Lemon Pie Recipe

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Published: Jun 28, 2021 · Modified: Nov 11, 2024 by Jessica · This post may contain affiliate links · 45 Comments

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Join the thousands of households who have made and loved our award winning lemon sour cream pie. Read below for detailed FAQ’s, step by step instructions and video.

birds eye view of a lemon sour cream pie next to some sliced lemons and a whipped cream piper

Best Lemon Sour Cream Pie

If you are looking for the best lemon sour cream pie, look no further. We have made this recipe dozens of times and have it down to a science. Below you will find detailed step by step instructions, all your FAQ’s answered, and a video tutorial for the visual learners.

The only caution I have for you moving forward is, make two. Even people who “don’t like lemon” or “don’t like pie” are coming back for seconds of this recipe every time.

lemon sour cream pie with a slice out of it next to a blue towel

Best Lemon Pie Recipe Ingredients

1 Pie Crust
1 Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 ½ Teaspoons Cornstarch
1 Cup Milk
½ Cup Lemon Juice
3 Egg Yolks Lightly Beaten
¼ Cup Butter Slightly Melted
½ Tablespoon Grated Lemon Peel
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream Whipped
2 Tablespoons Sugar

How to Make Lemon Cream Pie with Sour Cream

This recipe comes together in six easy steps!

Crack your eggs in a small bowl, beat slightly with a fork and set aside. In a large saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in milk and lemon juice until well combined. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and bubbling. Reduce heat to low and cook for two more minutes.
Whisk a small amount of hot mixture into your egg yolks. Pour egg mixture into pan, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a gentle boil and cook and stir for two minutes (yes, your arm will be hot by now). Stir in butter and lemon peel and remove from heat. Once mixture has cooled stir in sour cream.
Add your filling to your crust.
Top with whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve.
If you are going to garnish your pie with additional whipped cream, wait until right before serving to yield best results.
Enjoy!

step by step collage of how to make a sour cream lemon pie

Lemon Cream Pie Recipe Tip

Okay you guys I'm gonna tell you a dirty little secret. If I am low on time, I love to use Marie Callender's frozen pie crusts. Making your own pie crust is pretty easy, but I honestly think these ones taste really good and you can find them in the frozen dessert aisle for super cheap. Do what you want to, but if you are making a bunch or are intimidated by pie crust there is no shame in using a pre-made crust!

*This post contains affiliate links.

Also, if you need a new pie serving dish, I love this one and here is a great pie server, too.

Lemon Pie Recipe Storage

Cover: Use plastic wrap or aluminum foil to cover the pie tightly. Make sure the wrap or foil is in direct contact with the surface of the pie to minimize exposure to air, which can lead to drying out or off-flavors.
Use within a few days: Lemon sour cream pies are best enjoyed within a few days of baking to maintain their freshness and flavor. If you need to store it for longer, you can freeze it.

Does homemade lemon cream pie need to be refrigerated?

Lemon sour cream pie should be stored in the refrigerator to maintain its freshness. This helps to prevent the cream and lemon filling from spoiling.

How to Freeze Lemon Cream Pie

Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature before freezing. It's essential to prevent condensation from forming inside the packaging.
Wrap the pie in plastic wrap, making sure it's tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn.
Place the wrapped pie in a resealable plastic freezer bag or an airtight container. Label the container with the date for reference.
Store the pie in the freezer. It can typically be frozen for up to 2-3 months without a significant loss in quality.

How to Thaw Frozen Lemon Cream Pie

When you're ready to enjoy the pie, remove it from the freezer and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, you can serve it as desired.
Remember that while freezing can preserve the pie for a more extended period, there may be some textural changes, especially in the creamy filling, when it's thawed. However, the flavor should remain intact.

Sour Cream Lemon Pie Recipe FAQs

What makes lemon pie filling runny?

There are several reasons your lemon pie filling might be runny, here are some common ones below.

-Insufficient cooking time: Lemon pie filling needs to be cooked to the right consistency for it to set correctly. If you haven't cooked it long enough, it may remain too liquid. Follow the recipe instructions closely and make sure to cook the filling until it thickens.
-Incorrect measurements: Precise measurements are crucial in baking. If you mismeasured the ingredients, particularly the liquids, it can result in a runny filling.
-Overmixing: Overmixing the filling can cause it to become too thin. Mix the ingredients until they are just combined to avoid overworking the filling.
-Insufficient chilling time: Lemon pie filling needs time to set and thicken further as it cools in the refrigerator. If you try to cut into the pie too soon, it may appear runny. Allow the pie to cool and set in the refrigerator for the recommended time in your recipe.
-High humidity: High humidity in your kitchen or storage area can sometimes affect the setting of pie fillings. Make sure your kitchen is well-ventilated and not overly humid when making and storing pies.

Why does my lemon pie crust get soggy?

-Make certain you have blind baked your crust before adding filling.

-To minimize the risk of a soggy crust, you can brush the unbaked crust with a thin layer of egg white or melted butter before adding the filling. This creates a protective barrier that can help keep the crust from becoming too moist.

-After baking, it's important to allow the pie to cool and set at room temperature or in the refrigerator, depending on the recipe. Cutting into a hot pie can release steam and moisture, making the crust soggy. Letting it cool allows the filling to firm up.

Should I egg wash the bottom pie crust?

You can if you’d like! I typically don’t need to with this recipe, but if you want to it won’t negatively affect the taste. Simply brush the unbaked crust with a thin layer of egg white or melted butter before adding the filling. This creates a protective barrier that can help keep the crust from becoming too moist.

More Recipes like Sour Cream Pie

More Lemon Desserts

If you enjoy this recipe we would love for you to leave a comment and review! They mean so much to us.

Lemon Sour Cream Pie

The best lemon cream pie you will ever taste! If I can make it you can too- and I promise it will please any crowd! It's even won a few competitions!

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 364kcal

Author: Pretty Providence

Video

Ingredients

1 Pie Crust
1 Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 ½ Teaspoons Cornstarch
1 Cup Milk
½ Cup Lemon Juice
3 Egg Yolks Lightly Beaten
¼ Cup Butter Slightly Melted
½ Tablespoon Grated Lemon Peel
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream Whipped
2 Tablespoons Sugar

Instructions

Bake your pie crust according to package/recipe directions and set aside.
Crack eggs in a small bowl, beat slightly with a fork and set aside. In a large saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch (yes, there are two cornstarch's listed in the ingredients on purpose, it's a weird amount so I thought breaking it down like that would be easiest). Whisk in milk and lemon juice until well combined. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and bubbling. Reduce heat to low and cook for two more minutes.
Whisk a small amount of hot mixture into your egg yolks. Pour egg mixture into pan, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a gentle boil and cook and stir for two minutes (yes, your arm will be hot by now). Stir in butter and lemon peel and remove from heat.
Once mixture has cooled stir in sour cream and add your filling to your crust. Top with whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you are going to garnish your pie with additional whipped cream, wait until right before serving to yield best results!

Notes

Pro Tips:

You cannot substitute cool whip or pre-whipped cream if you want this pie to taste like it should. I let my bosch whip the cream for me while I make the pie. Also, I add about 2 tablespoons of regular sugar to the cream once it is whipped to sweeten it up just a little. Make sure the sugar combines evenly.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?Mention @prettyprovidenceblog or tag #prettyprovidence!

Now, go eat your heart out!

xo,

This post was originally published in 2014 and has been updated with better photos, a video and more detailed information!

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