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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!

Homemade lemon cream pie

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.
Lemon cream pie with whipped cream instead of meringue

5 Star Review

“I made this and it’s the best lemon pie I’ve ever had!! It was so good!”

— Sarah —

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!

Tip!

Love custard pies? Check out Buttermilk Pie.

Smitten for lemon desserts? You must try my sister’s best-ever Lemon Bars, this reader favorite Lemon Cake, and bright Lemon Tart.


The Ingredients

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.)

Substitution Tip

You can use full-fat cream cheese if you prefer. I do not recommend using fat free cream cheese, as it will negatively impact the texture.

  • 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!
A crust next to a bowl of custard

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.

The best lemon cream pie with whipped cream
  • 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.

Grammy, thanks for mailing away for that pamphlet all those years ago!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Lemon Pie Runny?

To make sure your lemon pie is not runny, do not fill the pie crust before it has cooled completely. Overmixing your custard can also cause the filling to become runny. Lastly, make sure to let your pie chill and set for the appropriate amount of time before serving.

What’s the Difference between a Chiffon Pie and a Cream Pie?

Cream pies are called cream pies because of the cream-like custard filling made from eggs. A chiffon pie uses a similar custard filling, but only the egg whites are used to create a light and airy meringue custard.

Could I Add Fresh Strawberries to my Pie?

I think adding some fresh strawberries just before serving would be delicious! Strawberry and lemon pair wonderfully together, and they would look beautiful for presentation purposes too. For another creamy, fruity pie (also my Grammy’s recipe!) check out Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie.

Grammy’s Lemon Cream Pie

4.53 from 61 votes
The best lemon cream pie you will ever taste! Original 1960s recipe made from scratch with fresh lemon juice, cream cheese and real whipped cream.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 23 minutes
Total: 4 hours 43 minutes

Servings: 12 slices (1 pie)

Ingredients
  

For the Lemon Cream Pie:

  • 1/2 recipe Darn Good Whole Wheat Pie Crust enough for 1 deep, 9-inch pie
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4  cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about 3 large lemons
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest from about 1 lemon
  • 12 ounces reduced fat cream cheese* softened to room temperature

For the Homemade Whipped Cream:


Instructions
 

  • Prepare the crust according to my Darn Good Whole Wheat Pie Crust recipe, either halving the recipe (it yields enough for 2 crusts) or freezing the second crust for a later time. (I recommend making the recipe as written and freezing the second crust. It will be great to have on hand and you are going to the effort anyway, so you might as well enjoy twice the crust!)
  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the pie crust, then fit into a 9-inch wide pie plate that is 1 1/2 to 2-inches deep. Trim any overhang, then crimp the crust edges as desired. Line the crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper so that the foil/paper comes all the way up the sides of the dish and fits against the sides and bottom snugly. Fill the dish with dried beans or pie weights. Place in the preheated oven and bake until the edges are barely beginning to turn golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the foil/paper and weights, then return the crust to the oven and continue baking until the bottom looks dry and lightly golden and the edges have browned, about 5 to 8 additional minutes. The bottom of the crust will puff a little as it bakes, but it will deflate again once removed from the oven. Let cool completely.
  • Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water to create a double boiler. Add the eggs into the bowl, then with a hand mixer on medium speed (or a whisk and some serious arm power), beat the eggs until thick and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes if using a mixer. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar, then the lemon juice and lemon zest. Once incorporated, switch from a mixer (or whisk) to a rubber spatula. Continue to cook the mixture over the simmering water, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the bowl with your spatula, until it forms a thick, smooth custard, about 8 additional minutes. When you dip your spatula into the custard, the custard should easily coat the spatula's back, and if you draw a line through the custard on the back of the spatula with your finger, the sides of the custard should stay separated. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool to almost room temperature.
  • In a large mixing bowl or a standing mixer fit with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until it is completely soft and smooth, about 3 full minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium, then gradually add the cooled lemon custard to the cream cheese, beating until smooth and fully combined so that no white streaks remain. Pour the cream cheese into the baked pastry shell. Refrigerate the pie until fully chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • Up to 4 hours before serving, prepare the homemade whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment over medium speed. When it starts to thicken, add the powdered sugar and vanilla, increase the mixer speed to high, and continue to beat until soft peaks form. (Do not overbeat or the cream will separate.) Spread over the chilled pie, slice, and serve cold.

