Lemon Pie
This easy Lemon Pie is light, creamy, sweet and tart lemon pie with a thick graham cracker crust.
The famous Magnolia Lemon Pie by Joanna Gaines is an easy dessert that takes 10 minutes to throw together.
LEMON PIE
I think I might have been the last person in this world to watch the show Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines.
If you haven’t seen the show, run and watch it now and you’ll immediately fall in love with them. I happened to be on a really long flight and started binge watching their show.
Here’s why I love them. They’re genuine. I don’t think they feel like they have to put on a show, they’re just themselves.
Of course I gravitated to her easy Lemon Pie…which literally is done in under 20 minutes. My kind of pie.
And you know why I’m making pie, right? It’s almost Pi day. March 14th? 3.14? Did I lose you? 3.14 is the digital reading for March 14th and constant for the symbol Pi.
My sister-in-law Kim had her heart transplant 4 years ago on March 14th so every year we make a pie (or eat one if we’re out of town) on that day to celebrate her new chance at life.
We made this Banana Cream Pie a couple of years ago on her heart-anniversary. Yum.
This year we will be on a plane once again so I’m here early to share this pie with you. As I was making it, I realized it’s very similar to the Key Lime Pie in my cookbook
Her original recipe calls for 3 cups of sweetened condensed milk which is about 2 1/4 cans. I stuck with just 2 cans. It definitely doesn’t make a difference so unless you really want to open an entire can to just use a tiny bit of it, do it my way.
I was invited to go on a trip to check out the Magnolia store and meet Chip and Joanna and couldn’t go so this is my way of living vicariously through my friends who went. Enjoy!
HOW TO MAKE LEMON PIE
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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For the Crust: Spray a pie dish with non-stick spray. Combine crushed graham crackers, butter, and sugar. Press into prepared pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes.
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For the Pie Filling: Using a mixer, mix the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice ans salt together. Beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Pour into pie crust and bake for 10 minutes at 350. Little bubbles will start to surface. Cover the crust if it starts to brown too much towards the end.
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Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
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For the Whipped Cream: Mix the cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whip until fluffy, and add to cooled lemon pie.
If you like this Lemon Pie recipe, you’ll love these recipes:
Magnolia's Lemon Pie
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers
- 6 tablespoons butter , melted
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 (14 ounce) cans Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (about 2 3/4 cup)
- 3 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup lemon juice
- 1 dash salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
-
For the Crust: Spray a pie dish with non-stick spray. Combine crushed graham crackers, butter, and sugar. Press into prepared pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes.
-
For the Pie Filling: Using a mixer, mix the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice ans salt together. Beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Pour into pie crust and bake for 10 minutes at 350. Little bubbles will start to surface. Cover the crust if it starts to brown too much towards the end.
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Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
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For the Whipped Cream: Mix the cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whip until fluffy, and add to cooled lemon pie.
Recipe Notes
Source: adapted from Magnolia's Lemon Pie. Reduced condensed milk barely so I didn't have to open another can.
That looks so delicious! Perfect for summer!
Kari
http://sweetteasweetie.com/
Thank you!
Yum! We have some lemons in the fridge we need to use up! Totally making this tomorrow!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
You will love it!
It’s not tart enough😟Just tastes like custard!!!!
I agree. At least this recipe uses slightly less sweetened condensed milk than Joanna’s original, but I would use even less. This, and a little zest “IN” the filling, will make it tart, and only then, will it really be able to fit into the 9 in pie pan. Not sure why no one has mentioned this.
If you are Concerned about it not being Lemony enough
A little lemon zest should do the trick
about 2tsp
MInced fine
😉
3 cups = 24 oz
2 cans = 28 oz (@14 oz cans)
So you are actually using 4 oz more, not less of the sweetened condensed milk. I don’t know why her recipe uses an odd amount of scm. I would also just use 2 cans.
True but I actually poured the condensed milk from each can into measuring cups and it was less than 3 cups. About 2 1/2 to 2 3/4
The cans weigh 14 oz. They are NOT 14 oz, pourable. You are right, Christy. This is not a good recipe. It COULD be. I might make it again with maybe 2 cans or slightly less and use a larger pie pan.
I need help.input really.i made this pie.it was too big for my pie pan,but that was ok i just poured the rest in a ramkin.when i toom the pie out it looked like it had curdled.is that normal?my first lemon pie with this recipe.
