Old-Fashioned Lemon Pie
This old-fashioned lemon pie is made with fresh lemons, egg yolks, milk and cream. It’s rich and tangy and full of bright fresh lemon flavor.
About this lemon pie recipe
- The creamy lemon filling: The tangy filling in this lemon pie is similar to lemon curd in flavor, but it’s richer and creamier. It has the addition of heavy cream and milk, and it’s thickened with cornstarch. Top it with whipped cream, and you’ve got yourself the perfect lemon pie. This recipe is made without sweetened condensed milk so it’s not cloyingly sweet.
- The pie crust: I like using a homemade all-butter pie crust for this recipe. It’s buttery, flaky and delicious. The pastry is fully baked before the filling goes in. If you want, you can use a homemade graham cracker crust instead. Bake it for 10 minutes before adding the filling. For an extra easy recipe, use a store-bought crust or a premade graham cracker crust.
- The topping: Billowy whipped cream is on top of the lemon pie. It’s super simple and makes the perfect topping for the zesty filling. It makes the pie look similar to a lemon meringue pie, but the cream is less sweet than meringue. I think this complements the sweet filling better.
Ingredients & Why
- Flaky pie crust: I like using a homemade pie crust for this recipe. It’s buttery, flaky and delicious. The flaky crust is fully baked before the filling goes in.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is a must for maximum flavor.
- Sugar: Sweetens the filling, balancing the tartness of the lemons.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the filling.
- Egg yolks: Add richness and help thicken the custard.
- Heavy cream and milk: Create a creamy texture that’s just so so good!
- Butter: Adds silkiness to the filling.
The Lemon Pie Crust
You can use store-bought or a home made pie dough. It will be fully baked before adding the filling which is great because that way you know it won’t be undercooked and will be nice and flaky!
- Roll out the dough: Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin, then roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Rotate the dough as you roll to prevent sticking.
- Transfer to the pie dish: Carefully lift the rolled-out dough and lay it over a 9-inch pie dish. Gently press it into the corners without stretching the dough. Trim any overhanging edges, leaving about 1/2 inch, and crimp or flute the edges for a decorative finish.
- Chill the crust: Place the prepared crust in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. This helps the dough maintain its shape during baking.
- Blind bake the crust: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Dock the bottom of the crust with a fork to prevent puffing. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans, right to the very top to keep the edges from shrinking. Bake for 10-15 minutes.Remove the crust from the oven, lift off the parchment and weights, and lower the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Cool completely before filling.
Graham Cracker Crust Variation
For a simple twist, swap the traditional pastry crust for a graham cracker crust.
- Combine 1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons powdred sugar, and 6 tablespoons of melted butter.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish.
- Bake the crust at 350°F (180°C) for 15 minutes, then let it cool completely before adding the lemon filling.
The creamy lemon filling
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, whisk together milk, cream, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and salt. Heat over medium-high, whisking constantly, until it simmers. Slowly drizzle the hot mixture into the egg yolks to temper, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking until thick and bubbling. Let it boil for one minute, then remove from heat and stir in butter. Strain the filling for a smooth texture and pour it into the crust. Cool to room temperature, then chill for 4 hours until set.
Assembling
When ready to serve, make the whipped cream. In a bowl, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip it with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, but take care not to over-whip it. Dollop the cream or pipe it around the edge of the pie.
Storing
Freezing the crust only: If you’re making the crust ahead, you can freeze the baked crust on its own. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw before adding the filling.
Refrigeration: Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The whipped cream topping may deflate slightly over time, so it’s best to add it just before serving.
Freezing (without whipped cream): To freeze the pie, skip the whipped cream topping. Wrap the cooled and set pie tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then add freshly whipped cream before serving.
More sweet recipes to try
Check our my pie recipe archives, or here are a few of my fave sweet treats!
- Make your own lemon curd!
- Lemon curd stuffed donuts
- Lemon layer cake
- Old-fashioned Coconut Cream Pie
- Lime Meringue Pie
Old-Fashioned Lemon Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch unbaked flaky pie crust
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 38 g cornstarch
- 300 g whole milk
- 180 g heavy cream
- 120 g fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 15 g butter cold
Whipped cream
- 180 g heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- On a lightly floured surface, roll cold pie dough into a 12-inch/30cm circle. Drape it into a 9-inch pie plate. Cut off any excess dough around the pie dish to make it even, but leave a bit of an overhang. Roll the overhanging dough under the edge to make a thick border.
- Flute the edges, then chill the pastry for at least 20 minutes while preheating the oven to 425°F (220°C)
- Prick the bottom of the pie crust all over with a fork. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
- Remove it from the oven and lift off the parchment paper and weights. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
- Dock the pastry with a fork. Return the pastry to the oven for 15-20 minutes until it's golden brown and crisp. Let the pie shell cool completely.
Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until combined. Set this aside.
- In a medium saucepan combine milk, cream, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and salt. Whisk it all together until smooth. Place the mixture on the stove over medium-high heat and keep whisking as it warms.
- Once the mixture is at a simmer, remove the mixture from the stove and drizzle it slowly into the egg yolk mixture, whisking the egg yolks as you do.
- Once it's all incorporated in the egg yolks, tip everything back into the saucepan and place it over medium heat. Continually whisk as the mixture begins to bubble and thicken so that the milk doesn't burn at the bottom of the saucepan.
- Once boiling, let it bubble while whisking for a full minute until nice and thick. (this step is important, or the filling won't set.) Remove it from the heat and whisk through the cold butter.
- Push the lemon mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the lemon zest for an extra smooth filling. Pour the filling into the pie crust. You can cover the lemon custard filling with plastic wrap and gently press it onto the filling. This stops a skin from forming, but it's not necessary since it will be covered later with cream.
- Let the pie cool to room temperature, then chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until firm.
Whipped cream
- When ready to serve, layer whipped cream on top of the pie.
- In a bowl combine 3/4 cup heavy cream, a tablespoon of powdered sugar, and a teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract. Whip it with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form but take care not to over-whip it. Dollop the cream or pipe it around the edge of the pie.
Notes
Storing
Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The whipped cream topping may deflate slightly over time, so it’s best to add it just before serving for optimal freshness.Graham Cracker Crust
This pie can also be made with a graham cracker crust.- 180g (12 sheets) graham crackers
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 85g (6 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
