I saw this idea and had to make it, knowing how much our middle son loves lemon-inspired desserts. It’s a straightforward recipe, perfect for hot days when you want something without having to bake and heat the house.
Goya Maria cookies are often sold in grocery stores, in the “ethnic” aisle with other Hispanic foods. You can use any similar digestive biscuit or cookie, or even graham crackers, in a pinch. I can find the Maria cookies in a 3-pack locally for under $5, in the Mexican food section.
In this recipe, do use fresh lemons and limes – the flavor from them is what makes the dessert pop.
Lemon Cream Cheese Icebox Cake (Carlota De Queso y Limón)
Ingredients:
- 8-ounce brick full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
- 1¾ cups cold heavy whipping cream, divided
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about two lemons)
- 3 Tbsp lime juice (1-2 limes, depending on size)
- zest from lime
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 7-ounce or 4 3.5-ounce packages of Goya Maria cookies (about 44 cookies)
Directions:
Blend the cream cheese, condensed milk, ¾ cup of the heavy whipping cream, lemon juice, lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla till smooth.
Lay nine cookies across the bottom of an 8×8″ glass baking dish.
Spread 1 cup of the cream cheese mixture over the cookies.
Continue repeating this process until you have 4 layers of cookies, spreading the final cup of cream cheese over the top, and then topping with a 5th layer of cookies.
Take the remaining 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and beat it with the sugar until medium peaks form (where the whipped cream stands on its own and doesn’t flop over).
Spread over the top evenly.
Cover with plastic wrap loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The longer it sits, the more the cream cheese sauce soaks into the cookies.
How many servings depends on how big one’s sweet tooth is.
~Sarah