Creamy, smooth, velvety and crazy delicious, this Sour Cream Lemon Pie is going to very quickly become a favorite. It’s refreshingly tart and sweet. One bite and you’re going to fall in love with this amazing pie!
I shared this recipe three years ago, but I’m bringing it back into the spotlight because it’s one of my favorite pies to have at Thanksgiving. Originally posted November 19, 2018.
I wanted to squeeze one more dessert in before Thanksgiving because this Sour Cream Lemon Pie is definitely something you should add to your menu.
One of my all-time favorite pies from Marie Callendar’s Restaurant is their sour cream lemon pie. I love it so much that I would even take a slice of it over chocolate cream pie, and being the chocolate-lover that I am, I’d say that was pretty huge.
I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for probably over a year now and finally got around to making it a few months ago. I’ve made it two times since and will be making it again this week for our Thanksgiving dinner.
It’s incredibly delicious and really simple to make. It’s just been the past couple years that I feel like I finally got a handle on how to make a good pie crust thanks to my friend Pat.
While the edges of mine aren’t always the prettiest (and as you can see in these pics, the edges got just a little too done), they taste delicious and are so flaky and light. I’m definitely making progress when it comes to homemade pie crust.
If you have a phobia of making homemade pie crust, then by all means you can use a store bought crust. I have nothing against using them, trust me, I’ve used them many, many times.
You guys, I love this pie! It’s light, has the perfect level of lemon tartness paired with the perfect level of creaminess. It’s one of my favorite pies ever and it doesn’t even involve chocolate. . . . that is saying something!
This pie is a little piece of heaven on a plate!
A few helpful tips for making Sour Cream Lemon Pie:
- Make sure you cook the filling long enough. It will be really thick before and after adding the egg yolks in. Cook it the full amount of time the recipe calls for, even if you think it’s too thick. Once you fold in the sour cream, it will be the perfect texture and consistency.
- Make sure you plan ahead and make this time for it to chill several hours in the fridge.
- You can use a homemade pie crust or a store bought one, just make sure it’s baked before you pour the pie filling in. I think this would also be equally delicious with a graham cracker crust.
- This pie is best if eaten within the first couple days, just because the crust will start to get soggy and who likes a soggy crust?
Could I use a graham cracker crust instead?
Yes, it would be absolutely delicious! If you aren’t a fan of regular pie crust or just don’t like making them, then a graham cracker (or vanilla wafer) crust would be heavenly with this pie.
Print
Sour Cream Lemon Pie
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust, baked and cooled
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, sweetened and whipped
Instructions
- In a large heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in milk and lemon juice until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low and cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks. Add this mixture back into the pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil and cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir in butter and lemon zest. Cool without stirring.
- When lemon mixture is cool, fold in the sour cream and pour filling into baked pie crust.
- Top with sweetened whipped cream. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- This pie needs to refrigerate for several hours, so make sure you plan ahead and give this enough time to chill in the fridge. I like to make the filling the night before and then the day I need it, I make the pie crust, let it cool and then fold the sour cream into the lemon filling and pour it into the cooled pie shell. I then refrigerate it for several hours before serving it.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW IF YOU GIVE THIS A TRY! I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK. SHARE IT ON INSTAGRAM USING THE HASHTAG #5BOYSBAKER SO I CAN SEE WHAT YOU’RE MAKING IN YOUR KITCHEN.
Recipe Source: Taste of Home
Looks delicious! Think I’m going to make it for Thanksgiving for those that don’t like pumpkin. Tried to print, but it cut off the title.
Hi Terry! Thanks for letting me know the title was cut off. I’ve fixed it, so it should be good to go. Let me know what you think of this pie. Happy Thanksgiving!
Oh my word!!! This pie was so delicious and it made me look really good at our family Thanksgiving dinner!!! Haha. It was pretty easy to make and it was definitely worth the effort!!!! This might just be a staple in our home!!!
Could I make this a few days in advance or would it get soggy?
Hi Marne! I would not suggest making this pie a few days in advance, the crust will get too soggy. I wouldn’t make it any sooner than the night before. Another option would be to bake the crust and make and refrigerate the filling a day or two ahead and then fill the baked pie shell the day you serve the pie.
Ive searched high and low for a lemon pie I like, this was so delicious and simple steps to follow! Thank you!!! Perfect for thanksgiving!
★★★★★
This makes me so happy Ashley! Happy Thanksgiving!
I am a new baker and made this. I did not make the pie crust because I have never made one. Needless to say, the pie was wonderful except for the store bought crust. Could you possibly share your homemade crust recipe?
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I totally get being worried about making pie crust for the first time, but I’m sure you can do it. I will gladly share my recipe. I will get it to you as soon as possible. Happy Holidays.
Can I use Cool Whip instead of making the whipped cream from scratch? Thank you!