This is the lemon meringue pie that my Mom’s been making for decades! It’s been around a long time.
Shelly
Yep… My mom too ! We called it Graham Cracker Pie, been making it for 65 years in our family.
SO YUMMY
made this pie this week…..OH MY….made half a recipe….just 2 of us here….husband loved it….thanks
You’re welcome!
This looks amazing <3
Thank you! It is.
Is this crust really thicker and/or better than a store bought graham cracker crust?
Thinking of taking a short cut and buying the crust. Unless the recipe is noticeably thicker.
The recipe is definitely thicker and kind of makes this pie. But I wouldn’t mind eating it with a store bought crust either.
I used a store bought crust and store bought whipped cream just cuz I was in a hurry and it was still AMAZING so maybe next time I’ll try the homemade crust.
Glad you liked it!
My grandmother added a 1/2 cup of sour cream to this while mixing the filling…… 0 man…. was sooo good!
Ooh. I think I might need to try that.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! It looks easy enough and the picture is making my mouth water!
Thank you! It’s really addicting!
Just made this and it was so easy! I had a store bought crust waiting in my pantry for something yummy to go inside. However, the volume of filling was so much that I ended up having to make a home made crust. So, next time I will either make one home made crust or use two store bought, but we all know which one will taste better… 🙂 Also, didn’t even notice that the sweetened condensed milk was less than originally called for, there was plenty of filling and the flavor was great. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Yes, I agree! And I’m so glad you liked it!
As mentioned by others, this pie has been around for decades – at 65 – This pie has been made by my grandmothers since I was just a baby, and my favorite. We know it as Icebox Lemon Pie. Back in the 50’s nothing was wasted so the whites of the eggs were used to make a meringue topping for the pie. Instead of using crushed graham crackers, my family has always used crushed ‘Nilla Wafers for the crust. I don’t care for meringue, so I used fresh homemade whip cream. Time to go make a pie….
Glad to know it’s a tried and true recipe.
I’m making this right now with a shortbread cookie crust. Fingers crossed!
Ummm yum!
What size pie dish? Can boxed graham cracker crumbs be used?
a 9 inch pie dish and yes boxed crumbs work great!
I made this for dessert for Father’s Day and once again, Christy, you did not steer me wrong. It was delicious! I was really excited there were leftovers. 😉
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!
Made this today. It was good, but as others mentioned there was way more filling than a 9 inch crust can hold. I made it exactly as Joanna’s recipe is written and I wish I would have cut back on the condensed milk and added more lemon. Good recipe that could be great with some tweaking. And Christy, your pics are beautiful.
Thank you!
Pie in the oven right now! My mother in law loves anything lemon so I hope she likes this. I did take some suggestions and add the zest of one lemon, and I and using an eight serving pre-made graham cracker crust. The filling amount is perfect for this size crust. Can’t wait to try it and have my MIL’s review.
Hope she loved it!
This recipe doesn’t taste lemony. I checked my recipe for Key Lime Pie. It has 1/2 cup of lime juice to 1 can of sweetened condensed milk. Those proportions are better. The lemon in this recipe gets lost and is overwhelmed by the sweetened condensed milk.
I guess we all have different tastebuds.
This recipe is divine! Thank you so much for sharing! And I have the perfect solution for that extra sweetened condensed milk! If you want to make it per the original recipe, make 4 pies and give 3 of them away! Your friends will be thrilled! : )
I like the way you think.
I made this and it’s delicious!
I’m so glad you agree.
Too sweet!!!!
The filling tasted like condensed milk.
We all have different taste buds. Add more lemon juice for a more tart flavor if you like.
Made this today with gingersnaps in a springform pan. Amazingly good!!
I bet gingersnaps are a great addition.
we love lemon pie,
so delicious
Added lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and it turned out great. I watched it in oven until the tiny bubbles appeared over whole surface, took maybe 20 minutes but my oven temp may be off. Good stuff and will make it again.
Thank you!
This came out beautufil!
I used lemon juice from the shelf, key lemon lemon juice, don’t have the name sorry, but it was delicious.
Used store bought crust and did the prebake on it, it gave it a nice crunch and did not get soggy.
Used the two full cans of SCM, it fit in a 9” store bought crust.
Filling was tart and silky! Perfection.
