Make the filling: Soften gelatin with water.
- Stir in the frozen lemonade concentrate, sugar, and food coloring. Chill.
- In a separate bowl whip heavy cream to firm peaks. Whip barely-set lemonade gelatin until frothy. Add whipped cream and mix just to combine.
- Pour filling into chilled crust and chill until set.
- Whip cream with confectioners' sugar. Top pie with whipped cream and garnish.
Make It In A Square Pan
Mom used to make Lemon Fluff (my inspiration for this pie) in a 9-by-13-inch pan, so I wanted this dessert to work well as both a pie and a square-sliced icebox dessert.
Use the same crust and filling from the recipe in a 9-by-9-inch square pan! Follow the instructions in the recipe card.
Also note: you'll have extra filling if using a 9-inch pie tin. If you have it, use a 10-inch pie tin, or pour the excess filling into a dish and chill; enjoy later with some extra whipped cream or cookies.
Step-by-step instructions. See recipe card for comprehensive directions.
- Step 1: Blend vanilla cookies until fine crumbs and add melted butter to form a crust crumble.
- Step 2: Press the crust crumbs into a pie tin in an even layer and chill or freeze.
- Step 3: Soften gelatin in water; then add sugar, and lemonade concentrate.
- Step 4: Add yellow food coloring to intensify the color, then chill this mixture until starting to jelly.
- Step 5: Whip the chilled gelatin mixture until lightened.
- Step 6: Add the whipped cream and fold in with a whisk or mixer to form the mousse filling.
- Step 7: Add the mousse filling to the chilled crust and refrigerate until very set; at least 4 hours.
- Step 8: Top pie with sweetened whipped cream and serve, or chill another few hours.
Tara's top tips
Don't rush the gelatin: Give yourself some time to make and chill the homemade Jell-o. The secret to perfection is making sure the unflavored gelatin is completely dissolved in the lemonade before chilling in the fridge. This ensures the gelatin activates all of the lemonade evenly and you get a sturdy base for the mousse.
Check the gelatin often: You only want to partially set the lemonade gelatin so keep checking it. You'll know it is partially set when it is just starting to jiggle and solidify. Blend it until it's fluffed quite a bit (incorporating air is key for this dessert), and then fold in your whipped cream.
Be careful with the no-bake crust: The crust for this pie is not your typical sturdy, cookie pie crust, but it's one of my favorite parts of the recipe. The crust isn't baked, so it's pretty fragile. Make sure to chill it in the fridge or freezer while the Jell-o sets, so it's ready for the filling. And, be sure to add the filling carefully so that the crust doesn't get broken.
Variations and substitutions
- Use lime: You can use fresh lime and limeade concentrate in place of the lemon flavors.
- Try different cookies: Shortbread and vanilla-based cookies work best, but you could try a biscoff cookie if you want a stronger flavor.
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free cookies for the crust.
- Make it square: Make a traditional Lemon Fluff dessert by making this no bake lemon pie in a 9-by-9-inch pan.
More no-bake desserts
Looking for more summer refreshment that won't heat up your kitchen? Try these no-bake treats:
Equipment
Food processor: A small 4-cup food processor is just fine for this recipe.
Get a set of mixing bowls: I never promised this dessert is a one-bowl creation! You'll use quite a few of your mixing bowls! But really, how hard is it to wash a few bowls? Not hard at all. I love this set of microwave-safe mixing bowls with lids! There is lemonade gelatin to make, cream to whip, and butter to melt! You won't regret it.
Pie plate: The filling fits in a 10-inch pie plate or tin, or make a 9-inch pie and have a few spoonsful of filling leftover.
Gelatin: I use Knox unflavored gelatin.
Storage and make-ahead
This pie is best when made in advance. It will need to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours but can be stored for up to a day before serving. I suggest topping with the fresh whipped cream just a few hours before serving.
Since this is a chilled pie, leftovers should be covered and stored in the refrigerator immediately.
FAQ
No, it cannot. If you're looking to reduce the dairy in this recipe or cut back on the fat, this isn't the dessert for you.
Absolutely! In fact, this lemon ice box pie recipe is best when made ahead of time. It needs to chill for at least 4 hours in the fridge, but it can be left for much longer as desired.
