This EASY Lemon Cream Pie is full of lemon flavor and made with only a few ingredients! An easy-to-prep NO-BAKE lemon pie recipe that comes together in minutes and is so delicious.
I’m a bit on a lemon kick lately! Last week I shared this Easy Lemon Raspberry Cake that is topped with delicious streusel and before that Raspberry Lemon Curd Cupcakes and an Easy Lemon Sheet Cake Recipe. I hope you don’t mind my recent lemon addiction but I love all things lemon so much!
This simple NO-BAKE Lemon Cream Pie will be your new favorite easy-to-whip-up pie! Made with only 6 ingredients and 20 minutes of prep time this pie is not only easy to make but also practically fail-proof.
The smooth and creamy texture is to die for! Mascarpone and sweetened condensed milk make this pie super smooth. I prefer mascarpone cheese over cream cheese for creamy pies or cakes like my Easy Banana Cake Recipe because it is more delicate and has a rich, buttery flavor that’s so delicious.
Making this Lemon Cream Pie takes only a few minutes and that includes making the crust from scratch. No need to buy a premade crust! I promise making this 2-ingredient crust will take you less time than going to the grocery store and buying one.
The crumb crust is then topped with a smooth filling that is so easy to make and doesn’t need to be baked. Perfect for hot summer days where you don’t want to use your oven!
This pie is so refreshing, enjoy it with a glass of chilled lemonade for an extra lemon kick or with a glass of my Tropical White Wine Sangria.
HOW TO MAKE LEMON CREAM PIE
To make this creamy lemon pie you need a 7-inch springform pan and a stand mixer (or hand-held mixer). I like to make this no bake pie in a springform pan because it’s easier to get a clean slice. But you could also use a 9-inch pie pan for this recipe or to make it even easier a premade pie crust.
Start with making the crust. Melt the butter in a small saucepan then add the crumbs and stir until they’ve absorbed all the melted butter and are coated evenly. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. I start with a spatula to spread the crumbs evenly and then use a measuring cup. The crust should be firm and compact. I only make a crust bottom but you can also push the crust against the sides if you like.
While the crust is firming up in the fridge make the filling. Beat the mascarpone cheese to soften it then add the sweetened condensed milk slowly. You don’t want to dump the whole can in there at once or you’ll end up with lumps of mascarpone cheese. Keep mixing and add the heavy whipping cream.
The mixture might look a little bit runny, that’s ok. When you start adding the lemon juice it will start to thicken and get creamy. Pour the filling into the prepared pan and refrigerate the pie for about 4 hours or overnight.
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Easy Lemon Cream Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, 60g
- 1 ¼ cups crushed graham cracker or digestive biscuits, 160g
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, 400g
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese, 225g
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream, 180ml
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 120ml, 2-3 large lemons
Instructions
- Line the bottom and the sides of a 7-inch springform pan with parchment paper or use a 9-inch pie plate.
- For the crust, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the crumbs and stir to coat them.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.Use a measuring cup to pat down the crumbs. Refrigerate until the filling is ready.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat mascarpone cheese at low-medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk slowly and beat into mascarpone until smooth and well mixed.
- Add the heavy cream and mix until combined.
- Slowly add the lemon juice to the mixture while beating at low-medium speed. The mixture will start to thicken and gets creamy.
- Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight until firm.
Notes
- To make this recipe easier, you can use a prepared graham cracker pie crust. This recipe makes about 3 ½ cups of filling.
- In the photos, I pressed the crumbs only into the bottom of the pan, this works but I find it easier and a bit more foolproof to press the crumbs in the bottom AND up the sides if using a springform pan.
- I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice for this recipe. Make sure to use ½ cup lemon juice. The lemon juice thickens the filling.
- You can prepare this pie in advance and refrigerate covered overnight. Store leftovers in the fridge. The "Cook time" is the time this pie needs to rest in the refrigerator. There is no actual baking involved in this recipe.
Nutrition Information
Liz says
Would this work in a pre baked and cooked pie crust?
Julia Foerster says
I haven’t tried that, the only problem I see is the crust getting soggy. But you could brush some chocolate on the crust to seal it.
Susan says
Am I correct you DO NOT whip cream before adding to mixture?
