The Best Homemade Lemon Pie Recipe

Lemon pie is one of the most delicious desserts you can make! This recipe uses a graham cracker crust, which makes it even more irresistible. The tart lemon filling is perfectly balanced with the sweet, crumbly pie crust. This creamy lemon pie is perfect for any occasion, from a casual get-together to an elegant dessert course.

A slice of lemon pie on a plate, which has been taken from a pie dish with the remaining pie still in it.

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We love having different desserts on our table Baked Alaska, red velvet cake, sweet potato pie, but we love to have something bursting with fresh fruit flavor, so we always include a homemade lemon pie!

Why you’ll love this lemon pie recipe

  • If you’re looking for a more straightforward recipe than lemon meringue pie, this will be perfect!
  • Made with fresh lemons, this pie is full of fresh lemon flavor!
  • Easy to make, you can make it ahead of time.
  • All the ingredients are 100% vegetarian.

Ingredients you’ll need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

Ingredients needed, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, Graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, vanilla extract, unsalted butter, lemons, lemon zest, lemon juice, and heavy whipping cream.

If you love lemons, then this is the pie for YOU, tangy, and sweet, this recipe has it all and will become one of your favorite lemon desserts!

How to make a lemon pie with step by step recipe

Making our simple lemon pie recipe is easy if you follow our simple instructions

A full printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

If you’re making the Graham cracker crust

You can skip this step if you like and use a store bought Graham cracker crust, but it is very simple to make yourself.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.

Using a food processor or blender, blitz the Graham crackers until they are fine crumbs.

Graham crackers in a food processor bowl.
Add Graham crackers to a food processor.
Graham cracker crumbs in a food processor.
Blitz until they are fine crumbs.

Then, place the crumbs in a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and then the melted butter.

The crumb mixture should be grainy, if there are any big chunks of Graham cracker, break them down.

Melted unsalted butter, Graham cracker crumbs, and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl.
Mix Graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.
Graham cracker crust in a pie dish.
Press the crust into a pie dish and bake for 10 minutes and then let it cool completely.

Pour the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and, using your hands, press down on the Graham cracker crumbs so that the base and sides of the pan are covered; don’t press too hard, you want to ensure the crust isn’t crumbly.

Bake the Graham cracker crust for 10 minutes, remove it from oven and let it cool completely.

For the homemade lemon pie filling

Using a food processor or handheld electric mixer, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

Egg yolks, vanilla extract, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl.
Combine, sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
Lemon filling in a mixing bowl.
Mix until it’s smooth.

Beat the mixture for approximately three minutes, then pour the lemon filling into your cooled homemade Graham cracker crust.

Lemon filling place on prepared pie crust.
Pour the lemon filling on top of your Graham cracker crust and smooth the top.
Baked lemon pie, fresh from the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes, cool completely at room temperature and then chill in the fridge.

Bake the pie for 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Then, place the lemon pie in the fridge to chill for a minimum of three hours, preferably overnight, to set completely.

For the whipped cream topping

In a mixing bowl, whisk heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.

Whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
Whisk heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
Someone spreading the whipped cream topping on top of the pie.
Spread the creamy topping over your pie and grate lemon zest over it.

Then, spread the fresh whipped cream topping onto the chilled lemon pie and add grated lemon zest over the topping.

Serve and enjoy!

Recipe notes and expert tips

  • Lemon juice
    Use fresh lemon juice; this is going to be the main flavor, and store-bought bottled juice doesn’t have that lemon zing that you need for the pie.
  • Make ahead
    You can make the crust and the pie filling up to 3 days ahead. Just assemble when ready to serve and add the whipped cream topping.
  • Storage
    Store in the fridge for up to a week and freeze for up to three months.
Lemon pie, freshly made with lemon zest on top.

How do I store lemon pie?

Your lemon pie will store in the fridge for up to one week and can be frozen for up to three months.

More easy dessert recipes for you to try at home

If you like our lemon pie recipe, then why not try these delicious pies?

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The Best Homemade Lemon Pie Recipe

This lemon pie recipe is so delicious and easy to make! The Graham cracker crust is the perfect complement to the tart and juicy lemon filling. You'll love how this pie comes together in just a few simple steps!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 45 minutes
Servings8
Calories633
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Utensils

9 inch pie pan

Ingredients

For the Graham cracker crust

  • cups Graham cracker crumbs
  • ¼ cup Granulated sugar
  • 6 tbsp Unsalted butter

For the pie filling

  • 28 oz Sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 Egg yolks
  • 4 Lemons zest and juice
  • ½ tsp Vanilla extract

For the whipped cream topping

  • 1 cup Heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp Powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp Vanilla extract
  • Lemon zest

Instructions

For the Graham cracker crust

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C
  • Using a food processor or blender, blitz the Graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Then, place the crumbs in a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar, then the melted butter. The crumb mixture should be grainy, if there are any big chunks of cracker break them up
    1½ cups Graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup Granulated sugar, 6 tbsp Unsalted butter
  • Pour the crumb mixture into a 9 inch cake pan and using your hands press down on the crumbs so that the base and the sides are covered, you don't want to press too hard, just ensure that it's no longer crumbly. Use the back of a spoon to compact the edges of the base
  • Bake your crust for 10 minutes and then let it cool completely

For the pie filling

  • Using a food processor or handheld electric mixer, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat the mixture for approximately 3 minutes, then pour it into your cooled pie crust
    28 oz Sweetened condensed milk, 4 Egg yolks, 4 Lemons, ½ tsp Vanilla extract
  • Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Then, place the pie in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 3 hours but preferably overnight to set completely

For the whipped cream topping

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Then, spread the whipped topping onto the chilled and set pie, and finely grate lemon zest over the topping. Serve and enjoy your lemon pie!
    1 cup Heavy whipping cream, 1 tbsp Powdered sugar, ½ tsp Vanilla extract, Lemon

Notes

Lemon juice
 Use fresh lemon juice, this is going to be the main flavor and store bought bottled juice just doesn’t have that lemon zing that you need for the pie
Make ahead
 You can make the crust and the pie filling up to 3 days ahead. Just assemble when ready to serve and add the whipped cream topping
Storage
 Store in the fridge for up to a week and freeze for up to three months

Nutrition

Calories: 633kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 66g | Vitamin A: 1110IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 342mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer

Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.

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Recipe Rating




8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is one of those recipes that is dangerous – dangerously addicting! The lemon is perfect, the sweetness level is on-point, and the whipped cream topping is literally icing on this delicious dessert!