Your local grocery store should stock it on the baking aisle. You want to buy unflavored gelatin for this easy no-bake lemon pie recipe, NOT flavored Jell-o.
Some icebox pies are made with condensed milk (canned milk), but this recipe does not call for it. I wanted a much richer filling and decided heavy cream was the way to go. I don't recommend adding canned milk because it will change the texture of the filling and the pie won't set properly.
More delicious lemon recipes
Keep the refreshing lemony vibes on repeat all summer long with more of my favorite lemon recipes:
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Icebox Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (from about 50 cookies)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
- ¾ cup frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed, but cold)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water (DIVIDED)
- 1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin (almost 2½ teaspoons / 7.2 grams)
- 2 cups heavy cream (DIVIDED)
- 4 to 7 drops yellow liquid food coloring (optional)
- ¼ cup confectioners' sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Garnishes: vanilla wafer cookie crumbs, lemon zest curls, or candied lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
Make the crust
- In a food processor, blend cookie crumbs with the 5 tablespoons melted butter. Evenly press into a 9- or 10-inch pie plate and chill or freeze while preparing the filling.
Make the filling
- In a medium bowl sprinkle gelatin over ½ cup of the room-temperature water. Let the gelatin bloom (or soften), so there are no dry bits visible. Boil the remaining ½ cup water in the microwave or on the stovetop and stir into gelatin mixture. Stir until gelatin is dissolved.
- Stir in cold lemonade concentrate, sugar, and food coloring (to desired color). Stir until sugar is dissolved and then refrigerate until mixture is the consistency of loose jelly, 2 to 2½ hours. Mixture will jiggle like just-setting Jell-o.
- In a separate bowl, whip 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks; set aside. Whip barely-set lemonade gelatin until frothy, about 1 minute on high speed. Add the whipped cream and fold into the gelatin just to combine.
- Gently pour filling into chilled crust and chill until set, 4 hours or more.
Finish the pie
- To serve, whip remaining 1 cup cream with confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Top pie with whipped cream and garnish with extra cookie crumbs, lemon zest curls, or candied lemon zest. Serve immediately, or chill with cream on top for up to 2 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Brittany says
What a fun idea! I love the idea of making a nice dessert but also beating the heat 🙂
Mary Bench says
Lemon anything is my fave! This will be a must-make!
Natalie says
I love anything with a wafer crust! This is the perfect option for a summer dessert.
Megan Palmer says
Lemon is my grandma's favorite flavor. I am going to surprise her and make this for her next week.
Britney Fronk says
I had been looking for a light dessert to go with our Sunday dinner, and this was the end of my search! So good!
veenaazmanov says
Beautiful concept and a yummy dessert too. Love the Lemon Flavor too. Yum
Amy Liu Dong says
Definitely a fun idea and I am so excited to make this recipe for everyone. So yum!
Kathryn Donangelo says
We loved this no-bake lemon icebox pie! It's creamy, luscious and just perfect. Lemon desserts are my favorite and definitely going to make this again. We only have a few slices left!
Paige says
wow, this is so nostalgic and beautiful too! I love lemon pie, any kind, and this one is going on my short list.
alessandro pampolino says
love it.. delicious and easy to make
Julie says
Made this for a party this weekend and it was a huge hit. So refreshing and light.
Tara T. says
Oh so good to hear! It's one of my faves.
Mindy says
I've made this twice this summer! Once for a cookout and once just because I was craving it after the cookout!! Not having to turn on the oven and bake it in this hot Texas summer weather is really a plus.
Tara Teaspoon says
I'm so happy it was a hit!
Jill says
My grandma used to make a jello version of this when I was a child, and the lemon was always my favorite. Ahhhh, it brought back so many great memories! We served it on Sunday night when we had family in town but we used a graham cracker crust because we didn't have Nilla wafers on hand. I can't wait to make it again with the nilla wafer version!
Tara Teaspoon says
The jello version is a classic! Glad it worked with a graham cracker crust.
Jesseca says
The crust was perfectly crisp and the filling hit that sweet‑tart spot like a dream. Definitely adding this to my summer must‑make list. Thanks for the bright, breezy inspo, Tara!
Tara Teaspoon says
Glad to hear it!
Brianna says
I'm obsessed with lemon desserts and this delivered big time. Bright, creamy and refreshing this is the perfect summer dessert.