Lemon Pie Recipe

My twist on Joanna Gaines’ famous Magnolia Lemon Pie — a thick graham cracker crust with a creamy, rich lemon filling and fresh whipped cream on top.

The Best Lemon Pie

Yes, I’m one of the millions of fans obsessed with the Gaines family. I’ve loved “Fixer Upper” (their television show) over the years, own way too many dishes from her collection, and have been in love with her famous lemon pie.  There are loads of Lemon Recipes that have been shared on this site over the years, but when I read about Joanna’s famous lemon pie, I knew I had to try it. And it did not disappoint!

This pie is so delicious that it has joined the top of my favorite lemon recipes. While this recipe is similar to the original pie recipe shared, I’ve tweaked a few aspects over the many times preparing this treat that I thought it was worth sharing my changes!

Below is a quick breakdown of the changes I made to the pie.

Tweaking Joanna’s Lemon Pie

1. More Lemon Flavor: Added extra lemon juice and lemon extract for a stronger lemon flavor without it being overwhelming.
2. Reduced Sweetness: Added salt and vanilla extract to help balance sweetness.
3. Graham Cracker Crust: I replaced with my personal favorite Graham Cracker Crust recipe (recognize it from this Coconut Cream Pie?)
4. Whipped Cream: Adding some vanilla bean paste for a stronger flavor and for those pretty black flecks throughout!

Lemon Pie Filling Ingredients

• Sweetened Condensed Milk: This makes the filling sweet and gooey, so no need for extra sugar. Make sure it’s sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated), and go for the full-fat kind.
• Citrus Juicer: Makes juicing lemons easy!
• Salt: Might sound weird in a sweet pie, but it really boosts and balances the flavors. Salt isn’t just for savory dishes; it’s surprisingly effective in sweets too.
• Egg Yolks Only: The recipe calls for just the yolks, leaving out the whites. Save those whites for meringue cookies or an egg wrap, adding a nice finish to the pie.

Favorite Graham Cracker Crust

This thick, sweet crust has a nice strong butter flavor. Here are a few tips:

• Let melted butter cool to room temperature before mixing (hot butter will melt sugar, causing a greasy crust).
• Measure crumbs precisely, slightly overfilling measuring cups and leveling off with a knife.
• Thoroughly blend graham crackers into fine crumbs to avoid large chunks affecting clean slices.
• Press crumbs up sides evenly so crust doesn’t crumble when slicing.
• Bake crust before adding filling to prevent sogginess. Let cool slightly before filling.

Fresh Whipped Cream

There is nothing like real, fresh whipped cream and on this Lemon Pie– it is a show-stopper! There is an entire post on how to make whipped cream if you haven’t made your own whipped cream before. Below are a few tips:

• Use a good heavy whipping cream. The best tasting heavy cream doesn’t have additives; if possible, find a brand that lists only one ingredient: cream.
• Use cold cream. To whip up beautifully, you want to use the coldest (straight from the fridge) heavy cream.
• Don’t forget the flavor additions. We add a tiny pinch of salt, vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract), and some powdered sugar to the cream to add flavor and vibrancy. As the cream becomes fluffy and thick from beating, it will taste less sweet. Make sure to give your nearly finished cream a taste and add a bit of extra sugar or vanilla as needed.

How To Make Lemon Pie

This pie can be broken down into 3 simple steps:

1. Crust: Combine crushed graham crackers with melted butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Press into a pie dish and bake until set. Let the melted butter cool to avoid a greasy crust.
2. Filling: Mix sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon extract, and a pinch of salt. Pour into the crust and bake until firm.
3. Whipped Cream: Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Spread over the cooled pie. Using pre-chilled ingredients will give you quicker, fluffier whipped cream. Enjoy chilled!

More Lemon Desserts

• Lemon Bundt Cake with lemon buttercream frosting
• Lemon Curd and ways to use it
• Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade with fresh lemon juice
• Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls with a lemon glaze
• Peach Lemonade only four ingredients!

SaveSaved Pin Print

5 from 8 votes

Lemon Pie

By Chelsea Lords

My twist on Joanna Gaines' famous Magnolia Lemon Pie -- a thick graham cracker crust with a creamy, rich lemon filling and fresh whipped cream on top. 

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Chilling: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 pieces (1, 9-inch pie)

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

Graham Cracker Crust:

• ▢ 1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (12-13 full graham cracker sheets)
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ 1/4 cup white granulated sugar or light brown sugar
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Pie Filling:

• ▢ 2 cans (14 oz each) sweetened condensed milk (I use Eagle Brand)
• ▢ 3 large egg yolks
• ▢ 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ▢ 1 and 1/2 teaspons lemon extract Note 1
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Whipped Cream:

• ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ Optional: lemon slices/zest, mint sprigs for garnish

Instructions 

• PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
• CRUST: Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes to prevent a greasy crust. Process graham crackers in a blender or food processor until fine. Measure 1 and 3/4 cups of crumbs into a large bowl, add sugar and salt, and mix in the cooled butter using a spatula. Pour mixture into a prepared pan, pressing firmly into the bottom and up the sides with the flat bottom of a measuring cup. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes and allow to cool.
• PIE FILLING: Using a stand or hand mixer, blend the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon extract, and salt. Beat on medium speed for 2-4 minutes until mixture is smooth and well combined.
• BAKE: Pour the mixture into the pre-baked pie crust and bake for 12-17 minutes, or until it slightly jiggles in the center and bubbles appear on the surface. If the crust browns too quickly, cover it lightly. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• CHILL: Cover the pie and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• WHIPPED CREAM: Mix cream, sugar, and vanilla. Beat with a stand or hand mixer until soft peaks form. Spread over the entire cooled pie for immediate consumption or add to individual servings. Avoid covering the whole pie with cream if expecting leftovers, as it may become watery.
• ENJOY: Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate. Garnish with lemon zest, lemon slices, or fresh mint before serving chilled.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Lemon extract is a flavor enhancer not to be confused with lemon juice, like vanilla extract, that intensifies the pie’s citrus flavor. It’s typically found near other baking extracts and spices in grocery stores. For the best results, use pure Lemon extract. If it's unavailable, you can omit it, but the lemon flavor will be milder.

Note 2: To get clean slices, run your knife under hot water for a few seconds, wipe to dry, make 1 slice, and repeat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 371mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 713IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 236mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Lemon Pie FAQs