Name: Lemon Pie
Yield: 12

Lemon Pie is smooth, creamy, and bursting with bright lemon flavor, all in a buttery graham cracker crust and finished with a big swirl of fresh whipped cream.

Author’s Notes

My Forever Lemon Pie That Feels Like a Restaurant Dessert

This is hands-down the best lemon pie I’ve ever had! It’s the kind of dessert I think about often and make any chance I get. It is satisfying to pie, but a lot of pies can feel like a whole project with from-scratch crusts, prepping all the fruit, and lots of steps in between. This one though? It couldn’t be easier.

The crust is a quick graham cracker crust and the filling comes together in minutes. It’s bright, sweet, evenly creamy, and packed with lemon flavor. Add a big swirl of fresh whipped cream on top and it’s the reliable finish.

Honestly, it’s kind of wild how restaurant-level good this pie is for how little work it takes.

This Lemon Pie recipe originally comes from Joanna Gaines’ (big fan!) Magnolia cookbook, and after making it so many times, I’ve tweaked it slightly:

More lemon flavor: I added a bit more lemon juice and lemon extract so the citrus flavor really pops.
Enhance and balance flavors: A little salt and vanilla help balance the sweetness.
a reliable crust: I swapped in my go-to graham cracker crust.
Whipped cream upgrade: I like using vanilla bean paste for extra flavor and those pretty little black specks.

All the ingredients in this recipe prepped out for straightforward assembly including the butter, salt, graham cracker crumbs, condensed milk, extracts, cream, powdered sugar, eggs, and mint.

Joanna’s Lemon Pie Ingredients

Ingredient	Let’s Chat About It
Graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, salt	Press the crust firmly into the pan using the bottom of a measuring cup so it holds together well after baking.
Sweetened condensed milk & egg yolks	These create the rich, creamy filling. Use full-fat sweetened condensed milk for the best texture and flavor. (Not to be confused with evaporated milk.)
Fresh lemon juice & lemon extract	Fresh lemons give the brightest flavor. A little lemon extract boosts the citrus without affecting the texture. Use pure lemon extract from the baking aisle, not emulsions or flavor oils.
Heavy cream, powdered sugar & vanilla bean paste	Whip just until soft peaks form for a light, fluffy topping that spreads easily over the lemon pie.

the cook’s Notes

A Few Quick Tips:

Grab a citrus juicer; it makes juicing lemons straightforward!
Salt might sound weird in a sweet pie, but it really boosts and balances flavors.
This pie uses egg yolks only! Save the whites for meringue cookies or an egg wrap.

All the filling ingredients being mixed together for this lemon pie before pouring into the crust to bake.

Favorite Graham Cracker Crust

The crust on this Lemon Pie might be a reliable part! Here are a few quick tips:

Cool the butter: Let melted butter cool before mixing so the crust doesn’t turn greasy.
Measure crumbs well: Slightly overfill the cup and level it off for the right amount.
Use fine crumbs: Blend crackers well so there aren’t large chunks.
Press firmly: Press crumbs evenly along the bottom and up the sides. Really pack them in so the crust holds together.
Bake first: Bake the crust and let it cool before adding the filling to prevent sogginess.

The dessert fresh out of the oven with whipped cream on top.

How To Make This Lemon Pie Recipe

Prep oven & pan: Heat oven to 350°F and spray a 9-inch pie dish.
Make crust: Mix crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter; press into the pan and bake.
Mix filling: Beat filling ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Bake pie: Pour filling into crust and bake until the center slightly jiggles.
Chill & finish: Cool, refrigerate until set, then top with whipped cream and serve.

Storage

This pie can sit at room temperature up to 2 hours. After that, cover and store in the fridge for 2 to 4 days. This pie does not freeze and thaw well.