Notes

  • *My Grammy uses full fat cream cheese. I used reduced fat cream cheese to make the pie a bit lighter, and thought it was still plenty rich and creamy. Feel free to choose whichever you like—just do not sure fat free cream cheese as both the texture and flavor will be off.
  • TO STORE: Refrigerate pie 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 12) without whipped creamCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 79mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 509IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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134 Comments

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  1. This literally has my mouth watering, and I love that it uses REAL ingredients — this is a must make!

  2. This looks so zesty and tasty, Erin! Perfect for Easter Sunday. Thank you for all your recipes :)

  3. Grammys always know best, especially when it comes to pie. Love that this is a vintage 60’s recipe and that your Grammy was dead set on making it from scratch. Looks like the perfect treat to add to our Easter dessert spread! 

  4. This lemon cream pie looks absolutely dreamy! I recently learned that the recipe for one of my family’s favorite cakes came from an old cocoa box – I was probably as surprised as you were. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!

  5. That looks so amazing!! I love anything lemon! And what a sweet story that goes along with it!! I can’t wait to try to make this pie. :)

  6. I love citrus and lemon is my favorite. This will be a great addition to my Easter dessert table. 

  7. This lemon cream pie looks fabulous! I love lemony flavors during spring- they’re so bright and fresh :) This pie is stunning, your photos are totally gorgeous :)

  8. Family recipes are the best!! I’m crushing on this – lemon anything is my favorite!! So bright and cheery.

  9. Passed down recipes from grandma are the best! This lemon cream pie looks outstanding, and definitely worth the bit of extra effort :)

  10. Great pie recipe! Just made it tonight and it’s going to be an Easter tradition from now on! Thanks for sharing.

    1. Heidi, I am so happy to hear this and will let my Grammy know when I see her tomorrow. Wishing you all a very happy Easter! Thanks for trying the recipe and for taking time to let me know how it turned out for you.

    1. Hi! Although it has cream cheese in it, it’s much silkier, fluffier, and less dense, like a cross between a lemon meringue pie and a cheesecake. I hope that helps!

  11. Made this pie yesterday and it turned out fabulous.  I shall wow my guests on the second pie….

    1. John, I am so excited to hear this!! Thanks so much for letting me know how this came out, and I’ll let my Grammy know too :)

  12. After almost half an hour, my custard never became custard. It was more of a runny pre-lemon meringue filling without achieving the thick texture. I might as well make a lemon meringue filling and add some cream cheese to it next time.

    1. Hi Carrie, I’m sorry to hear the custard wasn’t thickening up for you. I know it’s frustrating when a recipe doesn’t work out as planned. Although the recipe has worked great for me and for others, it can be hard to figure out what went wrong since everyone’s kitchen is different! I truly wish that it had turned out!

    2. Carrie, I’ve made this pie twice now. The first time, using my old electric stove, it took about 25 minutes for the custard to thicken. The second time I made it on a gas stove and it still took about 15 minutes. Everyone’s bowls/pans are different. Ignore the time, turn the heat up a tad, and keep stirring. Believe me, this pie is WELL worth the wait!

      1. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Toni! It’s really true that everyone’s kitchen is different.

  13. WOW! Was I happy to find this recipe!  The fresh ingredients and ample amount of zest and lemon juice is what caught my eye. I was intimidated at first with using the double boiler but I followed your directions and it came out perfectly. My husband and I couldn’t quit “sampling” it.  We are having our family Christmas today and it will be front and center.  Thanks for a great recipe. Have you tried making it with lime and using a graham cracker crust. We are big fans of Key Lime pie but don’t have a decent recipe.