Thanks
Julia Foerster says
That’s correct!
Tricia says
I made this pie twice. The first time, it was perfect and came out delicious! So I tried it again today, doubling the recipe. The taste was still great, but it was super grainy. I’m wondering what I may have done wrong. Any ideas? I’d hate to think I would do this again next time I make it.
Thanks!
Julia Foerster says
It’s hard to say what went wrong without being in your kitchen with you. Doubling the recipe can make it more difficult to incorporate the ingredients into the mixture.
Luanne Steele says
December 26, 2020
After a horrible year, I found this recipe and made it for desert on Christmas night. Just hubby and me. I used bottled lemon juice and doubled the recipe, because my spring form pan is bigger than the one called for. To say it was outstanding is an understatement. It was beyond delicious!! I’m next going to try it with lime. Cannot wait! Thanks!!! Merry Christmas and hope for a much better 2021!!
Rebeca says
DELICIOUS!!
Em says
Can I sub whipped topping for the whipped cream? It’s all I have on hand.
I’m baking the crust so it doesn’t fall apart.
Julia says
Sorry, I haven’t tested this recipe with whipped topping so I can’t say for sure if it will work.
Sandelle says
Hi I was wondering if I could make these little shooters instead of the spring pan for mini desserts?
Thank you
Julia says
Great idea! Haven’t tried it myself but I think this recipe would make great Dessert Shooters.
Sandelle says
Thank you. I did try them and they were a hit.
Valerie says
Good morning Julia…I made your delicious lemon cream pie last night but mine wasn’t as high as yours….any ideas as to why?? I followed the directions exactly even the 7 inch springform pan…flat as a fluffy pancake! Tasted delicious….
Sharon says
I made this lemon pie but I had to add 1Tbs of lemon flavor because I wasn’t tasting the lemon. I also double the recipe to get two pies and added whipped cream on top. My family loved it!
Julia says
So happy your family loved it! Some lemons are really bland so adding lemon flavor is a good idea in that case. Most of the time I’m lucky and can get flavorful lemons.
Annie Villeneuve says
I added about 1-2tbsp of lemon zest from my lemons and got a ton of flavour!
Jo says
Can I top the lemon pie with whip cream dollops with thin slices of strawberries instead of lemons?
Julia says
Sure you can!
Kathy F says
Could I use this recipe with oranges instead of lemons? Would the orange juice firm up the cream mixture as well?
I made it with lemons and it was delicious. I bought it into work and it was gone in 10 minutes.
Julia says
So happy you liked the pie, Kathy! Sadly I haven’t tried it with oranges so I’m not sure if it would work.
Fran says
What do you think about a later of blueberries on top? Was thinking of using a pie plate to keep it all in place. If I do this, when should I put the berries on top..right away, or just before serving? Anything else you would suggest so th we berries stick in place? What are your thoughts using a prepared graham cracker crust?
Thanks!!
Julia says
I would put the blueberries on top just before serving otherwise they might sink into the filling. The pie will still be creamy when it’s set so they should stick in place if you press them into the filling a little bit. And you can surely use a prepared graham cracker pie crust. I do it too sometimes.
Meghan Pugliese says
Can I use bottled lemon juice in place of fresh squeezed or will it take away from the thickening of the cheese?
Julia says
I would not recommend using bottled lemon juice because of the taste but I think it should thicken the mixture the same way as fresh lemon juice. – Julia
Debbie Howe says
I made this for my mother-in-law’s birthday and it was a hit! The mascarpone cheese made it so smooth and creamy. I made a whipped cream topping with lemon zest and a little lemon juice. One thing is I wished I let the mascarpone get closer to room temp to prevent some small clumps appearing. i also pushed the crust up the sides per your suggestion. I used my 7″ Fat Daddio’s cheesecake pan and it worked great. Wish I could show a photo, it was so nice.
Patricia Granja says
After making this pie only once my husband asked me to make it for our parish picnic dessert contest. Thanks to the no bake crust I made two batches and made 70 mini pies in 5oz containers. Yes, it was laborious but, I won the 1st prize trophy! This recipe is so delicious both children and adults raved about it. Thank you especially, because I’ve never entered a food contest!!