Desserts Pies & Tarts

Gingered Lemon Icebox Pie

July 20, 2011

Tart lemon is such an appealing flavor for me. I like my lemon more on the sour side than the sweet side. That’s why I love lemon icebox pie. It’s creamy, tart, and really refreshing served chilled. I wanted something different and thought ginger would be the perfect compliment. I made this Gingered Lemon Icebox Pie three times before I got the flavor just right. Stuck with three pies…it’s such a hard life!

Gingered Lemon Icebox Pie

So, how’s it taste?

It’s perfect. Exactly what I want in a lemon pie. It’s super creamy and the tart lemon is the prominent flavor. The ginger comes through as a subtle spicy aftertaste and ever so slightly cuts down on the tartness. The gingersnap crust was a nice change from the usual graham cracker crust. I added ground ginger and crystallized ginger to pump up the flavor. There’s also minced fresh ginger in the filling. I strained it before finishing so the filling would remain that classic smooth consistency. If you prefer a regular lemon icebox pie, substitute graham crackers for the gingersnaps and leave out the ginger everywhere else in the recipe. This would be a wonderful dessert for summer since it’s so refreshing and easy to make.

Gingered Lemon Icebox Pie

So, How's It Taste original recipe
makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

Crust
1 1/2 cups Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger cookie crumbs (or gingersnap cookie crumbs)
1 tbsp. crystallized ginger
3 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
6 tbsp. melted butter

Filling
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
3 egg yolks
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
zest from 1 lemon

Directions:

1. For the crust, preheat oven to 350°F. Blend the cookie crumbs and the crystallized ginger in a food processor until well blended and no chunks of the ginger remain. Transfer crumb mixture to a medium bowl and add the sugar and ground ginger; mix well. Add the melted butter and combine. Press into the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool.

2. For the filling, in a small saucepan add the lemon juice and minced ginger. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, add the egg yolks to a medium bowl and whisk. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the lemon zest. Strain the ginger lemon juice mixture over the same bowl, pressing on the ginger to release its flavor. Whisk all ingredients until well combined.

4. Pour lemon mixture into baked pie crust. Bake at 325°F for 30-35 minutes, until filling is set. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Place pie in refrigerator and let set for 3 hours. Serve chilled with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

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  • Shannon July 20, 2011 at 11:22 am

    I LOVE this pie!!!

  • Kelly July 20, 2011 at 12:31 pm

    Oh my. My ginger obsession is salivating right now. What an incredible pie! I love that you chose ginger to add to the pie and for the crust!

  • Mrs. Jen B July 20, 2011 at 12:40 pm

    I’m a total fan of lemon anything so needless to say, I’m head over heels in love with this! And a gingersnap crust = genius.

  • Lemon Ginger Snap Pie | Lesley Eats July 20, 2011 at 2:24 pm

    […] Lemon Ginger Snap Pie Posted on November 11, 2008 by Lesley var addthis_product = 'wpp-261'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};Update: try this (not vegan) but successful recipe from my friend, Leah. https://www.leah-claire.com/2011/07/gingered-lemon-icebox-pie.html […]

  • amy (fearless homemaker) July 21, 2011 at 1:22 pm

    i like that we both posted about icebox pies/tarts this week. i think that proves that great minds think / cook alike. lemon + ginger is such a wonderful flavor combination – will definitely be trying this!

    • Leah July 21, 2011 at 1:27 pm

      Too funny! Right down to the gingersnap crust! I’m intrigued by the sweet tea in yours. Must make it! I think Novice Chef has a guest post on her blog right now with a ginger cookie/lemon sherbet sandwich. We keep good company!

  • Margaret March 13, 2012 at 8:03 pm

    Hmm… this sounds and looks delish, and I am currently awaiting the results of my own experiment! My crust seemed to get all melty and slouchy after the 10 minute pre-bake, so I’m a bit nervous about the final result. Cooling now, so we shall see! Love the different dimensions of lemon and ginger you’ve incorporated here, Leah!

  • Margaret March 18, 2012 at 7:46 am

    Rave reviews from the coworkers at the potluck 🙂 Crust was the crowd favorite!

    • Leah March 18, 2012 at 2:06 pm

      Awesome, glad everyone liked it!