Lemon Cream Pie

This delicious pie features a fresh lemon filling and whipped cream topping inside of a buttery graham cracker crust. This lemon pie has a bright flavor and super creamy texture that will make it an immediate favorite for citrus lovers.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 446kcal

Author Allison - Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Crust:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (145g)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (70g) melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)

Lemon filling:

1⅓ cups granulated sugar (266g)
⅓ cup cornstarch (43g)
1½ cups whole or 2% milk (370g)
⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (156g)
4 large eggs yolks
¼ cup unsalted butter (56g) cubed
1½ tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1 cup full fat sour cream (238g) use a thick sour cream, I use Daisy brand

Whipped cream:

1 cup chilled heavy cream (240g)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a bowl and stir in the melted butter and sugar. Once all the graham cracker crumbs are moistened, press the crumb mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake the crust for about 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and light golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Lemon filling:

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in milk and lemon juice. Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and bubbling. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat.
Place the egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly add one generous cup (eyeball it) of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, whisking as you pour (this will slowly bring up the temperature of the eggs). Add the egg mixture back to the pan and bring the whole thing to a gentle boil for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter and lemon zest, mixing until completely combined. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. This takes about one hour.
Once cooled, whisk in sour cream. Whisk vigorously to maintain the creamy texture. Pour the lemon filling into cooled the crust. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 6 hours.

Assembly:

Before serving, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Top the pie with whipped cream. I used a star tip and piped it on, but you can also spread it using a butter knife or offset spatula. If desired, garnish with a sprinkling of finely grated lemon zest.

Notes

TIPS:

You’ll need about 4 large lemons for this recipe
Be sure to remove the zest from the lemons before slicing and juicing them
This pie needs 6+ hours to cool, so this is the perfect make-ahead dessert
For the best result, use a thick sour cream. I typically use Daisy brand
You can spread the whipped cream on top of the pie or you can pipe it on using a star tip and piping bag

SERVING AND STORAGE:

This pie should be stored in the refrigerator. It is best within two days of making it. Serve chilled.

May 2024: Recipe tweaked slightly to make the filling thicker and add weight measurements. Original recipe can be found here.

Nutrition