Lemon Icebox Pie

A cool and creamy lemon icebox pie with vanilla wafer crust, tart lemon filling, and honey whipped cream.

Prep:
25
minutes
Cook:
25
minutes
TOtal:
50
minutes

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1 3/4 cup vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (about 55 cookies, 195g)
  • 16 whole vanilla wafer cookies (for the edge)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (85g)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 2 cans (14 oz each) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice, strained (8 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 6 grams)
  • 6 large egg yolks (about 112g)

Topping

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (4 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon honey (about 20g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • Optional topping: 1/2 cup lemon curd

Instructions

Prepare and Bake the Crust

  1. Preheat: Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the vanilla wafer crumbs, sugar, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
  3. Press the crust: Firmly press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan (or springform pan - see notes below). Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to compact it evenly.
  4. Bake the crust: Bake for 8–10 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before adding the whole cookies.
  5. Line with whole cookies: Gently press the whole vanilla wafers upright along the edge of the crust to form a border. 16 cookies should fit around a 9-inch pan. That way each slice has two cookies for a charming vintage look. Press the whole cookie down into the crumbs slightly to hold them in place.

Make the Lemon Filling

  1. Whisk the egg yolks: In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened and lighter in color.
  2. Add the sweetened condensed milk: Whisk until fully combined and smooth.
  3. Make sure your pie crust has cooled before moving on. Once you add the lemon juice, the filling begins to thicken quickly.
  4. Add the lemon juice and zest: Stir the lemon juice and zest into the milk mixture. It will thicken noticeably within a minute or two. Pour the filling into the crust immediately.

Bake

  1. Bake the pie: Bake at 350°F for 13–15 minutes, or until the center is just set with a slight jiggle.

Cool, Chill, and Add Toppings

  1. Cool and chill: Let the pie cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until fully chilled and set. Chilling overnight is ideal for clean slices and the best flavor.
  2. Optional lemon curd topping: If using lemon curd, microwave 1/2 cup for 5–10 seconds until spreadable. For a brighter look, add the tiniest bit of yellow food coloring and stir until smooth. Spread a thin, even layer over the chilled pie and refrigerate for another 15–20 minutes to set.
  3. Make whipped cream: Add the heavy cream, honey, and vanilla to the bowl of your stand mixer (or you can use a hand mixer). Whip the ingredients until soft peaks form.
  4. Serve and Store: Dollop whipped cream on pie slices when serving. Garnish with any extra lemon zest or crushed wafers. Keep the pie refrigerated. Store the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Note that after a few days, the crust may begin to soften slightly

Makes 8 servings