Posted Apr 08, 2022, Updated Jun 10, 2024 This lemon pie is a lusciously creamy, bright and cheery dessert. It’s reminiscent of a classic key lime pie, but with a rich lemon flavor. This lemon pie recipe is easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients. A delicious dessert perfect for Thanksgiving or Easter. I suggest topping it with a batch of homemade whipped cream.
Lemon Pie Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
Graham Cracker Crumbs. You can buy pre-made graham cracker crumbs, however I always opt to make my own. See the full recipe post here: How to make a Graham Cracker Crust. Simply break apart 12 full-sheets of graham crackers and process them in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade until they are fine crumbs. Easily make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free graham crackers! Granulated sugar. white granulated sugar and organic cane sugar work well in this recipe. Salted Butter. Unsalted butter works equally well you may just want to add a pinch of salt. Sweetened Condensed Milk. There is no substitute for sweetened condensed milk, you will need two, 14-oz cans for this recipe. You can make your own, if desired. Sour Cream. I recommend full-fat sour cream for the best results. Lemon juice. I use organic lemon juice found in most juice aisles to make this pie – you can also use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Lemon Zest (optional). If desired, use lemon zest for an extra lemony flavor.
How to Make Lemon Pie
This recipe is so easy to make, but we’ll walk through how to make lemon pie step-by-step, and don’t forget ot watch the video.
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
You can use a store-bought crust, but I prefer homemade. Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Then, add the butter and stir until combined. Next, pour the crust mixture into the prepared pie dish, pressing it down into the bottom of the dish and halfway up the sides. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes, then remove the crust from the oven.
Make the Lemon Pie Filling
While the crust is baking, make the lemon pie filling, which is so easy! Simply whisk together the condensed milk, sour cream, egg yolks, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. If desired, whisk in lemon zest.
Bake the lemon lime pie
Pour the lemon pie filling into the partially pre-baked graham cracker crust. Then, return the pie dish to oven and bake for 30-35 additional minutes, or until the edges of the filling look set and it’s just very slightly jiggly.
Cool & Chill
Remove the baked pie from the oven and set the pie on a wire rack to cool. Transfer the pie on the rack to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours (or overnight) Once chilled, decorate the lemon pie with homemade whipped cream, if desired, and chill until the whipped cream is set.
Serve
Once chilled, cut the pie into slices and serve cold. I like to serve any extra homemade whipped cream in a bowl so people can put more on their slices if they want. Don’t forget to try our other favorite lemon desserts like lemon cookies (with a delicious lemon glaze), lemon poppy seed cake (or lemon poppy seed bread), lemon cupcakes with lemon frosting, and lemon bars!
Store
Store any leftover lemon pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze Lemon Pie
There are 2 ways to freeze this recipe: If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
