This Creamy Lemon Pie is heavenly – a thick graham cracker crust filled with the most delicious lemon filling and topped with fresh whipped cream. It’s truly the best and is incredibly simple to make.
Sorry if you came here today looking for my Weekly Menu Plan. Instead I’m sharing the recipe for this amazing Creamy Lemon Pie. I have too many recipes I want to squeeze in before Thanksgiving, so I had to forgo the menu plan today. Don’t worry, there are plenty of menu plans in my archives, so pull up an old one if you need some dinner inspiration.
If you’re a fan of Fixer Upper, then you know who Joanna Gaines is. Turns out she not only has a knack for decorating, but she makes a killer lemon pie that can be made in under 20 minutes. I’ve seen this recipe floating all over the web for a long, long time now and it’s also in her new cookbook (aff. link). I finally got around to making it and I am so glad I did.
I’ve mentioned before that my family does not hold back when it comes to desserts at Thanksgiving. I thought this Creamy Lemon Pie would be the perfect addition to my family’s overabundant dessert table. Also, for those of you who could take or leave pumpkin, apple or pecan pie, then I got your back today. I know this might seem more like a summer dessert, but this pie is so good it should be eaten year round.
Most of you probably know that chocolate is always my first love, but I’m also a huge fan of anything lemon, so I knew I was going to love this pie. It couldn’t be simpler to make. The hardest part is being patient enough for it to chill in the refrigerator. The lemon flavor isn’t overpowering so I think even lemon haters are probably going to love this pie.
I took some slices to a few friends/neighbors and one of them text me a few days later asking for the recipe because her husband wanted more of it.
Maybe the reason I love this pie is because it has sweetened condensed milk in it (my milk of choice 😂). The original recipe calls for 3 cups of sweetened condensed milk which is about 2 1/4 cans, but after reading several reviews and suggestion about this pie, I used only two cans of sweetened condensed milk. It was perfect and I think that extra little bit would have made. Also, anything with a graham cracker crust is always a winner, right?
A few tips for making this lemon pie. . .
- Because I’m a huge fan of lemon, I wanted the lemon flavor to be a little bit stronger so I added some lemon zest. It’s totally optional and is your call here. You can taste the filling before you pour it into the pie crust and see if you want the lemon flavor to be stronger. If you do, then go ahead and add some lemon zest.
- Make sure you give the pie plenty of time to chill. I think the longer the better (like overnight), but it needs at least 2 to 3 hours.
- You can top this with fresh blueberries or raspberries if you’d like. I love raspberries and lemon together so I love to garnish this with fresh raspberries.
Creamy Lemon Pie
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
- 2 cans (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 to 5 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, (optional)
- Pinch of sea salt
Whipped cream topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray.
Graham Cracker Crust:
- In a bowl, combine crushed graham crackers and sugar. Stir in melted butter and mix well. Press cracker mixture into prepared pie plate. Bake 8 minutes.
Pie Filling:
- Meanwhile, in another bowl combine milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest (if using) and salt. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes. Pour mixture into baked pie crust. Bake 10 minutes. Cool pie on counter for 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator at least 2 to 3 hours to chill or preferably overnight.
Topping:
- Beat the cream, sugar and vanilla together until fluffy and soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie or dollop the whipped cream on slices. Garnish with fresh berries if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Pies & Pastries
Keywords: Pie, lemon, graham cracker crust, whipping cream
Recipe Source: Magnolia Table: A collection of Recipe for Gathering Cookbook
I am not disappointed at all that you posted a lemon pie recipe rather than a menu plan!!!!! Who doesn’t want another pie recipe?!!!!!!!!! And lemon at that?!!!!!!!!! My favorite flavor!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m so glad you’re not disappointed Lisa. You’re going to love this pie! I had to make it again to take different photos and when I told my friend I’d probably bring her some more (the friend that had asked me for the recipe after I took her some the first time), she said her husband was dancing around with excitement. Thanks for leaving a comment. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hey Jodi, made this pie last night and it really was delicious! We loved it! The only thing I would change is not use as much sugar in the graham cracker crust, it seemed like too much. I’d cut it back to 2 Tbsp at most. Thank you for the recipe! Will definitely make it again.
Hey Tiff, sorry you thought it was too sweet. That amount of sugar is what the recipe called for. If you look up graham cracker crust recipes you’ll see pretty much across the board that the amount of sugar is 1/4 to 1/3 cup. All of my neighbors I took some too loved it and everyone of them actually commented on how much they loved the crust! I guess everyone’s tastes are different. Happy Thanksgiving!
No need to be sorry! It was still delicious! It’s odd that I actually thought something was too sweet, because I have such a sweet tooth. Happy Thanksgiving to you guys!
This was the perfect Thanksgiving dessert! Creamy, easy, and delicious! Loved the raspberries for toppings!