    1. Hooray! I’m so glad the recipe turned out perfectly, Janet. :) I haven’t tried making this with limes and a graham cracker crust, but that’s a good idea and I think it could work!

  14. My husband is looking for a pie with a vanilla wafer crust and meringue on the top do you think this would work?

    1. Hi Debi! While you could swap a vanilla wafer crust (you’d want to prebake it, since the pie filling is only chilled, not baked), I’m not as sure about the meringue. Usually meringue has to go on top of the pie and into the oven, and I think that this delicate lemon pie filling would melt into a mess underneath it. I’d suggest looking for a classic lemon meringue pie recipe and doing it with a wafer crust. Ina Garten has a good one, and you can find many options online. Thanks and good luck!

  15. Just made it as a pudding only. This filling is delicious. I made it with Meyer lemons, which are plentiful in southern Calfornia at the moment. I suggest keeping the water at a very low simmer, and make sure the hot water doesn’t touch the bottom of the custard pan. Otherwise, the eggs can scramble. You can pass the hot custard through a sieve to remove lumps. If you plan to do this, add your lemon zest afterwards, or the sieve will snag the zest. Plenty of lemon flavor will infuse while the custard chills. I suspect that if you get a lot of lumps because the eggs scrambled, there won’t be enough egg left to enable the custard to firm up. Since there’s no starch in the recipe, it’s all up to the eggs. For best results, chill overnight before serving. If you can wait that long.

    1. I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the filling, and I appreciate your sharing the extra tips about the water bath. It’s definitely smart to add the lemon zest at the end if you do decide to strain the custard through a sieve! Thanks for taking the time to share this review!

  16. Just made this and it was soooo delicious. Everyone absolutely loved it! I actually goofed it up and forgot to mix the cream cheese in with the lemon. After it had chilled overnight and I saw the cream cheese in the fridge I realized my mistake. I decided to improvise by putting the cream cheese in with the whipping cream, spreading it across the entire pie, lightly sprinkling powdered sugar on that with some lemon shavings for color. It was a two layer pie that everyone that was amazing. Love your site and all your recipes Erin!!

    1. I’m so glad you loved the pie, Peg. Great thinking with the improvised cream cheese topping! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review and for your kind words about my site! I truly appreciate it.

    1. Hi Brooke, yes, this recipe can be doubled. I would caution though that it does already make a lot of filling. My grammy’s recipe, which is what I based this lemon pie on, is already 1.5 times a standard lemon pie to make it extra deep and decadent, so you’ll want to be certain that you have a very large mixer that can handle it!

  17. I am so glad I found this recipe! It is truly divine and I love recipes that are from scratch!!
    The directions are spot on and the details really helped me. Just when I was afraid the custard wasn’t going to thicken, it started too. I highly recommend using a timer.
    A few things I did slightly different:
    – I made a graham cracker crust instead and loved it!
    – I used 8oz block of cream cheese because I only bought one and it still turned out amazing!
    – instead of one pie I made three small pies. Using the graham crust made it easy to do this. I was even thinking you can make this in muffin cups or clear cups for individual servings.
    – I used two tablespoons of powdered sugar in the whipping cream because one didn’t seem like enough for my taste.

    I am really looking forward to making this for Easter!5 stars

    1. HOORAY Katie! I’m so glad the recipe was a winner for you! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your tweaks, and I really appreciate your taking the time to share this review!

  18. I tried this lemon cream pie with yogurt cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese and I must say it was delicious. Yogurt cream cheese has a lot less calories. Thanks for such a great recipe.5 stars

    1. Hi Marjie, thank you for reporting back and sharing your tweaks! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!

