Lemon Cream Pie, a straightforward version
This easy Lemon Cream Pie recipe combines a lip-smackingly good lemon sour cream filling with a whipped cream topping and a house-made buttery pie crust. Each bite is bursting with lemon flavor and has a creamy texture that every citrus lover will go crazy for!
This Lemon Cream Pie recipe post is sponsored by Ankarsrum. The notes here are independent. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Sovuh possible!
Why this bake works
Pi Day (March 14) is approaching, and this easy lemon cream pie is the perfect way to celebrate!
I'm also excited because, for this method, I got to try out the new Ankarsrum Premium Beater Set, which works with their stainless steel beater bowl (sold separately from the assistent original mixer). The premium beater set includes the beater housing, stainless steel cookie beaters, and stainless steel balloon whisks. To make the pie dough for this method, I used the cookie beaters, which are 3mm thick and can handle chilled butter and mix up to two pounds of pie or cookie dough. I found it much nicer and more convenient to make the pie dough this way than to use my food processor.
The national launch of the new Premium Beater Set is on June 1st, but Ankarsrum is hosting a Pi Day Early Access event on March 14 at 10 am ET, where 175 sets will be available for early purchase!
Like my Lemon Cheesecake (also made with the Ankarsrum Assistent Original Mixer!), Lemon Sponge Pie, and Small Batch Lemon Cupcakes recipes, you may like this lemon sour cream pie recipe for its fresh lemon flavor with a hint of tang from the sour cream, and its smooth, creamy texture that pairs evenly with the buttery, flaky house-made pie crust. It's a year-round dessert that can be enjoyed at parties, picnics, and so much more!
What goes in
house-made Pie Crust
The following ingredients are needed to make the pie crust part of this lemon sour cream pie recipe. Items noted in the bulleted list are key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
- Unsalted Butter. During testing, I used Kerrygold's Irish Butter and the Kirkland brand from Costco. Both worked well, but I found the chilled Kerrygold added more buttery flavor and gave cleaner cuts when cutting the butter into small cubes. Whatever brand you choose, just make sure it's cold!
- Water. Ice-cold water is needed. No room temperature water!
Lemon Cream Pie Filling
The following ingredients are needed to make the lemon sour cream pie filling. Items noted in the bulleted list are key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
- Milk. Try using whole milk as it has a higher fat content, which blends more easily with the other ingredients and provides a thicker custard.
- Lemons. Fresh lemons are mandatory here because you'll need not only the lemon juice but also the zest.
- Sour Cream. For a creamier custard, Try using a full-fat sour cream.
- Eggs. You'll need 3 egg yolks. No egg whites—you can save those for your morning omelette!
- Cornstarch. A key ingredient, as it is what helps thicken the lemon custard filling.
For quantities and instructions, please see the method card below.
How it comes together
Below is a quick overview of how to make this easy lemon sour cream pie recipe. For the full printable recipe, with US customary or metric measurements, visit the method card below.
Pie Crust
Recipe Tip: If using your Ankarsrum Assistent Original Mixer, you will need the stainless steel beater bowl and new premium beater set with cookie beater to make the pie crust dough.
Step 1. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together.
Step 2. Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry mixture. For Ankarsrum users, use the bowl cover to keep the dry mixture from flying everywhere. The mixture should look like sand with some pea-sized clumps.
Step 3. Add the iced cold water. Only add one tablespoon of water at a time. For reference, I used 4 tablespoons.
Step 4. Form the dough, then divide it in half. Shape each half into a disc, then double-wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Pie Crust Blind Baking
Step 1. Roll out the pie dough to a 10-inch diameter circle.
Step 2. Trim, edge, and dock the pie crust (bottom and sides). Wrap the pie crust in plastic wrap, then chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes to one hour.
Step 3. Place 2 sheets of crumpled parchment paper over the pie crust and fill with pie weights. Use dried beans. Bake for 17 minutes at 425ºF.
Step 4. Remove from the oven. Carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights, brush with an egg wash, and bake for 5 minutes more. Allow it to cool.
Lemon Cream Pie Filling
Recipe Tip: Try zesting and juicing your lemons before starting, as it will help the method process go quicker. I also highly recommend rubbing the lemon zest into the granulated sugar before mixing it with the other ingredients. It truly helps bring out more lemon flavor in the pie filling!
Step 1. Zest and juice your lemons. I used two smaller lemons.
Step 2. Add lemon zest/sugar mixture, lemon juice, cornstarch, milk, and salt to a medium-sized saucepan.
Step 3. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it thickens. The consistency should be similar to that of pudding.
Step 4. Temper the egg yolks by whisking in some of the hot mixture. I whisked in two large spoonfuls of the mixture.
Step 5. Return the tempered egg yolks to the saucepan mixture. Heat over medium heat for another two minutes. Remove from the heat and add the butter until melted. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
Step 6. Fold in the sour cream. Make sure no white streaks remain. Spoon the mixture into the cooled pie crust. Chill the pie in the refrigerator, lightly covered with a tented sheet of foil (so it doesn't touch the pie filling), for at least 4 hours or overnight. Top with whipped cream and lemon zest, if desired.
Questions on this bake
Do I need to blind bake my pie crust first?Yes, because the lemon cream pie filling does not need to be baked. You can blind bake the pie crust a day or two in advance, if needed.
What size pie plate is needed for this method?A 9-inch pie plate is recommended, particularly aluminum.
