Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 450 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 180 ml heavy cream
- 240 ml lemon curd
Base
- 1 graham cracker crust
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 468 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 36 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 283 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 82 mg
- Potassium
- 120 mg
- Calcium
- 76 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 12 mg
- Phosphorus
- 98 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 266 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.22 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 20 mcg
- Water
- 44 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the room temperature cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until the texture is completely smooth and creamy.
Pour the heavy cream into the bowl with the cream cheese. Beat on medium speed until the two are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
Add the lemon curd to the mixture. Continue beating until the color is uniform and no yellow streaks remain.
Transfer the lemon filling into the graham cracker crust. Use a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges.
Chill the pie in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Move the pie to the freezer for at least 2 hours, or until it is firm enough to slice.
Remove from the freezer, slice into 8 wedges, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your cream cheese is truly at room temperature for a smooth, lump-free filling. Cold cream cheese will result in a grainy texture.
- Don't overmix the heavy cream after adding it to the cream cheese. Mix just until combined to avoid a curdled appearance.
- For a more intense lemon flavor, consider zesting one or two lemons into the filling mixture.
- If you can't find pre-made graham cracker crusts, you can easily make your own by pulsing graham crackers with melted butter and pressing into your pie plate.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Keep covered to prevent absorbing fridge odors.
Freezer: 2 weeks — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil.
Troubleshooting
Lumpy filling
Cause: Cream cheese was too cold when beating started.
Fix: Continue beating at medium speed; if lumps persist, gently warm the bowl over a pot of simmering water for 30 seconds and beat again.
Prevention: Ensure cream cheese is soft and at room temperature (approx 20°C/68°F) before mixing.
Pie is too soft to slice
Cause: Insufficient freezing time.
Fix: Return the pie to the freezer for another 60 minutes.
Prevention: Allow at least 2 full hours in the freezer after the initial refrigeration step.
Cultural Context
The icebox pie, a category of no-bake desserts, gained popularity in the early 20th century with the advent of home refrigeration. Lemon icebox pie, in particular, is a classic American dessert, often associated with Southern cuisine, offering a refreshing and tangy contrast to richer dishes.
