This easy lemon pie doesn’t require any baking and the pie filling is just 2 ingredients. The pie has a creamy lemon custard filling. It’s a great easy dessert that can be made ahead of time to bring to summer events and parties.
a slice of no bake lemon pie on a plate.

With the weather warming up, I wanted to share an easy dessert to serve at picnics, BBQs and other summer events. This pie is best enjoyed cold which makes it the perfect dessert to eat when the weather is warm.

Ingredients

  • Lemon Juice
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Graham Cracker Pie Crust

The pie filling is just 2 ingredients. Some people may point out that it’s really a three ingredient recipe if you count the pie crust. I discuss why it’s called 2 Ingredient Lemon Pie below in the next section of this post.

Lemon juice: This recipe works best with fresh squeezed lemon juice. You will need approximately four large lemons though it may vary depending on how much juice each lemon produces.

Sweetened condensed milk: Make sure to use full fat sweetened condensed milk.

Graham cracker pie crust: This recipe uses a premade pie crust so you don’t need to make it from scratch. Of course, you can make your own if you want.
overhead shot of a pie with slices on plates.

2 Ingredient Lemon Pie

This is a popular old-fashioned recipe that has been around for a long time. I did not name this pie. It is often referred to as “2 Ingredient Lemon Pie” or “No Bake Lemon Icebox Pie.” There are actually two variations of this recipe. The “2 Ingredient Lemon Pie” features a filling made with 2 ingredients. The filling is like a lemon custard. There is also a “3 Ingredient Lemon Pie” which has a filling made with 3 ingredients. The three ingredient version swaps out half of the condensed milk for cream cheese.

No Bake Lemon Pie Texture

The pie filling is like a thick creamy custard. When you first take it out of the fridge, it will be set enough for you to slice through and for the filling to hold its shape. As it warms up though, the filling will start to thin out a little and spread. So it is best to keep the pie chilled until just before serving.

This pie filling is also very sweet. So if you prefer less sweet desserts, you may want to make the version with cream cheese which only uses about half the amount of sugar.
overhead shot of a no bake lemon pie.

More No Bake Desserts

Recipe now updated with video. You can also find all my recipe videos on my youtube channel.


4.70 from 42 votes

2 Ingredient No Bake Lemon Pie

This easy lemon pie features a creamy custard filling that is just 2 ingredients.
Servings: 10 slices
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (8 oz/236 ml) lemon juice, fresh squeezed
  • 2 cans (28 oz/794 g) sweetened full fat condensed milk
  • 1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust

Instructions
 

  • Add lemon juice and condensed milk to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until lemon juice is fully incorporated.
  • Pour filling into premade pie crust. Use a spatula to smooth and even out the surface. Place pie into fridge for several hours to set. I like to refrigerate overnight. Keep pie in the fridge until ready to serve. If you want to decorate the pie, wait for the filling to set and then decorate. Then place pie back into fridge until ready to serve. You can make the pie 2-3 days in advance.

Notes

  • This recipe uses two (14 oz) cans of condensed milk, for a total of 28 oz. The measurement refers to weight, not volume.
  • This recipe will not work with coconut condensed milk. Many readers asked this and we recently tested it. Unfortunately, the filling will not set if you use coconut condensed milk.
  • 8 oz of lemon juice refers to volume, not weight. You will need approximately four large lemons.
  • You can use either a 9-inch or 10-inch graham cracker pie crust. Keebler brand sells both. If you use a 10-inch one, your filling won't quite reach the top of the pie crust, but the filling will be more stable. A 10-inch pie crust will also have more slices of pie. I liked the 9-inch pie crust for appearance but enjoyed eating the 10-inch pie crust version more.
  • This pie is very sweet. If you prefer less sweet desserts or are looking to cut down on the sugar, there is a version of this pie that uses cream cheese. For the cream cheese version, you need 1 (14 oz) can of condensed milk, 1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese and 1/2 cup of lemon juice.  Bring the cream cheese to room temperature first to soften it, then beat it with a mixer until light and fluffy. Then mix in the condensed milk and lemon juice. 
  • I added whipped cream on top for decoration.
  • I recommend refrigerating this pie rather than freezing. I've seen other recipes that say you can freeze it but I found that the pie didn't set up properly when frozen. 
  • The pie filling is like a custard. When you first take it out of the fridge, the custard will be stiff enough for you to cut through and have pie slices. As the filling comes to room temperature, it will start to spread and thin out, which is why you want to keep it chilled until right before serving. If you want a more stable filling, try the cream cheese version.
  • Because this pie is so sweet, I cut mine into very thin slices. I was able to get 10 slices.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 345kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 164mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 50g, NET CARBS: 51
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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