This luscious Lemon Cream Pie topped with my Lemon Whipped Cream is absolutely impossible to resist! This fluffy citrus-flavored delight is always a hit with the family. It’s so simple to make that it’s one of my favorite go-to dessert options after a busy day!
I have to admit that I’ll always have a preference for a creamy Lemon Pie, but you’re more of a meringue fan then make sure to also check out my delicious Lemon Meringue recipe that’s just as easy to make!
Spice Snaps: My Secret Mouth-Watering Topping!
I have to admit, Simple Pleasure Spice Snaps are one of my guilty pleasures to snack on! So using them as a spicy crumbly topping to pair with this lemon delight was a no-brainer. They’re such a great alternative to ginger-snaps which I feel can be a little overpowering in this dish. Be warned though, even if you don’t use the whole biscuit pack in this recipe, you will have devoured it by the time you’re done cooking (if you’re anything like me!!).
How to Make Lemon Cream Pie
If you’re new to making homemade pie, the first thing you need to know is that it’s MUCH easier than it looks! Just follow this simple step-by-step guide and you’ll be sitting down to this decadently refreshing dessert in no time!
- Mix the melted butter and crushed cookies together to prepare the pie crust. Press into a pie plate (9.5 inch), and refrigerate.
- Get to work on the pie filling. Whisk the cornstarch into the lemon juice and add in the grated lemon zest.
- Add in the sugar and butter, heat on medium, bring to boil stirring constantly. After boiling for a minute, remove from heat.
- Whisk the egg yolks until light yellow.
- Temper the eggs by taking some of the hot liquid out of the pot and whisking it into the egg yolks.
- Once the egg yolks are tempered, whisk them into the hot mixture completely.
- Cool for an hour until you get a nice, thick consistency but don’t let it completely set.
- Use a medium-size mixing bowl and electric mixer to whip the cream, then fold it into the lemon curd, and scrape the filling into the pie shell.
- Cover the pie with plastic wrap before refrigerating.
- If you’re using whipped cream without stabilizer, refrigerate the pie until its set – about 4-6 hours.
- For a stabilized whipped cream, mix a tbsp of unflavored gelatin with 1 tbsp of cold water in a microwave-safe container. Let it sit for a minute and then microwave it on high for 15 seconds or so until it turns into a gelatin liquid. Leave to cool.
- Start whipping your whipping cream in the mixer and add in the gelatin (if doing so), sugar, zest, and lemon juice. Continue to whip until it forms soft peaks.
- Take the pie out of the refrigerator and add the whipped cream on top by piping it with an icing tip or simply spreading on top.
- Sprinkle the crushed cookies on top and refrigerate until ready to serve. Note: serve right away if you’re not using stabilized whipped cream.
How Long Does Lemon Pie Last In The Fridge?
Your lemon pie will last about 2-3 days refrigerated. Make sure it’s covered loosely with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. If you’re not using stabilized whipped cream, you’ll need to serve it immediately once you’ve topped it with the cream.
Tips and Tricks For Making Lemon Cream Pie
- Have some fun experimenting with your cookie toppings! There are FAR too many yummy cookies out there not to try at least a few!
- It takes a tiny bit more effort, but I definitely advise going for a stabilized whipped cream if you can as it’s much more convenient when you don’t have to serve right away.
- If you do stabilize your cream, don’t leave the gelatin liquid to cool for too long or it will set!
More Lemon Recipes
If you’re anything like me, you probably always have a few extra lemons in the kitchen! Here are some of my favorite recipes for using them up in the most scrumptious way possible.
Lemon Strawberry Shortcake – perfect for summer garden get-together!
Lemon Cheesecake Bars – the perfect balance of sweet and zesty cheesecake heaven.
Mom’s Glazed Lemon Bread – a deliciously filling homemade treat.
Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake – where there’s coffee, there must be cake! This dessert can also be served up without icing as the perfect breakfast treat.
Lemon Cream Pie With Spice Cookie Crust
Ingredients
- Ingredients Needed:
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 2/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 3/4 cup of white sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 cup of whipped cream
Crust
- 2 cups crushed Simple Pleasures Spice Snaps 1-2 crushed cookies for topping
- 1/3 cup and 2 tbsp melted butter
Lemon Whipped Cream Ingredients
- 1 cup of whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin optional
Instructions
- To prepare the pie crust, mix together the crushed cookies and melted butter, then press into a 9.5 inch pie plate. Bake in a 350 °F oven for 10 minutes then remove and cool.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the lemon juice completely while it’s cold (thus no lumps) and add in the grated lemon zest as well.
- Put the butter and sugar in now as well and heat on a medium burner.
- Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and let boil for a minute. Remove from the heat.
- Take the egg yolks and whisk them until they are light yellow.
- You now need to temper the eggs, which means you take some of the hot liquid from the pot and whisk it into the egg yolks. Take a good 3 tbsp of the lemon juice mixture and whisk into the cold eggs, then whisk the egg mixture back into the pot of hot lemon filling.
- Cook the filling for another 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened slightly.
- Cool the lemon mixture for an hour or so until it starts to become nice and thick. You don’t want it to set completely, you have to fold in the whipped cream so if it’s too thick you can’t properly mix it in.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the lemon curd completely and scrape the filling into the prepared pie shell. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate it.
- If you are doing whipped cream on top without stabilizer, cover up the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it’s set, about 4-6 hours. You will have to have the pie ready to serve before you take on this next step.
- If you want to have a stabilized whipped cream, you will have to bloom your gelatin. This is done by taking your tsp of unflavored gelatin, mixing it with one tbsp cold water in a microwave safe container and letting it sit for a minute. After this you microwave it on high for about 15 seconds- in my microwave at least- so it becomes a nice liquid gelatin, ready to pour into the whipped cream. Let it cool for a while, but not too long, it will set!
- Take your whipping cream and start whipping it in your mixer. If you are adding in the gelatin, add it in now, then add in the sugar, zest and lastly the lemon juice. Whip until it forms soft peaks.
- Remove the pie from the fridge and top with the whipped cream. If you feel like being fancy, the stabilized whipped cream will hold it’s shape when piped with an icing tip. I simply spread it all over the top.
- Sprinkle the whipped cream with the crushed cookies you set aside for the topping and refrigerate until serving time. If you are not using stabilized whipped cream, serve right away.
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Roslyn Silver says
Looks great but till I bake I won’t rate it. Some of the steps with gelatin are bit of extra time but maybe necessary detours, especially in the topping. We may not finish all in one sitting.
Was wondering if you think it would be possible to make a mereigne mix and spread it with curvy swirls using knife at end of spreading and then bake it. But I’m not sure if the filling can be baked?
Pam Mansveld says
You are making me crazy!
Mary P Hoffman says
That crust sounds like a great variation!
Catherine says
This pie looks soooo good! My problem is that I’m in the middle of making it and went to whip the cream to add to the lemon curd and you don’t say how much to use!! I have no idea how much to use. I guess I’ll do 3;/4 cup. Would you update the recipe for next time though??
Thanks – I really love your recipes.
Deane says
That looks so good, I wish someone would make it for me. 🙂 When I was growing up my grandma would make me a special dessert for my birthday – no birthday cake for this girl, I always asked for lemon chiffon PIE!
Paula says
How the kids must have hated to leave the farm! So nice that you did get out to visit with your parents and it’s never to late to hang from the rafters once again:)
Your pie looks delicious. Love the Spice Snap crust 😉
Karlynn says
I have a thing for those cookies! something is just perfect about them, I need to use them in baking more!