Recipe For Cream Cheese Pie

November 10, 2020

Extra smooth and creamy, Old Fashioned Cream Cheese Pie is an amazing Icebox Pie. With a graham cracker crust and sweetened sour cream topping, this easy pie is perfect for the Holidays or as a summertime dessert.

A whole Cream Cheese Pie sitting on a wooden table.

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Ice Box Pie in a glass pie pan sitting on a lazy Susan.

Long before my love affair with Lemon Cheesecake, Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake and Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake, there was Cream Cheese Pie.

Luxurious, creamy and oh so amazing Cream Cheese Pie!

Until recently I had forgotten about this dessert from my childhood.

We used to make this Ice Box Pie often for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Unfortunately, since the passing of my parents it went into the deep recesses of my memory.

That is until I found my Mom's handwritten and very well loved Cream Cheese Pie Recipe.

It had all the personalized tips written all over it. Evidence of a tried and true cherished family dessert and I am excited to share it with you.

A slice of Icebox Pie topped with lemon curd.

One sliced taken out of a Old Fashioned Icebox Pie.

Cheesecake vs Cream Cheese Pie (aka Icebox Pie)

Although very similar with taste, cheesecake and cream cheese pie have much different textures. Cheesecake tends to be thicker, with an almost cake like consistency. Cream Cheese Pie on the other hand, has a very smooth almost pudding like texture. Also, the addittion of the sour cream topping adds a glorious creamy richness.

Cream Cheese Pie Crust

Showing the steps to making a Graham Cracker Crust for Cream Cheese Pie.

Process graham crackers into crumbs…
until they resemble resemble sand.
Add melted butter.
Mix well.
Place into a 9 inch pie pan.
Using the back of a measuring cup press crumble mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes.

Note: An 8 inch pie pan may be used for this recipe. If so, reduce graham crackers to 8 whole graham crackers (rather than 12) and reduce butter to 4 tablespoons (rather than 5 1/2). All other recipe instructions remain the same.

Cream Cheese Pie Filling

The steps to making the best Cream Cheese Pie Filling.

Using softened cream cheese, beat until smooth using a stand or hand mixer.
Beat in sugar, vanilla and lemon juice making sure to scrap down sides of bowl with rubber spatula.
Add in one egg at a time making sure to beat well. Scrap down the sides of the bowl after each addittion.
Pour cream cheese filling into baked graham cracker crust.
Smooth out filling and bake at 350℉ for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together sour cream, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Let pie cool for 5 minutes and add sour cream topping to the top of the pie.
Gently spread topping evenly over pie and bake at the same temperature for an additional 10 minutes.

Best Tools For Easy Production

One of the more challenging elements of baking is getting ready to start and realizing you don't have all the tools you need. This usually causes a mad dash to the store where I am forced to buy what they have on hand rather than the kitchen tools I really want. To help save you that same kind of hassle, here are the tools I recommend (or just head over to my Amazon Store for all the helpful kitchen tools).

9 inch Glass Pie Pans
Food Processor or
Rolling Pin
Stand Mixer or
Hand Mixer

How To Store

Once the pie is baked, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes at room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator uncovered for 5 hours before serving. This pie can be made up to 2 days before serving and will last for approximately 5 days if covered with plastic wrap.

More Cherished Holiday Desserts

One the challenges that we face in my family at the Holidays is that everyone has very specific taste preferences when it comes to dessert. My brother and husband both flip for Classic Pumpkin Pie and can literally eat it from Thanksgiving to New Years Day. My husband also always asks for Peppermint Pie every year. However, every time I make Swedish Apple Cake and Peanut Butter Pie he goes crazy for those too. For me though, this Cream Cheese Pie and Haupia Pie always hits the spot. Regardless of what your family loves for Holiday desserts, hopefully at least one of these recipes becomes a family favorite for you too.

If you enjoyed this Old Fashioned Cream Cheese Pie please let me know by leaving a comment and review below. Doing so helps to encourage others to make the recipe also. Thank you!

A whole Cream Cheese Pie sitting on a wooden table.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs *about 12 whole graham crackers
5 1/2 tbsp butter *melted

Cream Cheese Pie Filling

12 oz cream cheese *softened
2 lg eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Sour Cream Topping

1 cup sour cream
3 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Graham Craker Crust

Preheat oven to 350℉.
Place graham crackers in a food processor and process until crumb are formed or place them in a zipped topped plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
Place crumbs into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add melted butter to crumbs and mix until well combined. Mixture will be granular and look similar to rough sandy.
Transfer cookie crumbs into a 9 inch pie pan. Using the back of a 1/4 cup measuring cup press cookie mixture tightly into the bottom of the pie pan and up the sides.
Bake for 10-12 mins. Remove from oven and set aside.

Cream Cheese Pie Filling

To a stand mixer or large mixing bowl add cream cheese and beat until smooth.
Add sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Continue beating umtil well combined.
Add 1 egg and beat until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat with second egg.
Pour filling into graham cracker crust. Bake for 15-20 mins.
Pull from oven and let cool for 5 mins.

Sour Cream Topping

Meanwhile, mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla together until smooth.
Gently spread sour cream mixture over pie.
Return to oven to bake an additional 10 mins.
Let cool for about 10 mins and then place in refrigerator to chill for 5 hours before serving.

*Please use as many organic ingredients as possible.

Recipe Notes

This Cream Cheese Pie tastes amazing on its own. However, a spoonful of lemon curd or cherry pie filling makes it even tastier.
An 8 inch pie pan may be used for this recipe. If so, reduce graham crackers to 8 whole graham crackers (rather than 12) and reduce butter to 4 tablespoons (rather than 5 1/2). All other recipe instructions remain the same.

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