Lemon Ice Box Dessert is a dessert you must have in your summer recipe repertoire.  Not only does it take just minutes to prep, but it’s so lemony, light, and refreshing.  This is a delicious dessert for a hot summer day or anytime!  

If you’re looking for a super easy dessert that is tangy, light, and refreshing…look no further!  This Lemon Ice Box Dessert is super easy and a perfect dessert to serve on a hot summers’ day!  It’s a perfect dessert to make ahead of time.  It’s actually better if made and refrigerated overnight to give the vanilla wafers time to soften and soak up the lemon flavors.

This Lemon Ice Box Dessert comes together SO quickly with just a hand full of ingredients.  I used homemade lemon curd, but you can opt for store-bought.  However, my homemade can be made days in advance and refrigerated.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 teaspoons lemon zest, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 60 vanilla wafer cookies, about 2/3 of a box
  • 1 1/4 cups store-bought or homemade lemon curd

EASY PREP

  1. Add the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.  Beat on high speed with an electric mixer until it’s very smooth.  Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat on medium speed to combine.  Add the whipping cream.  Beat on medium speed until the whipping cream starts to slightly thicken, then beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  2. Spread about 1/2 cup of the whipped cream mixture in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.  This will hold the cookies in place.  Arrange 30 of the cookies on top of the whipping cream mixture, making 6 rows of 5 across.  Spoon 1/2 of the remaining whipped cream mixture over the cookies and use a small offset spatula to evenly smooth the mixture.  Using 1/2 of the lemon curd, place dollops of the curd over the whipped cream mixture.  Using a butter knife, swirl the lemon curd throughout the whipped cream mixture.  Repeat the above with a layer of cookies, remaining whipped cream mixture, and lemon curd.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, giving the cookies time to soften.
  4. To serve, garnish with lemon zest and place in individual serving dishes.
  5. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.

You can simply serve this delicious dessert right out of the serving dish, but I like to serve it up in individual serving dishes with a cookie placed on the top.  This way, my guests know there are vanilla wafers in this dessert.

Check out these delicious lemon desserts,

Mini Lemon Curd Pavlovas  

Lemon Layer Cake 

The Ultimate Lemon Cheesecake   

Lemon Chiffon Layer Cake      

Lemon Bars with Tender Shortbread Crust  

Fresh Lemon Mousse   

Lemon Cake Roll     

Lemon Lush    

Classic Lemon Meringue Pie   

Print
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Lemon Ice Box Dessert

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  • Author: Cindy Gibbs
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 9 servings 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: refrigerate
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

Lemon Ice Box Dessert is a dessert you must have in your summer recipe repertoire.  Not only does it take just minutes to prep, but it’s so lemony, light, and refreshing.  This is a delicious dessert for a hot summer day or anytime!  

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 teaspoons lemon zest, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 60 vanilla wafer cookies, about 2/3 of a box
  • 1 1/4 cups store-bought or homemade lemon curd

Instructions

  1. Add the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.  Beat on high speed with an electric mixer until it’s very smooth.  Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat on medium speed to combine.  Add the whipping cream.  Beat on medium speed until the whipping cream starts to slightly thicken, then beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  2. Spread about 1/2 cup of the whipped cream mixture in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.  This will hold the cookies in place.  Arrange 30 of the cookies on top of the whipping cream mixture, making 6 rows of 5 across.  Spoon 1/2 of the remaining whipped cream mixture over the cookies and use a small offset spatula to evenly smooth the mixture.  Using 1/2 of the lemon curd, place dollops of the curd over the whipped cream mixture.  Using a butter knife, swirl the lemon curd throughout the whipped cream mixture.  Repeat the above with a layer of cookies, remaining whipped cream mixture, and lemon curd.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, giving the cookies time to soften.
  4. To serve, garnish with lemon zest and place in individual serving dishes.
  5. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Valerie Bertinelli.