Like a guest who has overstayed his welcome, summer is rushed out the door right about now. Sweaters and woolen skirts are in shop windows, while casseroles and crumbles grace the covers of food magazines. But I’m not quite ready to cook for blustery fall. While the it’s still warm outside, I’d rather pull my dessert out of the refrigerator than the oven.

Which dessert? The almost-forgotten summertime treat: an icebox pie.

By definition, an icebox pie is simply any pie that’s been chilled instead of baked. Simple, sweet, and creamy, icebox pies became popular in the mid-1800s, with the spread of the icebox itself. But a major leap forward came in 1923, when according to “The American Century Cookbook,” the first recipe for crumb crust was published. The advantage was – and is – that unlike crusts made from dough, crumb crusts stay crispy even when chilled. They quickly became popular for use in no-bake pies.

Honest ingredients, contrasting flavors, and textures that flourish in the fridge are the three elements that make an icebox pie truly great. But first things first: Ditch the store-bought crumb crusts. They’re easy to make at home, and homemade crusts are both thicker and richer. The fastest way to make one is to blitz some cookies in the food processor, combine the crumbs with melted butter and a little sugar, then press into a pie tin and briefly bake. No rolling pin required. To alter the flavor of the crust, just change the type of cookie. Chocolate, shortbread, gingerbread, and graham cracker offer a range of flavors to play with, and you could also add a few tablespoons of your favorite chopped nuts to the mixture for a variation in texture and a more nuanced flavor.

But really, it’s what’s inside the crust that counts. The filling should be more than simply creamy. Chocolate mousse, butterscotch pudding, and coconut pastry cream may be satisfying in winter, but in warm weather, you don’t just want a cold pie, you want a tangy one. So skip the meringue. Summer fruits like strawberries, blackberries, and Key limes cut through the sweetness of the filling and crust and offer a refreshing hit of flavor. Dark chocolate mousse shines when paired with raspberries. Vanilla cream complements sliced ripe peaches. Coconut pudding balances tart blueberries.

Things can get even fruitier. Make a quick, tangy citrus curd from lime or lemon juice, or cook up a thick fruit filling studded with raw pieces of your favorite summer fruits or berries. Both varieties taste terrific topped with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

The most refreshing, puckery icebox treat is Key Lime Pie. Invented in the mid-1800s, this pie is almost iconic in its simplicity. The classic recipe calls for only three ingredients: egg yolks, Key lime juice, and sweetened condensed milk. When combined, the acid in the juice “cooks” the egg yolks, creating a smooth clabbered filling remarkably like lime curd. (You could spread it on toast if you wanted.) The magic of the pie comes from the subtle acidity and flowery fragrance of freshly squeezed Key lime juice. Avoid the bottled juices, which can taste cooked or flat, and don’t even think of using regular lime juice. It’s too harsh and not as aromatic. Some recipes call for baking the filling, but that can obscure the freshness. If a firmer filling is preferred, simply store it in the freezer for an hour before serving.

If you can’t find Key limes but still crave a citrusy pie, you can make a lemon icebox pie. Simply substitute an equal amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice for the lime juice to make a lemon curd. Fold the curd into a cup and a half of heavy cream, whipped, and pile it into a graham-cracker crust to make a lemon icebox pie.

For a sweeter option, try a fresh strawberry pie. Like the classic strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie celebrates the affinity between berries, cream, and crust, but it has even more fruit flavor. Cooked, thickened strawberries are combined with sliced fresh ones – a double dose of berries. Instead of shortcake, shortbread crumbs add a buttery richness. Top the pie with a rich cream that gets its dairy twang from mascarpone cheese.

During the hectic days of September – with the social calendar stepping up and school starting again – nothing beats the ease of pulling dessert, already chilled, ready to slice, out of the fridge. Icebox pies will keep for one to two days – just tent them carefully with foil so that they don’t get mussed in the refrigerator. To misquote an old song, it’s time to say goodbye to the summer. But with a good icebox pie, you’ll be remembering the taste long into the chilly days of fall.

Classic Key Lime Pie

SERVES 6
This is a classic Key lime pie recipe, with some slight improvements. A little extra Key lime juice gives it more kick.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 15 crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Key Lime Filling
4 egg yolks
1 15-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Key lime juice (from about 10 Key limes)
A few thin slices of Key lime for decoration (optional)
1 cup heavy cream, whipped (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350-F.

2. In a large bowl, mix the graham-cracker crumbs with the sugar, then mix the butter in thoroughly.

3. Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch pie plate, and using your fingertips or a small measuring cup, press the crumbs evenly across and up the sides of the pie plate to make a crust, smoothing and compacting as you go.

4. Carefully transfer the pie plate to the oven and bake until just lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely before filling.

5. When the crust has cooled, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, briefly beat the egg yolks using a whisk. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and whisk until thoroughly combined. Next, pour in the Key lime juice all at once and whisk until just combined.

6. Immediately pour the filling into the baked and cooled crust, using a spoon to smooth the filling up the sides of the crust if necessary. Decorate the surface with slices of Key lime, if you like.

7. Chill the pie in the “icebox” for at least 8 hours before serving with a dollop of whipped cream.