Grammy’s Lemon Cream Pie

Let me introduce you to a family favorite: Grammy’s Lemon Cream Pie. It’s sunshine bright, lusciously creamy, and the vehicle is a buttery pie crust. She bakes two every Easter, because one is never enough!

 When I called Grammy to ask for this lemon cream cheese pie recipe, I expected her to reach for a classic cookbook or a magazine article she’d clipped.

Little did I suspect that the source of this luscious, citrusy lemon lover’s dream was a 1960s cream cheese package.

To be specific, this lemon cream pie recipe (or rather, my Grammy’s inspiration for it—as with any experienced baker, she’s made her own changes over the years) hails from a 1960s cream cheese cookbook pamphlet my Grammy received by mailing in a coupon clipped from the back of her cream cheese package.

Although you might find many no bake lemon custard pie, lemon cream pie with cream cheese, or lemon cream pie with condensed milk recipes online, you will not find this one—believe me, I looked.

Every lemon cream pie I found used a combination of instant pudding mix, canned sweetened condensed milk, and/or whipped topping from a tub.

While shortcuts have their place (like in Lemon Poke Cake), Grammy has stood firm on making this pie from scratch, because the results are worth it.

• Spend a few extra minutes juicing real lemons, stir them together with real eggs on the stove, and watch the magic as they thicken into the richest, most luxurious lemon custard you’ve ever tasted.
• Try your hardest not to devour the entire bowl of creamy filling before you’ve poured it into the pie crust.
• Then, top the lemon pie with homemade whipped cream. Lick the spoon.

• How to Make Grammy’s Lemon Cream Pie

  In my family, we are serious about our desserts, so I assure you that if you try this pie, you will understand why my Grammy has been baking it all these years. (If you like custard pies like this one, you’ll love this .)

  While other shortcut recipes for lemon cream pie with condensed milk may be good, this easy lemon cream pie without condensed milk is the queen.

  It’s silky, sweet, and delicious!

• The Ingredients

  • Pie Crust. I used my Darn Good Whole Wheat Pie Crust. It’s an easy pie crust made in the food processor and wonderfully flaky.

  MARKET SWAP

  No time to make homemade pie crust? Swap the homemade crust in this recipe for a store-bought version instead.

  A fan of graham cracker crusts? Feel free to use one here. For serving, crush extra graham crackers and sprinkle the crumbs on top.

  • Eggs. Lemon pie filling is made of a scrumptious custard, and the eggs help ensure the custard is thick, silky, and rich. Another reason I love this recipe is that, unlike some recipes for lemon curd, you use the whole egg, not just the egg yolks.
  • Sugar. Sugar is critical for the texture of the custard, and it adds sweetness.
  • Lemon. Lemon juice and zest are the secret to the pie’s delightful lemon flavor. You MUST use fresh lemon juice!
  • Cream Cheese. I used reduced fat cream cheese to make the pie a bit lighter and thought it was still plenty rich and creamy. (Need more lemon and cream cheese? try my Lemon Cheesecake Bars.)
  
  
  • Whipped Cream. We love this as a lemon pie with whipped cream instead of lemon meringue pie (and it’s easier too!). Homemade whipped cream beats the storebought stuff every time! It’s easy and delicious.

  The Directions

  1. Roll out the pie crust with a rolling pin, fit into a deep 9-inch pie dish, then bake until golden. Let cool. (This is a no bake lemon cream pie, other than the crust.)
  2. Cook the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest over a double boiler (the water should be simmering but not at a gentle boil), until it thickens into a custard. Remove from the heat and let cool.
  3. Beat the cream cheese, then fold together with the lemon custard. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Refrigerate the lemon pie for at least 4 hours. Top with whipped cream and ENJOY!

  

  Storage Tips

  • To Store. Refrigerate leftover cream pies for up to 3 days.
  • To Freeze. Wrap pie tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

  Meal Prep Tip

  Up to 1 day in advance, prepare the pie as directed (minus the whipped cream). Refrigerate until ready to serve.

  

  Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

  • Pie Dish. You’ll need one with a little extra space for all that creamy lemon custard pie filling.
  • Hand Mixer. This one has a handy whisk attachment.
  • Mixing Bowls. A set of mixing bowls is a must-have in every kitchen.

  From the 1960s to your table: the best-ever lemon pie recipe.