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This No Bake Lemon Pie is the ultimate creamy, dreamy summer dessert! If you need a little sunshine in a dish, this easy lemon icebox pie is exactly what you’re looking for. It features a bright, fresh lemon flavor that tastes just like a Girl Scout Lemonade cookie but in a silky-smooth, no-bake filling. With a buttery graham cracker crust and only a handful of ingredients, it is a no-fail favorite that is perfect for any time you need a sweet treat without turning on the oven.
This easy no-bake lemon pie recipe yields 8 servings and features a creamy filling made from sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice, and heavy whipping cream. The recipe uses a 9-inch graham cracker crust and takes approximately 15 minutes of active prep time. It must be chilled thoroughly in the refrigerator to set properly.
Need a little sunshine? This easy Lemon Pie is such an easy dessert that is sure to bring all the feel-good feelings of a bright sunny day. The pie is creamy and lemony and tastes, amazingly, like a Girl Scout Lemonade cookie but with a crumbly, buttery graham cracker crust.
What I love about this no bake lemon icebox pie is the bright and fresh lemon flavor in the creamy smooth filling made with sweetened condensed milk. There’s just the right amount of crust, too. I love a graham cracker crust for this pie, but you can easily switch it up and use a Golden Oreo Crust or make a shortbread crust. This pie is one of my favorite no bake desserts and you’re going to be obsessed with it.
The secret to the best no-bake lemon pie is the combination of fresh lemon juice and sweetened condensed milk. Unlike other recipes that rely on gelatin or pudding mixes, this pie sets up naturally thanks to the chemical reaction between the citric acid in the lemons and the protein in the milk. By folding in freshly whipped cream instead of store-bought whipped topping, we achieve a luxurious, icebox texture that is incredibly light and refreshing.
Lemon Icebox Pie Ingredients
- Graham Cracker Crust: You can make my recipe or buy one from the store.
- Whipped Cream: You’ll need this for the filling and topping.
- For the best results and a reliable set, use full-fat sweetened condensed milk. Low-fat or fat-free versions often have a higher water content and lower protein density, which can result in a weepy pie that doesn’t hold its shape. The fat content in the milk provides the richness and body that characterizes a classic lemon icebox pie.
- To ensure your pie sets up with a sliceable consistency, you must use fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice has a different acidity level and often contains preservatives that can interfere with the thickening process. Freshly squeezed juice contains the active citric acid necessary to react with the proteins in the sweetened condensed milk, allowing the pie to firm up properly in the refrigerator without the need for baking or gelatin.
- Lemon Extract: Optional but really, not. It gives tons of lemon flavor!
Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.
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Expert Tips
- Do not skip the fresh lemon juice and do not use fat free sweetened condensed milk or your pie won’t set up properly.
- When making your homemade whipped cream, it is critical to beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. If the cream is too soft or floppy, the pie will lack the structural integrity to hold its shape when sliced. Once whipped, gently fold the cream into the lemon mixture using a spatula. This folding technique preserves the air bubbles in the whipped cream, resulting in a billowy, cloud-like texture rather than a dense filling.
- You can pipe the whipped cream using a star tip (I use a #22 star tip with a pastry bag).
- To create the lemon curl in the middle, take a whole slice of lemon and cut a single slit to the middle. Give it a twist and place in on the pie. Sprinkle lemon zest over the top and that’s it!
- Prefer lemon cheesecake? Try my No Bake Lemon Cheesecake or my baked lemon cheesecake!
No Bake Lemon Cream Pie Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 graham cracker crust (or Golden Oreo or shortbread crust), from scratch or from the store
For the Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Lemon Cream:
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
- ¼ teaspoon pure lemon extract
Instructions
- Make the crust and chill until the filling is ready.
- Make whipped cream. Add cream and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed until it doubles in size, then add vanilla. Continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Chill until ready to use.
- Stir sweetened condensed milk, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon extract in a large bowl until combined. Add half of your whipped cream and stir carefully until completely incorporated. Pour into crust.
- Decorate the top of your pie with the rest of your whipped cream. You can spread it in an even layer or pipe it on using a star tip. (I used star tip #22 in a disposable pastry bag.) Sprinkle with remaining lemon zest. Chill until ready to use. Refrigerate leftovers. The pie is also good frozen for a cool summer treat.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
How to Make Lemon Pie Step by Step
- Make the whipped cream. I like to chill the bowl beforehand – a cold bowl keeps the fat in the cream cold so it’s much easier to whip. Your whipped cream will be even lighter and fluffier if you start with a cold bowl.
- Combine the sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice and the extract.
- Add half of the whipped cream and carefully stir to combine it with the other ingredients.
- Pour the mixture into your crust.
- Top with additional whipped cream.
Variations
- Use a shortbread crust or a Golden Oreo Crust or buy a store bought crust, but homemade is so much better!
- You can swap a container of cool whip for the whipped cream.
FAQs
Store the pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve and afterwards. It will keep for a few days
Yes you can! And it’s even good frozen.
Yes, by substituting one (8-ounce) container for the whipped cream.
This usually happens if you used bottled lemon juice instead of fresh, or if you didn’t whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks before folding it in.
Absolutely! While a graham cracker crust is classic, a Golden Oreo crust or a shortbread crust is a delicious way to vary the flavor.
For the cleanest slices, the pie should chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, though overnight is ideal.
This recipe is designed for fresh whipped cream to provide a gourmet flavor. If you must substitute, you can use one 8oz container of Cool Whip, but the flavor will be sweeter and less fresh.
Yum!
Can’t wait to try this! Allrecipes decorated their key lime pie just like this! Looks like the same pie only with lime!
I just realized this is the oldest online recipe that I make! So easy; so delicious!
And I always have these ingredients on hand. My recipe has to be gluten free for me – so the only change I make is the crust. I use almond meal with butter and sweetener. I also use Cool Whip instead of whipped cream for stability.
This is delicious with fresh blueberries piled on top. Thank you, Dorothy!
On the Lemon Cream Pie, can I make it with whipped egg whites for the top instead of whipped cream? Thank you
how much in cups are the graham cracker crumbs ?
3 full graham cracker sheets is about 1/2 cup of crumbs. So, in this recipe, it would be about 1 1/3 cups or so.
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