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So many of you have made and loved this real lemon pie — and I totally get why! It’s creamy, tangy, and packed with fresh lemon flavor, all in a buttery graham cracker crust. If you’re a lemon lover, this one’s for you.
If you’re looking for more pie recipes try my Strawberry Lemon Pie, Key Lime Pie, Old-Fashioned Coconut Pie and Canned Peach Pie!
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Pin ItA homemade, from-scratch lemon pie recipe
Fresh, Real Lemon Flavor: This pie is bursting with lemon juice and zest, giving it that pure, tangy flavor you only get from the real thing. It’s sunshine in a slice!
Creamy, Dreamy Texture (Without Cream!): You’d never guess this pie has no condensed milk or added cream — it’s smooth, rich, and beautifully set thanks to simple ingredients and a little love.
So Simple to Make: It’s one of those recipes that feels fancy but is secretly so easy. Just pantry staples, fresh lemons, and a quick bake.
Graham Cracker Crust Perfection: The buttery graham cracker crust gives just the right amount of crunch and sweetness to balance the citrus filling — and I love how it comes together in minutes.
Lemon Pie Ingredient Notes
Graham Crackers: Perfect for a buttery, crunchy crust that complements the tangy filling.
Sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the tartness of the lemons.
Cornstarch: Essential for thickening the filling to the perfect consistency.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Only freshly squeezed juice will give your pie the vibrant citrus flavor it needs.
Egg Yolks: These create a creamy, rich filling and add structure to the pie.
Unsalted Butter: Adds a touch of richness and smoothness to the filling.
Lemon Zest: Intensifies the lemon flavor with a bright, aromatic touch.
How to Make a Real Lemon Pie
- Prepare the Crust: Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press into a pie dish and bake until golden.
- Make the Filling: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan. Cook until thickened.
- Temper the Egg Yolks: Gradually add a bit of the hot mixture to beaten egg yolks, then return it to the saucepan.
- Finish the Filling: Stir in butter and lemon zest until smooth.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour the filling into the crust and bake briefly to set.
- Chill: Cool the pie, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Lemon Pie Recipe Tips
Fruit Additions: Add a layer of fresh berries on top of the filling for extra flavor and a pop of color.
Intensify Lemon Flavor: Use extra lemon zest in the filling for a stronger citrus taste.
Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice delivers the best flavor—avoid bottled juice.
Watch the Filling: Stir constantly while cooking to prevent burning, and ensure the filling thickens enough to pour smoothly into the crust.
Refrigeration is Key: Let the pie chill in the refrigerator for several hours (preferably overnight) to fully set and thicken.
Allow for Setting Time: Every pie sets differently—check to ensure the filling is firm enough to slice before serving.
How to Store Lemon Pie
- Refrigerator: Store the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the pie tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lemon pie filling is made of sugar, cornstarch, salt, cold water, lemon juice, egg yolks, unsalted butter, boiling water, and lemon zest.
Lemon pie filling is made of sugar, cornstarch, salt, cold water, lemon juice, egg yolks, unsalted butter, boiling water, and lemon zest.
If you don’t have cornstarch, you can use flour or tapioca starch to thicken the pie filling.
This fruit pie will last for three to four days in the fridge. Make sure you cover it and store it properly.
Yes, you can prepare a meringue topping and bake it until golden brown for a classic lemon meringue pie variation.
More Lemon Desserts You’ll Love
If you love lemon as much as we do, check out these lemon desserts below:
Best Lemon Bars – These are always a hit! They have a shortbread crust and a tart lemon filling.
Lemon Cake – This cake is moist and fluffy with a delicious lemon flavor. It’s perfect for any occasion!
Thyme and Lemon Shortbread Cookies – These are our favorite buttery cookies.
Lemon Cupcakes – These are light and fluffy cupcakes with a tart lemon frosting. They’re perfect for a summer party!
Easy Lemon Pots – These are creamy and SO good!
If you make it, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below or share it with someone who loves a good citrus dessert.
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Lemon Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Pie Filling
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 2 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Prepare and make your pie crust. You can use a pre-made graham cracker pie crust or a homemade graham cracker crust.
- Preheat the oven and prep your ingredients.
- In a medium saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
- Gradually add in the freshly squeezed lemon juice, cold water, and lightly beaten egg yolks. Give it a stir.
- And cubed butter.
- Add hot water to the saucepan and then bring the mixture to a full boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly or it will burn.
- Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes. This will help thicken the filling.
- Add in lemon zest and stir.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour the lemon pie filling into a prepared crust and bake for 20 minutes.
- Once the pie is done baking, it needs to be set to thicken more. You must leave it in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
Notes
- This pie must be boiled, baked, and refrigerated to become thick.
- If you want an intense lemon flavor, add more lemon zest to the recipe.
- When cooking the filling, ensure you’re watching it and stirring so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. The filling should be thick but still able to pour into the prepared pie crust.
- Let the pie cool completely in the refrigerator before serving. This will help the filling to set up and thicken. I recommend that you allow it to sit overnight if you can.
- Make sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice. This will give the pie the best flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love, Love, Love this lemony lemon pie! And, so did the judge at my local county fair this summer! I entered this pie in the lemon pie category and WON a BLUE RIBBON for FIRST PLACE for the Best lemon pie! It truly is. I have made it several times for my friends and they all say the same thing…..This is the Best Lemon Pie! Recently I made it with a lemon cookie crust instead of graham crackers and it was….Lip Smacking Good!
Wow Pamela! That sounds amazing! I can’t believe you won an award, I love that!!!
About how many lemons did it take to make this? I love just lemon pies!
My 16 year old sons name is
Eden Blaze. I had never heard of anyone with that name at the time the Lord had given me that name for my baby, but now I seem to hear it a few times a year.
I follow a crafter and her daughters name is Eden and her sons name is Blaze.