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Our Lemon Cream Pie recipe has been everyones #1 favorite pie for over a decade. It's made with fresh lemon and sour cream custard and a homemade pie crust.
If you love lemon treats as much as I do, don't miss our Lemon Bars, Lemon Cake, Homemade Lemonade, Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, and Lemon Mousse!
For me, Lemon Sour Cream Pie reigns supreme over all lemon desserts
I fell in love with this Lemon Cream Pie 15 years ago, when my sister-in-law from Pretty Providence made it, trying to copy a version we love from Croshaw's pie shop. This pie is an absolute dream, with the perfect balance of sweet and tart and wonderful creaminess in every bite. We do not celebrate Thanksgiving without this one.
If you want the crowd to go wild, you have to make this lemon sour cream pie in our homemade pie crust.
How to make Lemon Cream Pie:
Lemon Filling: Beat eggs slightly with a fork in a small bowl and set aside. Add sugar and cornstarch to a large saucepan and whisk in milk and fresh lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and bubbling. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Temper Eggs: Add a spoonful of the hot pudding mixture into the beaten egg yolks and stir well. Repeat, adding a few more spoonfuls of hot pudding into the egg mixture to temper the eggs (gradually bring them to a warmer temperature, without scrambling the). Pour egg mixture into the saucepan and stir well. Bring mixture to a gentle boil then cook for two more minutes and remove from heat.
Finish Filling: Stir in softened butter and lemon zest until butter melts completely. Allow mixture to cool for a few minutes, then stir in sour cream. Pour filling to a baked pie shell. Place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper gently over the filling and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Whipped Cream Topping: Beat heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer, adding powdered sugar a little at a time. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pie.
More Pie Recipes:
- Millionaire Pie
- Banana Cream Pie
- Chocolate Cream Pie
- Peanut Butter Pie
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Key Lime Pie
- German Chocolate Pie
- Grasshopper Pie
- No-Bake Cheesecake
- Rhubarb Pie
Lemon Sour Cream Pie
Equipment
- Stand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pre-baked pie crust*
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, (about 2-3 lemons)
- 3 large egg yolks, , lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup butter, , softened
- Zest of one lemon, , about ½ tablespoon
- 1 cup sour cream
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2-3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Lemon Filling: Crack 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 fresh lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and bubbling.
- Temper Eggs: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add a spoonful of the hot filling into the bowl with beaten egg yolks and stir well. Repeat this process with two or three more spoonfuls of the hot mixture added to the egg yolks, to temper the eggs (warm them up so they don't scramble when added to the pot). Add egg mixture into the saucepan and stir well. Bring mixture to a gentle boil then cook for two more minutes. Remove from heat.
- Finish Filling: Add softened butter and lemon zest and stir until butter melts completely. Allow mixture to cool for a few minutes, then stir in sour cream. Add filling to baked pie shell. place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper over the pie and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
- Whipped Cream Topping: In a mixing bowl, beat heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer. While beating, gradually add sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over cooled pie filling.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe February 2017. Updated March 2018 and August 2024.
I’ve made this pie and have had leftovers for a few days, still tastes fantastic. So I thought can I prep it 4-5 days ahead and top it with the whipped cream the day of?
Thanks Mary, I’m so happy to hear that! Yes you could definitely make it in advance and top it with whipped cream before serving.
Amazingly easy, and delicious!!! The only change I made was the crust, I used graham crackers/butter/sugar combo. What a big hit. This will my go to. Thank you!!
I bet it was delicious with a graham cracker crust! Thanks for sharing Mary–I’m really happy you enjoyed it.
I love the combination of lemon and sour cream! This pie looks so good and refreshing ♥
I love the combination of lemon and sour cream! This pie looks so good and refreshing ♥
Margaret, thanks so much for sharing! I love your Greek yogurt substitution.
This has become my favorite pie ever! I made it first in the summer, now it’s Thanksgiving and I’m making it for about the 10th time. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks so much Debbie! I’m so happy to hear you liked it 🙂 Thanks for coming back to comment, and thanks for following TBFS!
We really love this pie. It is quite tart though! I found the pie crust gets soggy so I’ve started using a cookie crust which works nicely. Do you think I could make the filling a couple days ahead and just put it in the pie shell the day I’m going to serve it?
Thanks for a yummy recipe!
Hi Emily, thank you so much! Love the idea of a cookie crust 🙂 I do think you can make the filling ahead–just make sure to give it a few hours inside the pie shell before you slice it.
I made this pie several times and everyone loves the lemony taste. Plan on making this for Thanksgiving Dinner. ☺️
In Instruction 3 toward the bottom of the instruction the word “poor” should actually be “pour”.
BTW thought pie needed a little more lemon taste so changed 1/4 lemon juice 1/2 cup and that satisfied my lemon tastes very nicely.
I love this pie!!!
I’m wondering if I can get away with making it the night before serving? That would make my Easter dinner prep easier. Thanks!
Absolutely! I think it till tastes great made a day in advance 🙂