  19. Excellent recipe. Very strong lemon flavor, sweet, creamy and very delicious. We loved it. Thank you! 5 stars

    1. Oops, reading other reviews I just realized I only used an 8oz block of cream cheese instead of 12 oz. This may explain why the lemon flavor was so intense. I might keep this mistake because the intensity was what I loved most about the pie and there was still plenty to go around. My pie didn’t firm up completely by serving time but it wasn’t a problem. 

      1. Mary, if you are happy with the results that is all that matters! I’m so glad that you loved the pie so much. Thanks for taking time to leave this wonderful review and rating too!

    1. Melissa, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the pie! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this awesome review!

  20. Just made this recipe for an event and had some issues with it. Made a double batch and used a 3 qt heavy saucepan over direct heat (med to med-low) on an electric top instead of the double boiler method. Used room temp eggs. Maybe they could have been larger but the box was labeled large. Tried to go by the times but ended up mixing the eggs a bit longer I think initially. Added the zest right away and while it didn’t scramble the eggs, even over the direct heat, the zest did stick to the beaters. Maybe I should have minced the zest. Misread the directions too about the filling is supposed to separate on the back of the spatula, not in the pan itself. I cooked the filling for probably 30 min waiting for the filling to thicken. Had it up to a boil for well over 15 minutes. Despite that, it never really thickened like my other cream pies do but then again those ones have flour and/or cornstarch as thickeners. I mixed the cream cheese for about 3.5 minutes before adding the filling. Even after letting it mix for a few minutes it contained little chunks of cream cheese. Cream cheese had been out all day (16+ hours). I might use the whisk instead of the paddle next time. And the zest clumped on the paddle, too. When I put it in the fridge both pies seemed on the runny side. For what it’s worth this recipe weighs right around 700 g in case you need to make multiple batches and are looking for consistent weights.
    I usually strain my cream pies but didn’t on this one bc I already added the zest. The event is tomorrow. I’m curious to see what my customers think.

    1. Hi Kris, thanks for letting me know about the different changes you made! There are variety of things that could’ve affected the way the recipe comes out (many of which you listed), and doubling recipe sometimes affects the outcome too. I hope everyone enjoys it!

  21. This is a follow up to my previous comment… btw, I forgot to mention I live in WY (high desert) at 6100 ft so maybe the elevation impacted how the recipe came together. Lemon wasn’t as popular a flavor as I had hoped it would be so I only sold a couple slices. I thought it would be fitting following a cajun shrimp boil. Anyway, had some slices leftover so I actually got to try it myself. Definitely on the tart side! I would even go so far as saying sour. A little acidic, too. That side, I think for a lemon lover, this is exactly the desired flavor profile. I was worried the filling was soft and runny; it wasn’t. Firmed up great. Was a little worried about the lemon zest causing a texture issue. Still unsure about that but I doubt it would be able to impart enough flavor if I sieved it out right after I added it. No noticeable white streaks or clumps from the cream cheese like I thought. I didn’t taste the cream cheese either, just strong lemon. My wife tasted it and said it was better than any lemon meringue pie.
    Truth be told I came hunting for a recipe that would mimic the Lemon Supreme Pie I had at Perkins in 1998. It was layered with a lemon cream cheese bottom layer topped with a lemon meringue layer. This pie has the color and consistency of the cream layer but I could taste the cream cheese in the Perkins pie. That would be an easy enough fix with this…either add more cream cheese or don’t add as much lemon juice. After such a critical critique I have to rate this recipe a 5. I love lemons and tend to get annoyed when lemony offerings don’t deliver on the flavor. This flat out punches you in the face with lemon. It’s definitely a keeper.5 stars

    1. Kris, I’m glad to hear the pie texture came out perfectly. Thank you so much for taking the time to make the recipe and report back!

  22. Hi there. I made this for one of our Thanksgiving pie options. I have a very deep pair dish, so I made 1.5 times the recipe, and used my trusted standard Betty Crocker pie crust.  The flavor of the cure was spectacular, and once the cream cheese was incorporated – wow!  To die for!  My only issue is that it didn’t set up as much as I’d have liked. I am an experienced cook and baker, so I am not sure what went wrong?  Any advice?  I’m planning to make it again, but want it to firm up more….

