Luscious Lemon Cream Pie
This lemon cream pie is magnificent and glorious and refreshing and creamy and perfect and you should just make it. Ok?
Oh, you want me to say a bit more about it?
To tell you that the luscious lemon flavor is perfectly balanced with the creamy sweetness?
And that, despite a a baking-cooling-baking session, it is the easiest pie in the world to put together?
And that if left alone with no onlookers, I very well could have eaten the entire thing? Yep, all of that, too.
I haven’t met very many desserts with buttery graham crusts that have failed to woo me (the jello and carrots in a graham shell experience was a bit sketchy, I’ll admit) and this is no exception.
Utter summer perfection in dessert form. And to be quite honest, we enjoy this pie year round. Lemon should not be for summer enjoyment only.
I must have a thing for lemon pies. Or maybe just citrus pies? I don’t know.
For a chocolate loving gal like myself, these lemony numbers really get to me.
This is most apparent if you consider that I posted a nearly identical lemon cream pie recipe (declaring my unparalleled love) and only realized the similarities after I had the post nearly completed.
I guess there’s no shame in really loving lemon cream pie.
If you haven’t made it, you may not believe that the luscious lemony filling is simply sweetened condensed milk + egg yolks + lemon juice whisked together and baked.
Crazy, right? That combination is a fantastic solution for a super creamy lemon pie (the buttery graham crust and sweetened whipped cream don’t hurt matters either).
This lemon cream pie is a winner – I hope you make it and love it as much as I do!
One Year Ago: No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
Two Years Ago: The Best Oven-Baked Ribs
Three Years Ago: Grilled Chicken Fajita Fettuccine
Lemon Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 9 rectangular graham crackers
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 cans (14-ounces each) sweetened condensed milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from about 5-6 lemons
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F making sure one of the racks is in the middle of the oven. Break the graham crackers into pieces and add them to a blender, food processor or ziploc bag and crush (or roll the bag with a rolling pin) until the crackers are finely ground. Mix in the sugar and butter (if using a ziploc bag, transfer the cracker crumbs to a bowl before adding ingredients).
- Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake the crust for 12-14 minutes, until it is just beginning to brown. Cool the crust completely on wire rack.
- Once the crust is cool, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Measure out 3 tablespoons of the sweetened condensed milk and set aside in a small container (it will be used later). Whisk the remaining condensed milk with the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake the pie until the edges are just set but the center still jiggles when the pie plate is lightly moved, about 15 minutes.
- Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack and then cover and refrigerate until well-chilled and set, about 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
- When ready to serve, using an electric stand mixer or handheld mixer, whip the cream, reserved condensed milk and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped topping over the pie. At this point, the pie could be chilled for up to an hour (any longer and the whipped cream topping can cause the pie to ‘weep’ and get liquidy). Cut into slices and serve.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Cook’s Country June/July 2013 (used salted butter instead of unsalted)
Did you say the entire pie has to be eaten within 24hrs? It’s just me, my husband & dog, all 3 of our kids are moved away. I was hoping it would last (refrigerated) 2 days maybe 3? Also I have dark brown sugar can I use it instead of light brown? It’s for the whipped topping so would it hurt using brown just for us 2 at home? Thanks , Beverly
PS I’ll rate you when I get a response soon because I’m in the kitchen ready to bake it
The crust might get a bit soft/soggy if kept longer but the flavor should still be tasty. Dark brown sugar has a much stronger flavor, but you could try it!
Hi, does it matter if I mix the condensed milk and lemon juice first before adding the eggs? I wanna make sure that it’s not too sour/sweet so I wanna be able to taste it.
Thanks !
I haven’t tried changing the mixing order – to be safe, I’d try to stick with the order outlined in the recipe.
So good. I’ve made this a few times with different adjustments. First, I prefer a shortbread crust to a graham crust, so I make one or use a store bought. Second, fresh juice is better, but works with store bought as well. I’ve even used key lime juice, and it was a great creamy pie. I usually don’t bother with the whipped cream layer. I either skip it or serve on the side. I just use the extra condensed milk in the filling. No issues.
