Creamy Lemon Icebox Pie with Toasted Meringue
A quick and easy no-bake lemon pie featuring a buttery graham cracker crust, silky lemon filling, and a light toasted meringue topping. Perfect for warm weather and celebrations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 150g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (about 65g)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (about 85g)
- 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (about 200g)
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4–5 medium lemons or 240ml)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 can (14 oz/400g) sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup heavy cream (120ml)
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar (about 100g)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Pour in melted butter and stir until mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove and let cool completely (about 15 minutes).
- Make the lemon filling: In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Slowly add lemon juice and zest, whisking constantly. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream until smooth. Set aside.
- Whip the meringue: In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar (if using) on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, increasing speed to high. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold in vanilla extract gently with a spatula.
- Assemble the pie: Pour lemon filling into cooled crust, smoothing the top. Spread meringue evenly over filling, sealing edges to crust to prevent shrinking.
- Toast the meringue: Using a kitchen torch, carefully brown meringue until golden and slightly crispy on top, about 1-2 minutes. If using broiler, place pie on top rack and broil for 1-2 minutes watching closely to avoid burning.
- Chill: Refrigerate pie for at least 4 hours to allow filling to set and flavors to meld. Serve chilled but not ice cold.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs for best texture. Press crust firmly before baking to avoid crumbling. Add sugar slowly when whipping meringue to achieve stiff peaks. Toast meringue carefully to avoid burning. Seal meringue edges to crust to prevent weeping. Chill pie at least 4 hours before serving. Fresh lemon juice is preferred for best flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pie)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 5
Keywords: lemon pie, icebox pie, toasted meringue, no-bake dessert, summer dessert, easy lemon pie, creamy lemon pie