    1. Hi Donna! I’m so glad the flavor was spot on for you! It is a softer pie, so it wouldn’t get completely firm. Otherwise, I think it stayed extra soft because of the increase. It’s harder for a larger amount of filling to set.

  23. This is probably the best thing that has ever happened to me! Thanks for sharing a world class recipe!
    Do you know if this could also work with a sugar substitute? I hate to be that person, but I need to keep an eye on my sugar in-take ;)

    1. Stef, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I’m afraid I don’t know how the recipe would turn out with a sugar substitute—I have not tried any myself, so it would be a major experiment, and I can’t guarantee that the pie would turn out.

  24. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I just made this today and I’m dying to try it. Obviously I had to try the mix immediately after it was done haha. That alone tastes amazing. I’m excited to make it for my family when I go back home to Michigan. Tell your grandmother she is awesome! Thanks again! :)4 stars

  25. I was reading the comments and noticed that several people mentioned that it didn’t firm up as much as they would like and suspected that using the less fat cream cheese could be the cause. When I make a cream cheese frosting, I cannot sub the low fat cream cheese for the full fat because the frosting will not hold its shape very well. I think I will try this with the full fat cream cheese and see what happens. Thanks for the beautiful pie. Haven’t even tried it yet and my mouth is watering.

    1. Gwanna, full fat will have a firmer texture if that is what you are after. I hope you enjoy it and would love to hear what you think!

  26. This pie is amazing! It did seem to take a long time for the custard to set up, but it was well worth the time. I made this for a Family get together, everyone loved it. Thanks for a great recipe…5 stars

    1. Sue, YES!!!! So happy you all enjoyed it. Thank you for taking time to leave this stellar review too. It means a lot!

  27. I made this exactly according to the recipe and it only filled the 9″ deep dish pie plate halfway. Very tasty, but what happened to the volume?3 stars

    1. Hi Barbara, it’s hard to say what may have happened without being in the kitchen with you, but it sounds like the eggs may not have been beaten enough to achieve the full volume. I’m glad to hear it was still tasty, and I hope you were able to enjoy it.

  28. The recipe sounds delicious and I will make it soon. My concern is the problem others have with the filling not setting up quite well. Could you add an extra egg yolk or use xtra large eggs to aid in firming it up?
    Thank you for the answer and the pie sounds really tasty.
    Carol

    1. Hi Carol! The current number of eggs in the recipe is the only way I’ve tested it. You could try using full-fat cream cheese, which would be firmer. Overall, it is a softer, creamier pie and has more of a pudding-like vs. cheesecake texture. We love it though, and I hope you do too!

  29. I love this pie! I like to make a cookie crumble crust for it though. I use lemon bar cookies. I’ve made it several times and everytime it’s a hit! Thanks for sharing it!4 stars

  30. I just got done making this pie and it’s chilling in the fridge, so I can’t speak to the completely finished pie, but I had the same issue as others with the cream cheese not incorporating well. I used full fat cream cheese that had been out all day, so it was very soft. I swapped out the paddle on my Kitchenaid for the whisk and beat it until it looked smooth, but I could still feel little pieces of cream cheese when I tasted it. I do like the flavor though. Thinking of the texture of cheesecake filling, I think the next time I make this I might try pulling some of the sugar out of the lemon curd and mix it into the cream cheese to try to smooth out the cream cheese before incorporating the two.3 stars

  31. Made earlier with a gluten free pie butter crust. The custard tasted very sweet but with a nice lemony sharpness – used full fat cream cheese for added richness (as its the holidays) .. Hopefully guests enjoy it :). Although if I make it again I’d probably reduce the sugar from a cup to either 3 1/4 or perhaps even to a 1/2 instead of a full cup. Thanks for sharing your recipe :).