Just fyi- the whole “you’ll get sick from raw egg” is not accurate. That would only be the case if the egg was not fresh or even bad. Its just one of those things everyones always said so it stuck, buy a fresh raw egg will not hurt you. Thats why those who use them in their protein drinks etc don’t get sick. If you ate something and ended up sick who knows what caused it… I’m not saying its impossible that the egg caused it but I doubt it unless it was old or bad itself.
Like a Key Lime Pie…but with Lemons.
Perfect!
I am making now this s part of the dessert choisces for our Easter feast tomorrow with 9 people. I will report back. Thanks so much.
This looks fantastic! I love that it’s so few ingredients and that I can easily modify it for my gluten free family. Thanks for the great recipe. 🙂
Hi there! This sounds delicious and want to know if you think it would work if I doubled the recipe and put it in a 9×13.
Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Very delicious
How many cups of graham crackers if you buy the pre crushed grahams?
Probably about 1 1/2 cups.
I’ve made this numerous times…. for all kinds of occasions. Never come across someone that didn’t love it!
It’s so easy! I’ve even done a variation with passionfruit, lemon and lime, blood orange… all turned out awesome!
PS – Not one person that I’ve made this for has gotten sick from the uncooked eggs.
You don’t cook the yokes? Are you afraid of salmonella? I’ve eaten uncooked egg yolk in what they called, lemon refrigerator pies, I was told the lemon cooks the egg yoke, not true, I became very sick from eating that uncooked egg in the pie.
She does cook the pie. Re-read step 4.
Just fyi- the whole “you’ll get sick from raw egg” is not accurate. That would only be the case if the egg was not fresh or even bad. Its just one of those things everyones always said so it stuck, buy a fresh raw egg will not hurt you. Thats why those who use them in their protein drinks etc don’t get sick. If you ate something and ended up sick who knows what caused it… I’m not saying its impossible that the egg caused it but I doubt it unless it was old or bad itself.
how do you really know it was the eggs? So many variables . . .
The best lemon dessert I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot. This might be my favorite recipe from Mel out of the 40 or so that I’ve tried. I added one extra graham cracker and a little extra butter to the crust, and also cut the sugar by half. I usually never add sugar to a graham cracker crust, but I did this time, and I really liked the way it kind of caramelized the crust a bit. I still don’t think it’s necessary, but I liked it. Delicious and perfectly simple recipe. I will make this again and again.
I made this pie for the 4th of July and everyone absolutely loved it! One person declined a piece until his wife offered him a bite of hers and he tasted it. He then asked for a piece of his own! This pie = summertime. Thank you for yet another amazing recipe!
Haha, that made me laugh about the guy who wasn’t convinced until he tried a bite of his wife’s pie!
I have meyer lemons from our tree.
Can i use them or will they be too sweet.
I can buy the other type of lemons in our market.
What do you think?
I’m sorry – I’m not sure! I haven’t used meyer lemons for this pie, but I think they might work ok.
you say this pie can be made ahead of time, but can the whipped topping be made ahead of time as well and be put in a separate container til ready for use?
You can try; sometimes whipped cream if made ahead can get liquidy and soft.
If the cream does get a bit runny or loose, just whip it up again, works every time. I have made it and kept it for several days without it going bad as long as it is kept covered with a cling wrap, all I do is take a wisk to it and whip it back into shape…ha ha. Still great!
My mom’s favorite pie is lemon merengue, but it’s a pain to make and doesn’t travel well. I made this for a bbq at my mom’s and the whole pie was gone in minutes!!! My family raved and it was so good, my husband wasn’t convinced I made it lol! Easy to make, turned out perfectly. Thank you!
This PIE is elegant yet soooo easy to make. I added lemon zest for a little more zing. Being lemon is one of my favorite things in the world, I will make this PIE again and again and again….thanks
This recipe is completely different from the one my grandmother made. For one it doesn’t have pecans. Another it has eggs in it. Although I love your recipes I’ll stay with hers. Her recipe is much better and faster than this one. Subject: Luscious Lemon Delight
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, divided
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
2 (3.4-ounce) packages lemon instant pudding mix
2 2/3 cups milk
1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Combine flour, 1/2 cup pecans and butter in a medium bowl and mix well. Press onto the bottom of an 11 x 8-inch baking dish. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let stand to cool.
