Go Back

Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

Lemon meringue ice cream with bright lemon curd swirls and crisp baked meringue pieces folded through a creamy frozen base. This no-churn-style lemon cream frozen dessert delivers an authentic lemon pie vibe in every spoonful with toasted, golden meringue crunch.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling + freezing 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lemon ice cream base
  • 2 cup heavy cream Cold for fastest whipping.
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk Use full-fat for best texture.
  • 0.5 cup prepared lemon curd Reserve a bit for layering and swirls.
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest Zest only; avoid bitter pith.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Meringue pieces
  • 3 egg whites Room temperature whips higher.
  • 0.5 cup sugar
  • 0.25 tsp cream of tartar Helps stabilize the meringue.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Bake the meringue pieces
  1. Preheat the oven to 225F and line a sheet pan with parchment.
  2. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they form soft peaks.
  3. Gradually add the sugar while beating, then continue until stiff glossy peaks form.
  4. Spread the meringue on the lined sheet pan in an even layer, then bake at 225F for 90 minutes until crisp and lightly golden at the edges.
  5. Cool completely, then break into bite-size pieces for layering.
Make the lemon cream base
  1. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks until it holds ridged lines.
  2. Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, lemon curd, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
  3. Fold the lemon mixture into the whipped cream until no streaks remain.
Freeze the ice cream
  1. Spoon a thin layer of lemon cream into a 9x5 loaf pan, then add broken meringue pieces and swirl in extra lemon curd.
  2. Repeat layers until all lemon cream is used, finishing with lemon curd swirls on top.
  3. Freeze for at least 6 hours until firm, then slice and serve.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the meringue pieces fully cooled before folding so they stay crisp instead of softening. Store covered in the freezer for up to 2–3 weeks. Freezing is recommended (no separate freezing step needed beyond the full freeze). For a dairy-light swap, use coconut cream and a condensed-milk-style sweetened coconut milk product, keeping in mind the texture will be slightly less rich.