This No-Bake Lemon Icebox Cake is made with shortbread cookies, sweetened cream cheese filling with a touch of lemon zest. No oven needed!
NO-BAKE LEMON ICEBOX CAKE
There is no dessert more satisfying to me than a lemon one. I crave lemon desserts all year round. So the other day I was really wanting something lemon-y, but of course, didn’t want to turn the oven on. This dessert comes together super quick and it’s a fun little twist on the traditional icebox desserts that use graham crackers – like my NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE ECLAIR CAKE. 
VIDEO INCLUDED BELOW:
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS ICEBOX DESSERT
- You can totally use graham crackers for this if you want (just don’t dunk them first like this recipe calls for.)
- If you can’t find the Dublin-style Pepperidge Farm cookies, just go with another crunchy type cookie like the Chessman cookies, shortbread cookies or even Nilla wafers.
- Fresh lemon juice is really going to make the difference here and give it a really fresh lemon taste. The bottled lemon juice will give it a bitter, unpleasant after taste.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED:cream cheese
sugar
lemon zest
heavy cream
Pepperidge Farm Dublin cookies (can use lemon or chessman too)
fresh-squeezed lemon juice
whipped cream, for serving
*only two bags pictured here
HOW TO MAKE NO-BAKE LEMON ICEBOX CAKE:
Continue this process two more times (layer of cookies followed by layer of cream cheese mixture). You should have three layers total.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and pop into the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours (or overnight).
Slice and serve!
Enjoy!
Originally published: July 2015
Updated & republished: June 2020
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
EASY LEMON DREAM CAKE
AMAZING LEMON RASPBERRY POKE CAKE
THE BEST CREAMY LEMON BARS
LEMON RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS
NO-BAKE CHUNKY MONKEY CAKE
THE EASIEST NO-BAKE TIRAMISU CAKE
NO-BAKE LEMON ICEBOX CAKE
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon zest zest of two lemons
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 (6 oz) Pepperidge Farm Dublin cookies (Chessman or lemon cookies work too)
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- whipped cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Using an electric or stand mixer, mix together cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest until smooth.
- Add in heavy cream and mix for about three minutes until thick and fluffy.
- Dip each cookie into the lemon juice and layer into the bottom of an 8" x 8" baking dish
- Spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture onto the cookie layer.
- Continue this process two more times (a layer of cookies followed by a layer of cream cheese mixture.) You will have three layers total.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and pop into the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours (or overnight).
- Slice and serve with whipped cream.
Yum! This looks so refreshing. I love that it's a no-bake, perfect for the dog days of summer! Definitely going to give this one a try! 🙂
What a perfect summer time treat! No oven and looks refreshing!
I was wondering if it would be ok to use dried lemon peel instead of fresh? This looks so good, but I don't have any use for fresh lemons.
Chrystal, good question. It depends. A lot of time the dried lemon peel can be tough or sometimes a bit harder to chew. If that is not the case with yours, use it. But my experience is, once dried lemon peel gets cold, it gets tough. If you have lemon extract, that would work too. Hope that helps!
Sounds fabulous! Such great ideas coming out of that beautiful brain of yours Brandie! =) L-L-L-Luscious!!!
Brandi this looks and sounds amazing. I love those lemon cookies 🙂 I think they're really yummy in icebox cakes!!!
I must make this or my 90 year old husband of 69 years of marriage. I still try to make him happy. Lemon is his favorite dessert…I use a lot of your recipes… Thank you.
No fresh lemons? My greatest discovery in spice aisle: True lemon, crystallized lemon, jar says it's 100% natural. I use it in baking, on fish, etc. There is also a True lime version.
Oh lemon anything is my favorite too…. might try this with coconut cookies & pineapple. I love that you use those cookies.
Excellent recipe. I used the PF Dublin cookies. Mmm. Will make again.