Lemon Icebox Cake (no bake)

Lemon Icebox Cake (no bake)

This lemon icebox cake is an easy, no-bake dessert. The lemon cream filling is light, airy, and creamy. It gets layered between crisp cookies that soften up enough to slice but still give the cake a contrast in texture.

You can use store-bought cookies or make our crispy lemon cookies in advance. Either way, this dessert is a winner. It is perfect for summer potlucks or any day of the year, really.

If you can't find lemon cookies, this dessert is great with vanilla or coconut cookies.

4.95 from 18 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 14

Total Time: 34

Servings: to 14 servings

Calories: 568kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil
zest of one lemon
2 cups cold heavy cream
24 crisp lemon cookies homemade or storebought

Optional Garnish:

Instructions

Place the cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the mixture until smooth. Add the lemon juice, lemon oil, and lemon zest. Mix until combined.
Stop the motor and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the heavy cream and slowly raise the speed and beat until the mixture is thick and creamy and has formed firm peaks. Scrape the bowl down part-way through mixing.
To assemble the cake, arrange the cookies flat in a 9-inch springform pan. Cover the bottom as much as possible and fill in the spaces with broken pieces of cookies.
Spread a fifth of the lemon cream mixture evenly over the cookies. Place another layer of cookies on top, lying flat and touching, followed by another fifth of the cream.
Continue layering cookies and cream until there are 5 layers, ending with a thick layer of cream on the top. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To remove from the pan, run a thin sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Garnish the top of the cake with candied lemon and whipped cream if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve and slice into wedges.

Notes

If you don't want to bake your own cookies, this cake works well with storebought cookies. Try lemon oreo cookies, graham crackers, or crisp coconut cookies for a delicious variation.

Use the kind of cream cheese that comes in a block. The kind of cream cheese that comes in a tub will not set up as firm.

You can assemble the cake up to 3 days in advance. Don't add the whipped cream garnish until the day you serve the cake.

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