Lemon Pie is a refreshing dessert with a creamy filling full of sweet and tart flavor. Easy to make and perfect for any occasion. Try it soon!
This creamy Lemon Pie will be a refreshing addition to your favorite Pie recipes, with a tart lemon filling and light, fluffy topping that is to die for. If you love cool, creamy pies, try my Easy Key Lime Pie or Coconut Cream Pie next!
Why You’ll Love This Pie?
- Simple to make and perfect when you want a delicious dessert without the fuss!
- The creamy filling has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy lemon flavor.
Sabrina’s Lemon Pie Recipe
If you are looking for a refreshing and easy-to-make dessert, this pie is the perfect recipe for you! Lemon Pie is one of my favorite easy desserts because it’s creamy, refreshing, and full of bright lemon flavor. It’s simple enough for a weeknight treat but special enough to serve for holidays and gatherings. Whether you are hosting a summer barbecue, a family gathering, or just looking for a sweet treat, this pie is a guaranteed crowdpleaser.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs , (one packet from a box of 3 packets)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , (melted)
- 3 cups sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 cups whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter well. Press mixture into an 8 inch pie plate.
- Bake for 7 minutes. While the crust is baking, make the filling.
- In a bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lemon juice and add to the crust.
- Put it back in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes until you start to see the smallest of bubbles forming.
- Do not let the pie brown.
- Cool and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
- Top with whipped cream and serve.
Nutrition
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Sabrina’s Tips
The number of lemons you will need to make ¾ cup of lemon juice depends on the size and juiciness of the lemons. On average, one lemon yields about ¼ to ? cup of juice, so you will need approximately 2 to 3 lemons to make ¾ cup of lemon juice. It’s always best to have a few extra lemons on hand just in case you need more juice.
Table of contents
About this Recipe
This delicious dessert is a tart and creamy treat with just the right amount of sweetness. One of the best parts is that it requires only a few ingredients and minimal cooking. Even if you are not an experienced baker, you can easily make this dessert with just a few simple steps. It has the same creamy, dreamy texture as a custard pie with far less work. Unlike popular custard pies, there’s no whisking egg yolks into hot cream or worrying about making a custard correctly. Instead it’s just mix everything in a bowl, pour it into a partially baked crust, bake for a couple minutes then chill to set! You will also love the sweet Graham Cracker Crust and whipped cream topping that make this dessert irresistible.
What is Lemon Pie
Lemon Pie is a dessert that is made with a crust, lemon filling, and whipped cream. The crust can be made with graham crackers, pastry dough, or even shortbread. The filling is made with sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, lemon juice, and sometimes lemon zest. This filling is creamy, tangy, and has a refreshing lemon flavor. The whipped cream is usually added on top of the pie, and it provides a light and fluffy texture that complements the tartness of the lemon filling.
Ingredients
- Graham Cracker Crust: The crust is a simple graham cracker crust made with crushed graham crackers, butter, and sugar. Unlike a pastry crust, it doesn’t technically need to be baked but baking it does help it hold the creamy filling without crumbling.
- Condensed Milk: Sweetened condensed milk is a key ingredient in the filling and provides a creamy texture. The sticky sweet milk thickens the filling and adds the perfect amount of sugar without making the pie too sweet.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds a tangy flavor and extra creaminess to the filling. It reacts to the acid in the lemon juice which causes the mixture to firm up and set as it chills.
- Lemon Juice: Almost a full cup of fresh lemon juice not only gives this creamy Lemon Pie intense lemon flavor, it’s key to helping the hot filling set. The heat causes the acids in the lemon and sour cream to come together and stay together to set the pie.
- Whipped Cream: Whipped cream is the final touch to the pie and provides a light and fluffy sweetness that complements the tangy lemon filling. You can make your own whipped cream (recipe below Variations) or use store-bought whipped topping.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes, Lemon Pie can be made ahead of time. You can make the pie up to 24 hours in advance, but make sure to add the whipped cream just before serving. If you add the whipped cream too early, it will start to deflate and lose its texture. If you do want to make it fully assembled in advance, consider a Stabilized Whipped Cream which will hold up better.
How to Store
- Serve: When you’re ready to serve, add fresh whipped cream on top of the pie. This pie should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. When not serving, pie should be kept cool in the fridge.
- Store: Leftover Lemon Pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
- Freeze: To prevent ice crystals, gently press plastic wrap against the pie surface and use two layers of wrap. Your pie can be frozen for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw the pie in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature until softened.
Ideas to Serve
This sweet and tart pie is perfect for spring gatherings, picnics, and will look beautiful on an Easter table. It’s light and refreshing, which after a heavy meal is just what you need! Serve pie with homemade Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream for the best refreshing dessert!
Homemade Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Place a stand mixer bowl in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before starting this recipe.
- Place ice cold stand mixer bowl in stand mixer and add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to the bowl.
- Whisk, or beat with the whisk attachment on high, for about 1 minute or until stiff peaks form.
- Be careful not to over beat or you will make sweetened butter.
- Serve or chill immediately.
Frequent Questions
While both pies have a lemon filling and whipped topping, the preparation and ingredients quite different. Lemon Meringue Pie has a meringue topping made with egg whites and sugar, while Lemon Pie has a whipped cream topping. Additionally, Lemon Meringue Pie has an egg yolk custard filling, while Lemon Pie has thick filling made without eggs, instead using sour cream and condensed milk. Overall, both pies are delicious with a bold lemon flavor, but they have distinct differences.
If your Lemon Pie came out watery, it may be due to overbaking, underbaking, or not using enough sweetened condensed milk or sour cream in the filling. Additionally, if the lemon juice used was not fresh, it may not have enough acid to thicken the filling properly.
Lemon pie filling and lemon curd are not the same, although they have similar ingredients. Lemon pie filling usually contains sweetened condensed milk and sour cream, while lemon curd is a custard filling made with butter, eggs, sugar, and lemon juice, and has a thicker consistency.
Variations
- Lemon Blueberry: Blueberries and lemon are a classic combination! Mix blueberries into the filling for a burst of fruity flavor. Top your chilled pie with a thick layer of Blueberry Jam then cover with whipped cream a layered Blueberry Lemon Pie. Raspberries are another popular berry to pair with lemon flavor.
- Coconut: Add shredded coconut to the crust and filling for a tropical twist. Use unsweetened coconut so the pie isn’t too sweet. Sprinkle some shreds on top before baking so you get toasted coconut flavor and crunch too!
- Lemon Cheesecake: Beat a softened block of cream cheese into the filling until smooth and bake as usual. It will have a similar creamy texture and tangy flavor of cheesecake with a fraction of the work!
- French Lemon Tart: Make an easy variation on a classic French dessert by using a tart pan and a regular Pie Crust. Bake the pie crust in the pan with pie weights for 15-20 minutes, or until just golden and almost baked. Fill with lemon filling and finish baking and chilling as usual.
Related Recipes
More Creamy Lemon Desserts
Photos used in previous versions of this post
If I want to make this but don’t have graham crackers on hand, do you think a crushed vanilla wafer or shortbread cookie crust would hold up just as well during the pre-bake?