Few desserts capture the simple elegance of lemon meringue pie. The balance of bright citrus, buttery crust, and soft vanilla meringue makes it a timeless favorite. It's sweet, tart, and perfectly balanced in every bite.

This easy, no-churn lemon meringue pie ice cream brings those classic flavors into a creamy frozen dessert. Amoretti® Natural Lemon Meringue Artisan Flavor infuses the base with creamy and vibrant citrus notes, while swirls of lemon curd, crushed Nilla wafers, and pockets of delicate meringue recreate the texture of the original pie. It’s everything you love about lemon meringue pie, just in ice cream form.

The key to capturing that true lemon meringue pie flavor is Amoretti® Natural Lemon Meringue Artisan Flavor. It delivers the bright citrus and soft vanilla-meringue notes that define the classic dessert, all in one ingredient.

Because it’s highly concentrated, a small amount flavors the entire base, making it easy to recreate complex dessert flavors in ice cream, baked goods, and more.

Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream

Ingredients

Tools Needed:

• Stand mixer or hand mixer 
• 9 x 5 loaf pan

Ice Cream Base:

• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
  
• 2 tbsp Amoretti® Natural Lemon Meringue Artisan Flavor
• 2 teaspoons Amoretti® Vanilla Bean Paste
• 2 cups heavy cream

Mix-In's:

• 1 cup Nilla wafers, crushed
• 1/3 vanilla meringues, crushed
• 1 jar of lemon curd (11 oz/312g)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, lemon meringue flavoring, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated, then set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or whisk, add the heavy cream and whip until soft peaks form.
3. Gently fold the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture until fully combined. Take care to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
4. For the first layer, add 4–5 spoonfuls of lemon curd (or to taste) over the ice cream base. Using a toothpick, skewer, or butter knife, gently swirl the lemon curd into the mixture. Sprinkle a layer of crushed Nilla wafers and meringues over the top. The layering order should be: ice cream mixture, lemon curd, swirl, Nilla wafers, and meringues.
5. Repeat the layering process two more times until the pan is full and all of the ice cream mixture has been used. Finish the top with an extra swirl of lemon curd and a sprinkle of Nilla wafers and crushed meringues.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 until the pan is full and no mixture is left. Garnish the top with the same amount of lemon curd, nilla wafers, and lemon meringues.
7. Set in the freezer and chill for 4 hours or, best results, overnight.
8. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and leave at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Scoop, serve, and enjoy!

Notes:

• Lemon Curd: You may not need the entire jar to swirl into the ice cream. Start with a few spoonfuls and add more as desired, depending on how lemony you want each bite. Gently fold or swirl it into the ice cream base to create pockets of bright citrus flavor rather than fully mixing it in.
• Nilla Wafers: Lightly crush the cookies so you get a mix of small crumbs and larger pieces. This helps mimic the texture of a pie crust while still giving you noticeable bites throughout the ice cream.
• Meringues: Store-bought meringue cookies work perfectly for this recipe. Crush them gently and fold them in near the end to maintain their light, crisp texture.