Light and absolutely stunning, this creamy lemon pie is perfect for summer (or anytime, really!). It only requires a few ingredients and is so simple to make; no wonder I’m in love!

My friend Deb loves two things in life: Joanna and Chip Gaines and lemon pie (ok, technically that was three; and as a mother of eight!!! children, she obviously has more loves than this but I’m trying to make a point here).

I’m one of those super boring non-TV watchers and so I haven’t jumped on the Fixer Upper train yet, but I do love lemon pie, so I was intrigued when Deb told me she was going to bring me the most amazing lemon pie of my life – a recipe she got from her BFF, Joanna.

A slice of lemon pie with whipped cream on the top and raspberries on the side on a white plate, with the rest of a pie in a blue pie plate in the background.

And wow. That pie.

It really was something else! We completely lell in fove (bonus points for Bar J fans) and I may have even declared it then and there the perfect summer dessert.

I’ve made this pie several times since Deb brought it to me and it is such a clear winner in the I-Want-Pie-But-Want-A-Life-Too department.

It doesn’t require a fussy homemade crust.

No hour plus of baking time (with possible bubbly, syrupy overflowage).

It doesn’t require prayer and fasting before attempting to make (let’s face it – pie can intimidate the best of us sometimes).

A slice of lemon pie with a bite taken out on a white plate. The pie is topped with whipped cream and there are raspberries on the side.

This is the simplest of all pies and yet it is certainly one of my favorites.

Light and creamy and lemony and delicious, I LOVE THIS PIE!

So much so that I actually posted a very similar version three years ago but didn’t even realize I had fallen in love with basically the same pie until I went to post this recipe today.

I’m going forward with the updated post because a) new pictures, b) garnishing with raspberries is just pretty, and c) there are enough variations to give this new, simpler version it’s own space in time.

A slice of lemon pie with whipped cream on the top and raspberries on the side on a white plate, with the rest of a pie in a blue pie plate in the background.

The base of the pie is so simple: sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and lemon juice, and it bakes for just a few quick minutes.

That dreamy lemon filling with the buttery graham crust and the whipped cream topping is as delightful as it sounds.

Can you give me one good reason you shouldn’t make this? Hit me with it – I’m ready.

Even lemon haters are bound to love this pie, I just know it.

It’s not an in your face punch of lemon – it’s subtle and delicious and well, perfect.

One Year Ago: Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Two Years Ago: Chicken Curry in a Hurry
Three Years Ago: Luscious Lemon Cream Pie

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Magnolia Lemon Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

4.53 stars (241 ratings)

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1 ½ cups (150 g) graham cracker crumbs, (1 package, 13 rectangle graham crackers)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85 g) salted butter, melted

Lemon Filling:

  • 2 cans (14-ounces each) sweetened condensed milk, (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • cup lemon fresh lemon juice, (about 4-5 lemons)
  • Pinch salt

Whipped Topping:

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup (29 g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Fresh raspberries for garnish, optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • For the crust, combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl and stir until the graham cracker crumbs are evenly moistened; the mixture will look like wet sand.
  • Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and all the way up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes until just lightly golden.
  • For the filling, in a medium bowl with a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice and salt together for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Lightly tap the bottom of the bowl 2-3 times on the counter to pop any little air bubbles.
  • Pour the filling evenly into the baked crust.
  • Bake the pie for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely. Cover the top lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
  • For the whipped topping, beat the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla together with a handheld electric mixer, electric stand mixer or a blender until it is fluffy and soft peaks form.
  • Spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie or serve a dollop of the whipped cream on each individual piece. Garnish with raspberries if desired.

Notes

Substitutions: I think this pie would be delicious subbing the lemon juice out for lime juice (or even orange juice!). I highly recommend using fresh citrus juice over bottled juice for a brighter, better flavor.
Serving: 1 Slice, Calories: 719kcal, Carbohydrates: 76g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 43g, Saturated Fat: 25g, Cholesterol: 211mg, Sodium: 332mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 65g

Recipe Source: adapted from Magnolia Market (after my friend Deb made it a few weeks ago for me and I fell in love); I realized later that today’s pie is very similar to this Luscious Lemon Cream Pie I posted several years back. The recipe posted here is a bit simpler and the lemon juice amount called for is a bit less as well as a few other varied ingredients and baking temperatures.