I have made this several times We love it❤️ Not as tart or same consistency as a lemon meringue which is too tart for me Highly recommend 😀
I made this today and love it! I even got fancy and piped the whip cream on top. Thanks for the great recipe!
Ooh you fancy! Wish I had some right now.
I made this for Valentines yesterday because my husband loves lemon pie but I HATE meringue! It was pretty good. I doubled the lemon juice and added an extra egg to compensate for the extra liquid. I also added lemon zest. Personally I still wish it was more tart like a lemon curd but all in all it was tasty and my husband loved it!
Good to know! Glad he liked it!
This looks so delicious! I’m excited to make this for Pi Day!
Hope you do!
This pie reminds me of the one my mother made. She called it Eagle Brand Pie. Our family still makes the pie. It was my Dad’s favorite. The filling is very much like hers, but she made a meringue with the left over egg whites instead of using whipped cream.
She used 1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk, juice of 2 lemons (about 1/2 cup), the zest of 1 lemon, and 2 eggs not 3. It is rich and tart!
Tip: Make sure you don’t cheat and use a pre-made graham cracker crust. It makes all the difference in the world to the deliciousness of this pie to make the crust homemade.
Yes, so true!
Thanks for the recipe, I will try to make pie at home, I hope this will work.
Had to cook it longer, it filled up a deep dish pan….wanted to make sure it was cooked…I’m sure it will be FABULOUS THOUGH…..
Hope you love it Tina.
There’s no way you can use TWO (2) 14-oz. cans of condensed milk if you’re using one 9″ pie plate! Totally nuts! Plus you only call for the standard amounts of egg yolks and lemon juice that would accompany ONE can of milk in the first place! If anyone’s crazy enough to use two cans of milk (which would overflow the pan as well) combined with what you call for with the juice and yolks, they would NEVER taste enough sour. It would be sickeningly sweet because they would have used DOUBLE the condensed milk they should have used! And to top it all off, you’re missing a KEY ingredient — lemon zest! Hello? You need like 3 Tbs. of lemon zest for this!
This is Joanna Gaines recipe. Well actually she uses 3 cans of sweetened condensed milk. You can add lemon zest. Have you tried it? Hard to give a recipe 1 star that you haven’t tried. Just saying.
How RUDE of you, Corbin! Recipes are modified throughout the years and simply because you have a particular recipe in mind that does not match the one given here is no excuse for coming onto someone’s blog uninvited and sh*tting in their house. Hello, yourself! Learn some manners. By the way, have you never heard of a deep dish pie plate? If you were so spectacular, you would have thought about this. Zest that!
Ha thanks Terri for having my back girl.
Try it with a saltine crust, it is known as an Atlantic Beach Pie here in NC. Love the salty/sweet contrast.
Ooh intriguing!!
DOES IT HAVE TO BE FRESH LEMON JUICE OR CAN YOU USE BOTTLED LEMON JUICE? PLEASE REPLY TO MY EMAIL, NOT COMPUTER SAVVY THANK YOU
You can use either but fresh is better.
Looks delicious!!!!! 😊
Thank you!
Can’t wait to try this. Thank you for sharing your recipe’s.
Thank you Linda!
Hi do you use lemons for the lemon juice or reconstituted lemon juice? Made it with actual lemons and it came out great, but thought it might be easier to use bottled lemon juice.
sorry just saw that someone already asked this question
Can you use store bought graham cracker crust?
You can but homemade is always best.
This is call “lemon ice box pie” and has been in my family for as at least far back as my great grandmother who used to make it for every family get together for those who didn’t care for the lemon meringue pie she also made. My daughters always requested I make it for their birthdays and they now make it for their daughters. Thanks for sharing this wonderful pie. So happy for your sister-in-law.
Thank you. My sister-in-law is a blessing.
Oops, forgot to add that we’ve always made a Nila Wafer crust rather than graham cracker crust. Also, back in the day, they would make a meringue top so as to not waste the egg whites. My great grandmother was known for her delicious meringue- I was told the key to telling if you’ve made a great meringue is how many clear sugar balls formed on top of the meringue when baked. I don’t like meringue, so wouldn’t know if that’s true or not.
For those mentioning that 2 cans won’t fit in a pie plate, you should use a deep dish pie plate. Works perfectly.
Terri, thank you so much for your tips and wisdom.