Can Use bottled lemon juice?For this method, use only fresh lemons, as you will also need lemon zest. You'll need 1 large or 2 small to medium-sized lemons.
Can lemon cream pie be made in advance?Yes, you can make the pie crust in advance of your event. The lemon cream pie, fully made, can also be made in advance; just don't add the whipped cream until just prior to serving.
Does lemon sour cream pie need to be refrigerated?Yes, both after it has been prepared and all leftovers. Without the whipped cream topping, the pie will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. With the topping, it will last up to 3 days.
- Yield 12 servings
- Prep 25 minutes
- Cook 35 minutes
- Total 5 hours
- Calories 493
Ingredients
Homemade Pie Crust (makes 2, 9-inch pie crusts)
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 4-5 tbsp Ice Cold water
Lemon Cream Pie Filling
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
- 1/3 cup Lemon Juice
- 3 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Milk, whole milk recommended
- 3 large Egg Yolks
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup Sour Cream, full-fat recommended
Whipped Cream Topping (optional)
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract, optional
Tools
- Ankarsrum Assistent Original Mixer
- Ankarsrum Premium Beater Set, (use premium cookie beaters)
- Ankarsrum Citrus Press, (for lemons, optional)
- 9-inch Aluminum Pie Pan
- Medium-Size Saucepan
- Silicone Pastry Mat
- Rolling Pin
- Spatulas
Method
Homemade Pie Crust
- Using an Ankarsrum stainless steel beater bowl and premium cookie beaters, stir together the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt on low speed until evenly mixed. If you're not using an Ankarsrum mixer for the pie dough, you can use either a food processor or mix by hand.
- Add in the cold cubed butter, then place the Ankarsrum lid on the bowl (this keeps the flour from flying all over). Begin mixing on low speed for 1 minute, then increase to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes more or until the mixture resembles the texture of sand with some small pea-size pieces. Remove the lid.
- At low speed, add 1 tablespoon of ice-cold water at a time until the dough forms and is no longer crumbly. For reference, I used 4 tablespoons of water.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface (You can use a silicone pastry mat) and shape into a large ball. Divide evenly in half using a pastry cutter, then, with each half, shape into a 1″-1 1/2″-thick disc. Double-wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and place them in the coldest part of your refrigerator (usually the back) for at least 1 hour.
- When ready, roll one chilled pie dough disc to a 10" diameter circle. Carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate (aluminum recommended). For reference, I like using my rolling pin to transfer the pie dough.
- Trim any excess dough, leaving about 1/2 inch to fold under. Crimp the edge with a fork or your preferred crimping style, then dock the sides and bottom of the pie crust dough a few times. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Once chilled, adjust your oven rack to the middle or center position, then heat the oven to 425ºF. Place your chilled pie crust on a baking sheet, then line the center with 2 overlapping (criss-cross style) sheets of crumpled parchment paper. Fill about 3/4 of the parchment-covered shell with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 17 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden brown.
- Remove the pie crust from the oven (keep the oven on), then carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights/dry beans. Brush the sides and bottom of the pie crust with an egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp of water whisked together). Place the pie crust back into the oven without the parchment paper and pie weights, and bake for an additional 5 more minutes.
- Cool the pie crust completely before adding the lemon cream pie filling (takes about 30 minutes).
Lemon Cream Pie Filling
- Before starting, Try rubbing the lemon zest into the granulated sugar. It helps bring out even more lemon flavor in the pie filling.
- In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks together. Hold to the side. You'll temper these with the mixture in a few steps.
- In a medium saucepan, add the lemon zest-sugar mixture, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and milk. Whisk over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens (2-3 minutes). The mixture should be cream-colored and have the consistency of pudding. Remove from heat.
- Temper the egg yolks by spooning some of the mixture into them, then whisk until evenly mixed. Transfer the tempered egg yolk mixture back to the saucepan and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat, then stir in the butter until fully melted. Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes, then fold in the sour cream.
- Transfer the lemon cream pie filling to the cooled pie crust. Smooth and level out the filling with an offset spatula. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight with a sheet of tented aluminum foil placed over the top. Tenting it keeps it from touching the pie filling (otherwise it would stick to it).
- If desired, top with whipped cream and lemon zest before serving. Enjoy! Keep any leftover pie stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (if topped with whipped cream) or up to 5 days (sans whipped cream).
Whipped Cream Topping
- Try chilling your Ankarsrum stainless steel beater bowl and premium balloon whisks (if using) in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before starting the whipped cream.
- Add in the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to your chilled stand mixer bowl. Beat the mixture on low speed until all of the ingredients are blended. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1-2 minutes or until stiff peaks form with the whipped cream. For reference, if you can scoop it out with a spoon and it holds its shape, it's ready!
Baker notes
Use the toggle switch above the ingredients list to switch between US customary and metric measurements.
Prep time, cook time, and chill time only reference the pie filling, assembling the pie, and chilling the pie. It does not include the prep and cook times for making and blind baking the pie crust.
This method makes two 9-inch pie crusts, but you only need one. You can store the pie dough disc or rolled-out pie dough in a pie plate in the freezer. Double wrap in plastic wrap and keep in a well-sealed freezer bag.
When dividing the pie dough, you can weigh each half to ensure they're the same weight. For reference, my pie dough weighed 576 grams. Divided by 2, each half weighed 288 grams.
