Easy No Bake 3 Ingredient Lemon Icebox Pie Recipe

This 3 ingredient lemon icebox pie is going to be your new go to treat for a hot summer day!

You only need three simple ingredients to make this easy lemon pie and it takes just 10 minutes to prepare.

It’s the perfect no bake dessert for lemon lovers!

This is the ultimate zesty and refreshing lemon pie. The combination of the citrusy lemon filling with the sweetness of the condensed milk in a classic graham cracker crust, it’s literally sunshine in every bite!

I’m always looking for quick and easy desserts for the hot summer months and I can assure you this beautiful no bake lemon icebox pie checks all the boxes. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and tart that is sure to satisfy anyone’s cravings.

If you’re looking to make this for a gathering, I recommend serving it with a strawberry rosé spritzer for the ultimate summer fruity duo too!

Why you’ll love this 3 ingredient lemon icebox pie

• This lemon icebox pie with cream cheese is a classic no-bake dessert. You’ll get a tangy and creamy filling in a buttery graham cracker crust!

• The lemon pie filling only needs 3 simple ingredients that you can find at the grocery store. Just whip them up with a mixer at high speed, then pour the easy pie filling into a pre-made graham cracker crust.

• This lemon icebox pie can be made 2-3 days ahead, so it’s perfect to make if you’re serving to a crowd or for a gathering.

• I love serving it with whipped cream and fresh lemon zest.  If you want to go all out, candied lemon slices would be very stunning as a topper to this pie too!

Ingredients Needed to make this easy lemon icebox pie

Cream Cheese: I recommend using full fat cream cheese in this recipe to make sure you get the best, creamy texture for the filling.

Sweetened Condensed Milk: make sure you’re using sweetened condensed milk and not evaporated milk!

Lemon Juice: use lemon juice from fresh lemons to get a real citrusy flavor.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust: you can use a 9-inch or 10-inch store-bought graham cracker crumb crust. If you’re making your own, follow the instructions of the recipe you’re making to bake the crust and cool it first before you fill and chill it with the lemon pie filling.

Step by Step Process for making this pie recipe

Step 1: Make sure you have a pie crust ready before starting to make this filling. In a large bowl, whip the room temperature cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until smooth. Stop the mixer and pour in the sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.

Step 2: Pour the lemon pie filling into the pie crust and smooth out the top with a small offset spatula. Refrigerate until set, or at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Expert Tips for making this easy recipe

• Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. If it’s too cold it might be lumpy so your lemon icebox pie filling won’t be smooth. While the prep time is quick for this recipe, you won’t want to skip letting the cream cheese come to room temperature first.

• I recommend using fresh lemon juice but you can also use bottled lemon juice if that’s all you have on hand.

• Serve this icebox lemon pie with homemade whipped cream and lemon zest!

• I recommend letting the pie set overnight to make sure it sets completely, giving you cleaner slices that come out of the pie plate well.

The hardest part is waiting for this pie to set so you can dig in and enjoy!

FAQ

Why is it called 3 ingredient lemon icebox pie when there are more ingredients?
This is a classic old fashioned recipe that is referring to the lemon filling, which has just 3 ingredients! Technically with the graham cracker crust this would be a 4 ingredient no bake lemon pie. You can easily purchase a premade graham cracker crust at the store to make your life easier!

What is the best recipe for making my own graham cracker crust?
If you want to make a homemade graham cracker crust, this is one of my favourite recipes to follow OR this gluten free version is great too (if needed for dietary reasons).

How can I get my cream cheese to soften quicker?
Remove it from the fridge, unwrap it and cut it into small cubes on a plate. Spread the cubes a part a bit on the plate so that they can soften more quickly at room temperature.

Why didn’t my icebox pie set?
I recommend letting the pie set for at least 3 hours, if not overnight. If you don’t give it long enough in the fridge, it won’t set and you won’t be able to cut a clean slice.

Storage for this 3 ingredient lemon icebox pie

You can make this 3 ingredient lemon icebox pie tightly covered with plastic wrap or foil in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you love lemon meringue pie, you’re sure to love the lemon flavor of this icebox pie too! It’s a beautiful dessert made to share on a hot day.

More easy dessert recipes to love from the blog:

Easy Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Strawberry Crumble Bars

Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies with Lemon Icing

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess