Lemon Pie
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This creamy lemon pie is super simple to bake up! Made with a homemade graham cracker crust, sweetened condensed milk, and fresh lemon juice. Serve with whipped cream for a perfect summer dessert!
โOne of my favorite desserts is a lemon meringue pie. However, I don’t always feel like going to the hassle of preparing that recipe. Enter this easy lemon pie. It’s everything you love about a lemon meringue pie without all the fuss. Instead of a butter pie crust we are making a buttery graham cracker crust. And the lemon filling is whisked up quickly with just three ingredients. Before you know it, this pie is ready for the oven.
This simple lemon pie recipe is similar to my key lime pie recipe but made with fresh lemons! It’s bursting with lemon flavor. The hardest part will be waiting for the pie to set up before you can dig in!
This pie recipe is for all my lemon lovers out there so let’s get to baking!
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See Also:
- Learn how to easily blind bake a crust to use in all your custard pies for the holidays!
- When it comes to making pies for Thanksgiving it can be stressful! So read my 20 best tips for making the best pies.
- This 100% butter pie crust results in a flaky and flavorful pie crust recipe.
- All you need is just a few ingredients for the flakiest pie crust ever! Try my 3 ingredient pie crust!
Why This Recipe Works
- The creamy lemon filling mixes up seconds
- Buttery graham cracker pie crust is easily made in a food processor
- Perfect creamy summer dessert to serve to guests!
- Preps in under 30 minutes
Ingredients Needed
For the crust:
- 1 ยฝ cups (180 g) graham crackers (about 12 graham crackers) – You can use a different cookie like Nilla wafers or digestive biscuits.
- ยผ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter melted – You can also use salted butter.
For the pie:
- 2 cans (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk – I used eagle brand, but any brand will work just don’t use evaporated milk which is not the same thing!
- ยพ cup (180 ml) fresh lemon juice – I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice and not bottled for the best flavor.
- 4 large egg yolks – Read more here about how to separate eggs. You also want to make sure your eggs are at room temperature.
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar – Make your own powdered sugar if you don’t have any!
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How To Make This Lemon Pie With Condensed Milk
Prep your oven. Preheat the oven to 350oF (180oC) and place a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.
Make the crust. In a food processor, grind the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a large bowl and stir in the sugar and melted butter until the crust comes together.
Press the crust evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. I do this with the bottom of a dry measuring cup.
Bake for 8 minutes until the crust is golden brown and baked through. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, lemon juice, egg yolks, until smooth.
Pour into the partially baked crust.
Bake lemon pie. Bake for 20 minutes, until the pie is set but still a little wobbly in the middle when you shake it. Remove from the oven and let cool for one hour on a wire rack then store in the fridge to cool completely. Be sure to cover the top of the pie before storing with tin foil or plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Make the whipped cream: Place your mixing bowl in your freezer for about 10 minutes. You can make this in your stand mixer, electric hand mixer, or with a whisk.
In the chilled bowl combine the cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla and whip until the cream holds stiff peaks. When you take the beaters or whisk out of the bowl the peaks should stand on their own and the whipped cream should be billowy and fluffy. I store my whipped cream in an airtight container and it holds up well for up to 3 days.
Right before serving, you can pipe or spread a generous layer of whipped cream on top of the pie before serving. You can also garnish with fresh lemon slices!
Recipe Tips
- Careful when zesting. Make sure when zesting the lemons, you avoid the white pith layer underneath. This is bitter and doesnโt have the flavor as the yellow outer layer. Read more here about how to zest a lemon.
- Don’t press the crust down too much. If you press down too hard on the graham cracker crumbs it can make the crust too hard and difficult to remove from the pie dish.
- Use The Bottom Of The Measuring Cup. To press down the crumbs into the pan. It really does make fast work of it.
- Donโt Overbake. You may want to bake this pie past the time suggested because it still looks a little wobbly in the middle but donโt worry it will continue to set up after you take it out of the oven. I look for the edges to be set but the middle to be still wobbly.
- Chill The Pie. This lemon pie needs to chill and set up before serving. I refrigerate mine and let it set up for 2-3 hours before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Gluten Free: Just use gluten free graham crackers instead.
- Graham Cracker Substitution: Digestive biscuits or Nilla wafers would be a great substitution.
- Use cool whip. Instead of homemade whipped cream you can simply top with cool whip instead.
- Add lemon zest – For more lemon flavor you can add the zest of a lemon!
Recipe FAQs
I store this in my fridge covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 days (but I’ve had good luck having it last a couple days longer!). I store mine without whipped cream and top the pie with whipped cream right before serving.
Yes you can make this pie up to two days ahead of time, and the whipped cream up to 3 days ahead of time. Store them each, separate, covered, in your fridge.
More Recipes To Try
- Self Rising Flour Biscuits
- Lemon Cookies
- Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 20 Self Rising Flour Recipes
- Milk Bar Cake
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Lemon Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ยฝ cups 180 g graham crackers (about 12 graham crackers)
- ยผ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter melted
For the pie:
- 2 cans (two 14-ounce cans) sweetened condensed milk
- ยพ cup (180 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 4 large egg yolks room temperature
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep your oven. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (180ยฐC) and place a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.
- Make the crust. In a food processor, grind the graham crackers, sugar and salt into fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a large bowl and stir in the melted butter until the crust comes together. Press the crust evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. I do this with the bottom of a dry measuring cup. Bake for 8 minutes until the crust is golden brown and baked through. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. 1 ยฝ cups 180 g graham crackers ยผ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- Make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, lemon juice, egg yolks, until smooth. Pour into the partially baked crust. 2 cans (two 14-ounce cans) sweetened condensed milk ยพ cup (180 ml) fresh lemon juice 4 large egg yolks
- Bake the pie. Bake for 20 minutes, until the pie is set but still a little wobbly in the middle when you shake it. Remove from the oven and let cool for one hour on a wire rack then store in the fridge to cool completely. Be sure to cover the top of the pie before storing with tin foil or plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Make the whipped cream: Place your mixing bowl in your freezer for about 10 minutes. You can make this in your stand mixer, electric hand mixer, or with a whisk. In the chilled bowl combine the cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla and whip until the cream holds stiff peaks. When you take the beaters or whisk out of the bowl the peaks should stand on their own and the whipped cream should be billowy and fluffy. I store my whipped cream in an airtight container and it holds up well for up to 3 days. Right before serving, you can pipe or spread a generous layer of whipped cream on top of the pie before serving. 1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
- Storing: I store this in my fridge covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 days (but I’ve had good luck having it last a couple days longer!). I store mine without whipped cream and top the pie with whipped cream right before serving.
- Make Ahead: Yes you can make this pie up to two days ahead of time, and the whipped cream up to 3 days ahead of time. Store them each, separate, covered, in your fridge.
- Gluten Free: Just use gluten free graham crackers instead.
- Graham Cracker Substitution: Digestive biscuits or Nilla wafers would be a great substitution.
This recipe is perfect, easy and looks very delicious. Will try this soon! Thanks for sharing
Thanks so much, Charah! If you have any questions, just let me know!
So glad that you found my Lemon Pie easy to make and delicious too, thank you!
The crust is perfectly flaky and the filling is just the right balance of sweet and tangy. It’s so easy to make and always a hit with my family and friends.
Thank you for your glowing review of my lemon pie! I’m delighted to hear that you enjoyed the perfectly flaky crust and the balance of sweet and tangy in the filling. It’s wonderful to know that it’s a hit with your family and friends. Your feedback means the world to me. Thanks again for your kind words!
I loved your lemon cookies the other day so I had to try the pie! It did not disappoint! Thank you for this yummy dessert!
Thank you so much for your kind words about my lemon pie! I’m thrilled to hear that you loved my lemon cookies and decided to try the pie as well. It’s wonderful to know that it didn’t disappoint you. Your enjoyment of my desserts means a lot to me. Thanks again for trying it out and leaving such a lovely review!
This was perfect! I love everything lemon and this didn’t dissapoint!
Thank you for your wonderful review of my lemon pie! I’m thrilled to hear that it was perfect for you and lived up to your love for all things lemon. Your satisfaction means a lot to me.