  32. I made this yesterday and loved it! I followed the recipe exactly except I did use  full fat cream cheese. The texture was divine and I will definitely be making this again. When I whipped the cream, I was a little worried that it wasn’t sweet enough, but paired with the sweetness of the lemon filling, it was just perfect. 

  33. My wife knows I really like lemon desserts so she made this pie. Amazing! So light but rich with lemon flavor. Thanks for sharing this recipe Erin.5 stars

  34. Question: Do you only cook the custard until it is thick (with little bubbles still seen from the eggs) or do you continue to cook until translucent, shinier, creamier texture like a curd?

  35. I was very disappointed with this recipe. I made it for Easter. I lost my great recipe for lemon cream pie…can’t find the magazine it was in. So I tried this. The custard Does Not Set. I chilled it overnight, used full fat cream cheese. The custard flowed when the pie was cut.  I would not make it again. My other recipe wa similar but used cornstarch.  Also my other recipe has more lemon flavor., which could be textural effect. 3 stars

    1. Hi Marianne! I’m sorry to hear you were disappointed in the recipe. Overall, it is a softer, creamier pie and has more of a pudding-like vs. cheesecake texture. It’s hard to know what may have happened to make it not set without being in the kitchen with you, but I truly wish it would have come out perfectly!

  36. This pie was everything, I made it for Easter dinner it was so easy to make. The only thing that I changed was the pie crust, I used a Graham cracker crust. Will make again thank you for sharing.5 stars

  37. I just baked this yesterday and it is LUSCIOUS. Have been giving slices to my neighbors so I don’t eat the whole thing myself in one day. Really really good lemon cream pie and very easy to make. This is a definite keeper.5 stars

    1. Diane, I am so so pleased to hear this, thank you for sharing! (and I’ll share that feedback with my Grammy too :) )

  38. Many thanks for your grannies recipe on the lemon pie. Will try it sometimes. Forgot to tell you that back in the 50’s when my Aunt made the one w/ sweetened cond. milk that she had an old timey deep ice tray and she crushed a graham cracker recipe into the bottom of the tray and if she wanted the desert to be light green she dropped a few drops of food coloring into the mix. But the trick she used was to freeze the ice box pie and then by the time she sliced it and placed it on saucers we were already eating Sunday lunch or dinner so it was still a little frozen. I should have called it Lemon Icebox pie.

  39. Hi Erin. I was hoping you would give me an idea of about how big and deep the pie pan needs to be in order to fit all of the filling?
    Thank you kindly for sharing all of these wonderful recipes with us!!
    Lynn

  40. This was delicious!! Still wasn’t properly set after 7+ hours in the fridge, but that wasn’t too big of a deal, I devoured it. Will see if it’s more set when I have it again tomorrow…5 stars

  41. This pie is fabulous! The tart creamy lemon filling and the sweet whipped cream topping pair beautifully together.5 stars

  42. I made this and it’s the best lemon pie I’ve ever had!! I used a graham cracker crust and it was so good!!5 stars

    1. Hi Tammy! While I’ve only tested the recipe as written, other readers have reported success with it. It will make the lemon flavor more pronounced. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!

  43. The pie was very lemony and very good!!! I used whole cream cheese.. I have a new recipe ?
    I made it with Graham cracker crust!!5 stars

  44. The pie was good. The whipped cream make the difference on the taste. My boyfriend liked it but was disappointed it wasn’t meringue on top 😂.4 stars

  45. Hola Erin,
    Tell Grammy, Yummo! I was looking for a recipe for a weekend dinner but it’s been so hot out that I couldn’t resist the tentation of cool lemon pie for dinner. Cream cheese does have protein after all.
    When I went to make it that weekend, I realized I only had 8oz. of cream cheese so I pulled about a third of the custard and set it aside and continued the instructions after pouring into the crust I chilled it then added the leftover custard in top. Not a huge difference taste wise but added some dimension to the texture. And it looked so pretty once plated. Oh…I almost forgot, I didn’t have any mint or other suitable herbs in my garden, the only thing I had was some baby spinach that had bolted from the heat so I picked a few tiny sprigs with the tiny purple buds on them. So cute. And the added spinach gave me all 5 food groups. That’s my idea of a well balanced meal! Thanks for inspiring me!5 stars

