Delightful sweet & tart Homemade Lemon Cream Pie made from scratch with fresh lemons, cream, butter, & egg yolks. An easy lemon custard is combined with whipped cream for the best lemon pie you’ll ever eat!
I’m a HUGE fan of lemon, so taking a classic custard recipe and adding a lemon twist just makes sense! My sister in law has a lemon tree in her backyard and she was kind enough to share with me. Fresh lemons off the tree, yes, please. Let’s make some lemon pie!
Lemon Cream Pie- A Refreshing Dessert
Lemon Cream Pie is a classic dessert that is perfect for any occasion. This refreshing dessert is made with a premade crust, a tangy lemon filling and fresh cream. It is a perfect dessert for those who love the taste of lemon and want something light and refreshing.
One of the best things about Lemon Cream Pie is that it can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It is a perfect dessert for summer parties, picnics, or any time you want a light and refreshing dessert. Whether you prefer a tangy lemon filling or a sweeter version, this dessert is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Lemon Pie Recipe
- Easy to Make: This recipe is very easy to make and requires only a few ingredients. You don’t need any special skills or equipment to make this pie, which makes it perfect for beginners.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or just want to enjoy a delicious dessert at home, this lemon cream pie is perfect for any occasion. It’s a crowd-pleaser that everyone will love.
- Hello, LEMON!: If you love bright, fresh lemon flavor like I do, then you’ll have to try this pie. I make it in January when the outside world is cold, dreary and frozen over. Ha!
Ingredients for Lemon Cream Pie
Sugar: For a nice sweet pie filling, you need 1 cup of white sugar.
Cornstarch: To thicken the filling up while cooking, use 8 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Milk: Add 1 cup of milk to make the filling light and creamy.
Eggs: The structural base of this pie filling is 6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten.
Butter: Using ¼ cup of butter gives the pie a lovely rich flavor.
Lemon zest: You will need 2 tablespoons of grated lemon zest for a blast of citrus flavor and color too.
Lemon juice: Adding ½ cup of fresh lemon juice gives this pie even more amazing flavor.
Heavy cream: You need 2 cups of heavy whipping cream for a fluffy and soft addition to this pie filling.
Powder sugar: Sweeten the homemade whipped cream by adding ⅓ cup of powdered sugar.
Vanilla extract: Enhance all the incredible flavors by using ½ tsp of vanilla extract in this recipe.
Almond extract: Use ½ tsp of almond extract to balance the flavors in the whipped cream well.
Sour cream: For a subtle tangy flavor, add in ½ cup of sour cream.
Pie Shell: To simplify this recipe, use a premade 9-inch baked pie shell.
How to make Homemade Lemon Cream Pie
Prep
Get started by preparing the lemon ingredients needed for this recipe. Zest the lemons for the measurement required, then squeeze the juice into a measuring cup to obtain the needed amount. Set both ingredients aside for future use.
Pie filling
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch, cook over medium heat. Then stir in the milk, whisk until smooth. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture has thickened and is bubbly, this typically takes about 10 minutes.
After that, reduce the heat to low; cook and stir for 2 more minutes, then remove from the heat.
Next, in a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks with a small amount of the hot filling and stir for 1 minute. Repeat with more hot filling, stir gently for another 2 minutes.
Pour all the egg mixture into the saucepan and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes.
Then remove the pan from the heat, stir in the butter and lemon zest. Gently stir in lemon juice as well.
Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Whipped cream
In a large (chilled) metal bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Next add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and almond extracts. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes until stiff peaks form.
Now transfer half the whipped cream to a piping bag, putting a bag over the tip and clipping the bag closed. Store this in the fridge until ready to serve pie.
Assemble & chill
Continue to stir the remaining half of the whipped cream into the bowl of lemon filling. Then transfer the lemon mixture into the prepared pie shell.
Place the pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Then top with rosettes of fresh whipped cream, garnish with thin slices of fresh lemon. Slice & enjoy!
Lemon Cream Pie
Ingredients
Lemon Custard Filling
- 1 cup white sugar
- 8 TBSP cornstarch
- 1 cup milk
- 6 large egg yolks lightly beaten
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 TBSP grated lemon zest
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
Fresh Cream for Filling & Topping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- 9 inch baked pie shell
Instructions
- Pie filling: In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, then stir in the milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking until smooth. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture has thickened and is bubbly, this typically takes about 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low; cook and stir for 2 more minutes, then remove from the heat.
- In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks with a small amount of the hot filling and stir for 1 minute. Repeat with more hot filling, stir gently for another 2 minutes.
- Pour all the egg mixture into the saucepan and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the butter, lemon zest & lemon juice. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Whipped cream: In a large (chilled) metal bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the powdered sugar, extracts and sour cream.
- Transfer half the whipped cream to a piping bag, putting a bag over the tip and clipping the bag closed. Store this in the fridge until you're ready to serve pie.
- Assemble & chill: Stir the remaining half of the whipped cream into the bowl of lemon filling. Transfer the lemon mixture into the prepared pie shell. Place the pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Then top with rosettes of fresh whipped cream, garnish with thin slices of fresh lemon. Slice & enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Storage and Preservation for Homemade Lemon Pie
Lemon cream pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To preserve the freshness and texture of the pie, it is recommended to cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil before storing it in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions for Lemon Cream Pie
Lemon cream pie is best served chilled. It can be served plain or topped with whipped cream or fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries. For an extra burst of flavor, a sprinkle of lemon zest can be added on top.
Tips for making homemade whipped cream
To make homemade whipped cream, it is important to use chilled heavy cream and a cold mixing bowl and whisk. Adding a small amount of sugar and vanilla extract will enhance the flavor of the whipped cream. It is recommended to whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks, but be careful not to over-whip it as it can turn into butter.
How do I prevent my lemon pie filling from becoming too runny?
To prevent the lemon pie filling from becoming too runny, it is important to cook it over low heat and constantly stir it until it thickens. Adding cornstarch or flour to the filling can also help thicken it. It is important to let the pie cool completely before serving to allow the filling to set.
What distinguishes lemon cream pie from lemon meringue pie?
Lemon cream pie and lemon meringue pie are both lemon-flavored pies, but they differ in their texture and topping. Lemon cream pie has a creamy, custard-like filling made with lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and cream. It is topped with whipped cream or fresh fruits. Lemon meringue pie has a tangy lemon filling made with lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and cornstarch, and it is topped with a fluffy meringue made with egg whites and sugar.
Try more of our delicious pie recipes here:
- No Bake Nutella Cream Pie
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- Easy Peach Pie
- Strawberry Ice Cream Pie
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- No-Bake Twix Pie
- No Bake Raspberry Marshmallow Pie
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- No Bake Kool Aid Pie
- Apple Hand Pies
- Frozen Peanut Butter Pie
- Brownie Peppermint Ice Cream Pie
- Valentine’s Whoopie Pies
- Raspberry Ice Cream Pie
- Lemon Icebox Pie
- Caramel Chocolate Turtle Pie
- Homemade Boston Creme Pie
Homemade Lemon Cream Pie is made with fresh lemons, heavy cream, butter, egg yolks, and a few other basic ingredients. This lemon cream pie is a delightful and refreshing dessert that is sure to become your new go to recipe!
Yvonne says
Ours came out very very thin. What could have caused that? I’m going over everything in my head and I can’t figure out what happened.
Jessica says
Go over the list of ingredients again and see if you added a wrong amount of any… did you add the whole egg, instead of just the yolks? 6 TBSP cornstarch? 1 cup milk? Did you whip the cream before adding it, or did you just add the cream?