This easy lemon pie is the perfect make ahead lemon dessert. Made with a brown butter graham cracker crust and a super creamy 3 ingredient lemon pie filling, it really couldn't be more simple. Keep it plain or dress it up to serve - you choose!
Hi hi! I am just popping in to share the recipe for this super easy lemon pie with you! I love making lemon desserts, and my lemon meringue pie is super popular on my website, but I wanted something that was a little bit simpler but still delivered with that super punchy lemon flavour.
Enter: My lemon pie with 3 ingredient lemon pie filling.
The recipe for this pie is almost identical to my Key Lime Pie recipe except that it is made with lemon (wild concept right?! haha) - they both have a super easy brown butter graham cracker crust, and a filling that is almost too easy to make.
This lemon pie sets up impossibly smooth and it cuts like a dream. It's a real showstopper, and is one of those desserts where the final outcome is hugely impressive relative to the time that it takes to make, which is 20 minutes for the crust and then another 25-30 minutes in the oven.
This lemon pie recipe is also an amazing way to use up excess egg yolks!
Components of super easy lemon pie
This lemon pie is almost too easy to make - it has two components.
- Graham cracker crust. I used my go-to brown butter graham cracker crust for this lemon pie recipe. I love how the brown butter gives an amazing depth of flavour, and it is super easy to make. There's notes in the post on graham cracker alternatives too!
- 3 ingredient lemon pie filling. The first time I made this, I went back and double checked the ingredients because it seemed too simple that combining only three ingredients - fresh lemon juice, egg yolks, and condensed milk, could give the most amazing creamy filling. It sets up a little in the oven, but still stays super soft and creamy. It's just SO good and pairs so well with the graham cracker crust.
What pan did you use for the recipe?
While I am calling this a lemon pie filling, I was a bit sneaky and made it in a tart pan with a removable bottom. I love making pie recipes in tart pans, as you get a super crisp side and they are really easy to take out of the pan - I turn a small bowl over and place the tart pan onto it, so I can release the edge of the pan and remove it from the pie.
If you do not want to use a tart pan, this recipe will also work in a 9-inch or 10-inch pie pan - I prefer to use ceramic for a pie with a crumb crust. I wrote more about this on my post on how to make the perfect graham cracker crust.
Can Lemon Pie be made ahead of time?
Yes - in fact, you want to make it ahead of time to allow it enough time to cool completely. Once it is baked it is super stable, so can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to serve.
How to make Lemon Pie Filling
This lemon pie filling almost seems like cheating - all you do is combine the three filling ingredients and whisk together until smooth, then pour into the baked graham cracker crust and pop the whole thing back into the oven.
The whole pie with the lemon pie filling added bakes for a further 20-22 minutes, then you remove it and leave to cool to room temperature before chilling completely. That's it - you can have the whole baking process done in about 45 minutes with no fancy equipment.
How to tell when lemon pie is baked
The lemon pie filling whisks up to be fairly thick, so you want to give the pie the jiggle test to make sure that it is baked. For me, this takes about 20 minutes in the oven to bake the lemon pie filling. It may take slightly longer if you start with an already cooled graham cracker crust.
The best way to check is to jiggle the pie pan slightly - you want the very middle to still be wiggling like jelly (jello) a little bit. Remember that it will continue to set up as it cools and then as it chills down in the fridge, but you want it mainly set when it comes out of the oven.
It is possible to overbake an egg based filling - if you have overbaked you will see the surface of the pie start to crack which is caused by the egg proteins contracting and causing cracking.
If this happens don't worry it will still taste absolutely fine - there are few things a good covering of whipped cream can't fix.
How to get a clean cut on lemon pie
I manage to cut this lemon pie super cleanly, which was so amazingly satisfying.
I didn't really do anything fancy - I just used a long, sharp knife, and so I was able to cut all the way across the pie in one go, which gave super clean lines.
Make sure that your pie is super super cold before slicing, as this will also help to give you a really nice clean cut. I also always have a tea towel or paper towel on hand to wipe the blade between cuts.
I didn't warm the blade for cutting this pie but you are welcome to if you think that will help - I run it under hot water then dry it off before using.
For tips on how to get a crumb crusted pie out of a pie pan, check out my key lime pie post.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tools and equipment do you use?
You can find a full list of the tools and equipment I use on my products page
Can I use bottled lemon juice?
Honestly, I wouldn't. The lemon pie filling only has three ingredients, and the lemon provides the flavour. If you can, it is worth sourcing fresh lemons and juicing them. Regular lemons will work or meyer lemons will also be delicious.
How do you store lemon pie?
Before serving, I store lemon pie in the pan in the fridge. Once it has been cut, I transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
What is the best way to get rid of bubbles on the surface of my pie?
It is not the end of the world if this happens, but if you have a blow torch, once you add the filling to the baked crust, you can quickly blow torch the surface of the pie to get rid of any bubbles.
For more easy dessert recipes, check out:
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
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Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Lemon Pie with 3 Ingredient Filling
- Author: Erin Clarkson
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Prep Time: 10 minutes -
Cook Time: 30 minutes
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Total Time: 3 hours
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Yield: 8 servings -
Category: Pie -
Method: Baking -
Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This easy lemon pie is the perfect make ahead lemon dessert. Made with a brown butter graham cracker crust and a super creamy 3 ingredient lemon pie filling, it really couldn't be more simple. Keep it plain or dress it up to serve - you choose!
Ingredients
Crust
- One Brown Butter Graham Cracker Crust, baked for 10-11 minutes in a 9" (23cm) pie dish or removable bottom tart pan and then cooled slightly
Lemon Pie Filling
- 250g freshly squeezed lemon juice
- two 395g cans sweetened condensed milk
- 5 large egg yolks (about 90g of yolks), at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c.
- Bake the graham cracker pie crust as directed. It is easiest to place it onto a baking sheet to help avoid spilling any filling.
- While the graham cracker crust is baking, prepare the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients into a large bowl, and whisk until well combined.
- Remove the baked graham cracker crust from the oven, and allow to stand for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the filling into the baked crust, carefully smoothing the surface if needed.
- Return the pie to the oven, and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the filling is set and only a little jiggly in the very middle.
- Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
- Transfer to the fridge to cool completely, at least 2 hours, before slicing. Lemon pie can be made up to 3 days ahead.
- Finish as desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
The post Lemon Pie with 3 Ingredient Filling appeared first on Cloudy Kitchen.