3. Place cream cheese in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set at medium speed until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Add 1 cup whipped topping to cream cheese mixture and fold in gently. Spread over cooled crust.
5. Combine pudding mix and milk in a medium bowl. Beat until thickened. Spread on top of cream cheese layer. Top with the remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Chill, covered, for 1 hour. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Unfortunately the recipe you posted is full of chemicals and artificial ingredients between the pudding mix and “cool whip” and not at all comparable to the pie recipe you are reviewing.
Certainly does not sound faster!! And doesn’t sound like it is anything like this recipe!
I have made this recipe with lemons I have squeezed and it was oh sooooohood!!!
Can I use bottled lemon juice with the same results?
I haven’t tried it, but bottled lemon juice will completely alter the flavor (it won’t taste as fresh and yummy).
This pie was fantastic! I brought it to church for a pie auction. My only change was that I did not put 3T of condensed milk in the whipped cream because I wanted it a little stiffer to withstand sitting out, unrefrigerated, for a little while. So smooth and creamy and the crust was fantastic. Someone commented after that it was the perfect blend of sweet and lemon, not too tart and not too sweet. Thank you! Kim
This was so easy and quick. I was able to make it all before church (and still get my kids and myself cleaned up and ready!). We loved it and it was a great way to use some fresh lemons from our tree. Thanks!!
Yummy yummy pie! This recipe has a perfect balance of sweet and creamy. You will love this too!
We have company for a few days beginning tomorrow (10/9) and I will post the Lazy Dazy Cake once I catch my breath. It’s not a difficult cake to make, but it is a few steps that are necessary to get the best results. And there is no frosting….it’s much more like a coffee cake, however it’s the only cake all of us kids asked Grandma for every year.
I made this pie 3 days ago. It is just as good tonight as it was the first night. Even the whipped cream (which I usually use just cream, vanilla & powdered sugar) got a bit softer, but I whipped it for a minute with a wire whip and it was still thick and delicious. Now my husband asked if I could do the same thing with limes….a Key Lime Cream Pie. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Has anyone tried it.
In any case, the lemon pie still has 5 stars to us!
Sorry….I meant to say…”we had our first piece of pie while we watched the 11 pm news, hoping Hurricane Nate passes us by next week!
Because I got started late in the day, we had our 1st piece of your lemon pie and it is “Fabulous”……I won’t ever make a lemon meringue pie again! We loved it, and I know when I take it to a family gathering everyone will love it. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Not that mine and my Grandmother’s aren’t delicious, but I’ve had them all my life, and it’s always nice to taste something different. However, I have a family recipe that I might share. Have you ever heard of a Lazy Dazy Cake…..I doubt it, as that recipe was my Great, Great Grandmother’s recipe (she was French) and came to America with her German husband, and since then all the females in the family have learned to make it from their Grandmother. In 1958 my Grandmother sent the recipe to Pillsbury’s cake bake off, and won the Grand Prize of $10,000. They paid off their house, bought a new Chevy, and we had a terrific Christmas…we all got new bicycles! There is a Lazy Daisy cake recipe out there, but that’s not ours!
I hope hurricane Nate passes you by as well! And that is the greatest story – thank you for sharing that! And if you ever want to share your Lazy Daisy cake, I’d love to see it!
Don’t you want to share your recipe now that you got my curiosity going I would love to try it
Hope you share it love that it’s a old family recipe and love the story that’s behind it
I am trying your lemon cream pie today. We are anxious to try it tomorrow. Wondering where Mel’s Kitchen Café is located. Will post a rating after our tasting.
Was easy to make and super delicious
Absolutely beautiful, thank you for sharing the recipe 🙂
This is my all time favorite pie! My grandmother always said this pie was “Rich as Rockefeller.” A little piece goes along way. Try making crust with Ritz Crackers & do not add sugar. Salt from the crackers helps cut the sugar in the pie & it just works like salt does with caramel. I like to keep a bit of texture to the crackers; crush them by hand in a ziplock. This helps keep the crust crisper.