  46. If your custard won’t set or you suspect it won’t, add a tablespoon of corn starch to a small bowl, add enough lemon juice or water to the corn starch to dissolve, then add this to your custard and continue cooking. That should do the trick. I cut my sugar to a half cup and my custard has a wonderful pucker sweet-tartness to it. Wonderful recipe; thank you!5 stars

  47. Hi, I am wanting to make this creamy lemon pie for Christmas with a graham cracker crust. Could I make this ahead of time and freeze it? With the cream cheese in there, I am thinking it would work( without the cream on the top of course). Any thoughts? Thanks!

    1. Hi Leslie! With a cream pie, the texture tends to change after freezing, so this is something I would not recommend. Hope you enjoy it!

    1. Hi Andrea! I’m so sorry that you had trouble with this recipe. I (and other readers) have had success with the time listed, but every oven can be different. I hope it goes better next time.

  48. Spent 45 minutes troubleshooting this as it didn’t set at all. Added cornstarch, cooked longer, tried everything to no avail. It’s in the fridge now and I’m praying it isn’t soup. This recipe is lacking in detail or design, I’m not sure if it’s one or a combination. Pretty disappointed as I’ve used a lot of ingredients and time.2 stars

    1. I’m sorry you had trouble with this recipe. Unfortunately, it’s so hard to say what might’ve gone wrong without being in the kitchen with you. I hoped it would of been a success for you.

  49. I made this lemon pie with graham cracker crust. I took it to work and shared it with my coworkers . It was delicious and everyone loved it !5 stars

  50. This pie is so delicious. Instead of the cream cheese, I use 1 cup of whipped heavy cream and fold it into the cooled lemon curd.
    This recipe is also really good with a baked graham cracker crust.5 stars

    1. I’m sorry you to hear had trouble with the recipe, Franz. I know it’s frustrating to try a new recipe and not have it turn out. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed them, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too! It’s hard to say what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you.

  51. The pie is good but I encountered similar issues to many others with the custard. Mind you, I have no experience with custard, but the recipe was fairly explicit with instructions so i didn’t think I had much to worry about. It took 35 minutes for my custard to reach the appropriate consistency and, at that point, I was regretting not finding one of the package pudding-based recipes that were mentioned. It’s a nice lemon pie but it’s not 35-minutes-over-a-double-boiler nice.3 stars

    1. I’m sorry to hear you had problems with the recipe, Sinéad. It has worked well for myself (and others) and I wished it would of been a hit for you too.

  52. A tip for those of you who’s pie didn’t set. Use a packet of unflavored gelatin! Just throw it in there after you remove the bowl from the double boiler. Works everytime!

  53. I want to make sure I understand your directions. Do we use the hand mixer to beat the eggs while they are in the bowl over the double boiler? So all of Step 3 is done over the simmering water until thickened?

  54. Love this pie! It may be my new go-to lemon pie. My sister has a very prolific lemon tree so I am always in need of lemon recipes. Unfortunately, though I am a pretty good cook, I cannot get my meringue to work. So, I went online in search of a different kind of lemon pie for a dinner party I was having last night. This was fabulous! I did have some trouble with the recipe as written. I followed it exactly. I added my eggs to the metal bowl over the simmering water and began to blend them. They were cooking!Perhaps I had the water too hot. I threw the first 3 eggs out and washed the bowl and started over. This time I beat the eggs and added the lemon juice before putting the bowl over the simmering water (which I’d also turned down). Then I continued beating and followed the recipe. Perfect!4 stars