4 from 4 votes

Welcome to The Storied Recipe! I host a unique podcast where every guest gives me a recipe that’s significant to their culture, life, and memories. I make, photograph, and share the recipe with you. I invite you to listen Adrian as you try his mother's Old Fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie Recipe.

A slice of lemon icebox pie is on a wooden cutting board surrounded by lemons and lemon juice

This recipe comes straight from a 1984 cookbook produced by the ladies of Campbell Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church near Denver, CO. Adrian, a scholar, author, and special assistant to President Bill Clinton with his Initiative for One America, shared during our interview that his mother would loved to have been a dietician.

When I asked him if this love for nutrition was reflected in his childhood cooking, Adrian quipped, "Thankfully, no."

And indeed, I can't claim that this old-fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie, his mother's contribution to the church cookbook, is healthy.

It is, however, perfectly delicious.

Your fork falls gently through the soft, pillowy meringue and the sticky, creamy lemon custard, right down into the firm, buttery crust of Nilla wafers. The pie simply melts in your mouth and leaves you with just a little of that firm crust to savor as you go in for a second forkful. We made two. The first disappeared within 30 minutes.

I sliced the second pie and styled it on the plates for the photographs. I put the plates in the fridge overnight, since my light was gone and I couldn't photograph the pie. The next morning, I opened the fridge and one of my teenagers had eaten a slice right off the plate, leaving the empty plate for me to find (with the lemon slices and flowers still sitting on it!)!!

The perfect summertime treat. Let me know how it goes!

(And p.s. No, this is NOT the kid who stole the slice of pie... even if he did steal a lick ;-))

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Episodes Related to this Recipe

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Ep. 067 - Soul Food, The White House, and Lemon Icebox Pie with Adrian Miller, the Soul Food Scholar

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How to Connect with Adrian Miller, Soul Food Scholar

Website: https://adrianemiller.com/

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Adrian's First Book: Soul Food

Adrian's Second Book: The President's Kitchen Cabinet

Adrian's Latest Book: Black Smoke

A summery shot of lemons, lemon juice, Nilla wafers, lemon slices, and green/aqua touches.

closeup shot of separating eggs for lemon icebox pie

white woman prepares to pour lemon juice into bowl with green leaves in foreground

overhead shot of boy swirling lemon custard into tart pan with meringue, eggs, and lemons all around

backlit image of lemon custard being artistically swirled into Nilla wafer crust