Have you every tried it with lime juice??
I haven’t but others have, I believe!
Hey, I am looking for a lemon pie recipe just like this to make individual little pies
for a Women’s Luncheon. How many little pies do you think I can get out of one filling recipe? I will use the small graham cracker crusts you buy in the store.
I don’t know for sure, Pam – maybe 6-8?
We had this tonight for our Easter dessert, and my grandpa said, “This pie is luscious.” I said, “That’s the name of the recipe!” So delicious, smooth, and the crust was maybe my favorite part. Thank you!
That’s awesome!
Hi, can I use a baked pie shell instead of Graham cracker crust?
Sure!
I haven’t met very many desserts with buttery graham crusts that have failed to woo me (the jello and carrots in a graham shell experience was a bit sketchy, I’ll admit) and this is no exception. Utter summer perfection in dessert form.
Great recipe. This has become my go-to lemon pie. I’m fortunate that I can pick fresh lemons in my back yard and they are in the pie mix within 5 minutes.
So lucky!
A version of this pie recipe has been in my family for years. The only difference being that our crust is made out of Nilla Wafers. We call it Lemon Ice Box Pie.
I need this recipe. Please.
What am I supposed to do with the reserved tablespoons of lemon juice? I don’t see where they are later added in your recipe.
All the lemon juice is added at the same time. 🙂
Put some cream of tartar in your whipped cream mixture. Maybe about a tsp.
It should keep it from weeping.
It acts as a stabilizer.
Was wondering if the whipped cream topping could be made ahead of time & then put on the pie right before serving.
I think so – sometimes whipped cream gets a little liquidy if refrigerated so you might need to give it a quick mix with the electric mixer or blender before adding to the pie if it has been made ahead of time.
I put a tablespoon of a pudding mix (depending on the pie filling; I like to use French Vanilla) into the whipping cream as I mix it. It adds wonderful flavor and your whip cream will keep much better. A professional baker taught me this trick.
Could u top this with meringue instead of whipped cream?
Definitely worth a try!
Yes. In fact, my grandmother made meringue topping out of egg whites left over from the original recipe as back then nothing was left to waste.
This recipe looks fabulous! How much should I alter this recipe if I use a 9×13 pan? Perhaps double the recipe?
Maybe – at least 1 1/2 the recipe.
I am now 3 lbs heavier due to this pie. I made it for my hubby’s birthday and had a piece a night (2 the first night)! It is amazing! Next time I will try it with key lime juice. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Me again! Haha. I made this last weekend and it was devoured ravenously. My boyfriend is requesting a key lime pie this time… I was thinking of just using this recipe and substituting lime juice/lime zest for the lemon juice. Would that work??
I think that would work great!
Hi! I want to bake this this weekend but would like to add a little lemon zest to the filling. How much would you suggest? Thanks!
Feel free to experiment – maybe start with a teaspoon and see how that goes.
I made this yesterday with lemons from my tree. I added lemon zest to the filling and just used graham crackers and butter for the crust. I never add sugar when making a graham cracker crust. You won’t even miss it. Pie was great, will definitely make again.
I brought this pie to our family Thanksgiving yesterday, and it was a big hit! There were about 10 pies to choose from, and this was the first to be gobbled up. 🙂 Thanks, it was so, so delicious!
this recipe sounds great. But our family is not big fans of graham crackers. Could Nilla wafers cookies be used in place of graham crackers?
Sure, I think that would work just fine.
I made this pie over the weekend for a get together with friends. It came together quickly and easily! The texture was wonderful and everyone raved about it. The first few bites were bright and lemony, however, when we got near the crust the flavor of the filling dissipated had barely any lemon flavor to it! While good, it was just sweet, not lemon. What could have caused this? Did I perhaps cook it too long?
Hmmm, I’m not really sure, to be honest. I haven’t noticed the same problem but maybe cutting a few minutes off the cooking time could help?