Calling all lemon lovers, this Creamy Lemon Pie made with simple ingredients is truly what heaven is made of and has the best buttery graham crust that works wonderfully with the creamy filling.
With the creamy lemon filling, this will become one of your favorite lemon desserts. It is similar to the consistency of key lime pie but with the best lemon flavor.
If you love lemon desserts like lemon bars, or lemon meringue pie, then you need to give this easy lemon cream pie a try, it is a perfect summer recipe!
Recipe Ingredient Notes
To make Creamy Lemon Pie, you will need the following ingredients:
Homemade Crust
- Graham cracker sheets
- Melted butter
- Brown sugar
Lemon Filling
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
- Whole milk
- Lemon juice
- Egg yolks
- Butter, melted
- Lemon zest
- Greek yogurt
Whipped Cream Topping
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
- Lemon zest
- Paper-thin lemon slices to garnish
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to make Creamy Lemon Pie
Make the crust
- Process. Load the graham crackers, butter, and sugar into a food processor and process on high until you achieve fine crumbs.
- Press. Grease a pie dish with butter and then press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Chill. Pop the crust in the fridge while you make the filling.
Make the filling
- Make the base. In a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Gradually pour in the milk followed by the lemon juice, whisking as you go. Continue to whisk and cook until the filling starts to thicken. Turn the heat to low.
- Temper in the eggs. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until smooth. Add ½ cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk until combined. Repeat twice. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the filling base, whisking as you go. Continue to cook, whisking consistently, until the filling coats a spoon thickly.
- Finish it off. Whisk in the melted butter, lemon zest, and Greek yogurt until smooth. Turn off the heat.
- Put it all together. Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust.
- Chill. Chill the pie in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
- Make the whipped cream. Before serving, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Decorate. Spread the whipped cream over the lemon filling.
- Serve. Serve cold garnished with paper-thin lemon slices.
Storing and Other Tips
Leftover pie should be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
If you have fresh lemons at home then they would work great for this recipe and a few slices would be great for on top of the pie, however using fresh meyer lemons is not truly necessary.
You can keep this easy recipe quick and use the lemon juice you have in the fridge to speed things up. The lemon pie filling will still taste delicious and have the flavour of lemons you are looking for.
If you want to keep this a super simple recipe you can use a store-bought crust, however, I do think the homemade graham cracker crust is worth the time!
Toppings for this luscious lemon cream pie
- Fresh whipped cream (easy to make with just sugar and whipping cream)
- Sliced lemon or lemon peel
- Blueberry glaze or fresh blueberries
Enjoy More Delicious Pie Recipes
Pies and tarts are perfect for any occasion. Check out our comprehensive list of pie and tart recipes!
- Banana Cream Pie
- Creamy Key Lime Pie
- Homemade Buttermilk Pie
- No Bake Coconut Cream Pie
- Pecan Pie
- Peppermint Crunch Ice Cream Pie
- Sweet Potato Pie
Creamy Lemon Pie
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust
- 12 graham cracker sheets
- 6 Tablespoon melted butter
- 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
For the filling
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup lemon juice
- 4 egg yolk
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
For the whipped cream topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Paper-thin lemon slices to garnish
Instructions
Make the crust
- Process. Load the graham crackers, butter, and sugar into a food processor and process on high until you achieve fine crumbs.
- Press. Grease a pie dish with butter and then press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Chill. Pop the crust in the fridge while you make the filling.
Make the filling
- Make the base. In a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Gradually pour in the milk followed by the lemon juice, whisking as you go. Continue to whisk and cook until the filling starts to thicken. Turn the heat to low.
- Temper in the eggs. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until smooth. Add ½ cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk until combined. Repeat twice. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the filling base, whisking as you go. Continue to cook, whisking consistently, until the filling coats a spoon thickly.
- Finish it off. Whisk in the melted butter, lemon zest, and Greek yogurt until smooth. Turn off the heat.
- Put it all together. Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust.
- Chill. Chill the pie in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
- Make the whipped cream. Before serving, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Decorate. Spread the whipped cream over the lemon filling.
- Serve. Serve cold garnished with paper-thin lemon slices.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
The filling was perfectly tart and delicious, but the star of the show was that buttery graham cracker crust! SO yummy!