Ingredients
14 graham crackers
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
2 (14-oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
3/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. heavy cream
Preparation
Step 1Make crust: Preheat oven to 325°. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers, sugar, and salt until fine crumbs, about 20 seconds. Add butter and pulse until combined.Step 2Using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup, press graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. (Don’t press too hard.)Step 3Bake until crust begins to brown, 15 minutes. Transfer pie plate to a cooling rack to cool, about 30 minutes.Step 4Make filling: While the crust is cooling, increase oven temperature to 375°. In a medium bowl, whisk condensed milk and yolks until smooth, then add the lemon juice and salt and whisk until combined.Step 5Pour filling into cooled crust, and bake until edges are set and center is still slightly jiggly, about 20 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes, then refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.Step 6Make whipped cream: In a large, cold bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat cream until stiff peaks form. Step 7When ready to serve, pile whipped cream on center of chilled pie.
Our version of lemon icebox pie (itself a riff of key lime pie) calls for an extra-buttery graham cracker crust that’s first partially baked before the filling is poured in. Why bake the crust? We’ve found that pre-baking the crust gives the pie a jumpstart on caramelization–and caramelization is a good, tasty thing. And once cooled and the filling added, a second bake helps stabilize the filling, along with ensuring the yolks are fully cooked. If you’re still looking for a truly no-bake lemon option, check out our lemon icebox cake. The crowning touch here is the whipped cream. To help counterbalance the very forward sweetness of this pie, we prefer whipped cream without any sugar, but you do you. Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
