Lemon Cream Pie

Lemon Cream Pie is made with lemon whipped cream and a Nilla Wafer crust. It’s incredibly creamy, bright, and tangy! You’ll fall head over heels for this easy lemon pie!

Easy Lemon Cream Pie Recipe

I’m calling this a Lemon Cream Pie, but in reality, it’s kind of a lemon cheesecake pie. There is no pudding or custard going on here… it’s pure whipped cheesecake mousse. Maybe it’s a little bit of a misleading title, but I didn’t think you would mind. Does it help if I tell you it’s got a Nilla Wafer crust?

The best part about this dessert, aside from the heavenly flavor, is that this lemon pie recipe is so super easy to make. You do bake the crust, but the filling is no-bake, so you can make this ahead, which is perfect for entertaining!

In fact, this cream pie is just as perfect in the summer at a BBQ as it is on your holiday dessert table. You can do either or both! It’s easy enough to make for a weeknight treat, too, but also special enough to serve to guests.

In conclusion, lemon cream pie might just be the perfect dessert!

What You’ll Need

The ingredients for this pie can be broken down into three categories: the crust, the filling, and the whipped cream. Here’s what you’ll need to round up:

For the Crust

• Nilla Wafer Crumbs: You can use a food processor or just crush the cookies in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.
• Butter: You can use salted or unsalted, either is fine.
• Granulated Sugar: To offer some extra sweetness.
• Salt: I like to use kosher salt in the crust.

For the Filling

• Heavy Cream: To help with the mousse-like texture.
• Cream Cheese: This is a cheesecake-style dessert, and the cream cheese pairs beautifully with the tart-ness of the lemon!
• Powdered Sugar: Mix this in carefully so that it stays in the bowl.
• Lemon Zest: Zesting a lemon is an easy way to add lemon flavor without adding more juice, which can change the texture of desserts. The zest is a really concentrated flavor, so a little goes a long way!
• Lemon Curd: Lemon curd is an easy way to add lemon flavor along with sweetness! Lemon Curd is a preserve that is thick and made with lemons, sugar, butter, and eggs.

For the Whipped Cream

• Heavy Cream: Make sure the heavy cream is cold before starting.
• Powdered Sugar: To sweeten the whipped cream.
• Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice offers the best flavor – the same goes for the filling.

How to Make Lemon Cream Pie

Anyway, let’s talk about how dang simple this lemon cream pie is to whip up. Oh, and did I mention that a tangy lemon whipped cream garnishes this beauty? Just checking… Didn’t want that detail to get lost in all of the deliciousness. 😉

Make the Crust

Preheat the Oven to 375°F: Then combine all the crust ingredients and press the mixture firmly into the bottom, and up the sides, of a deep dish pie plate.

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Bake: Bake the crust for 8 minutes until lightly golden. Allow the crust to cool completely before filling it.

Make the Filling

Beat the Heavy Cream: In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Remove the whipped cream from the bowl and place it in the refrigerator while you do the next step.

Mix the Filling Ingredients: Without washing the mixing bowl, place the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon curd in the bowl and change the attachment on the mixer to the paddle. Turn the mixer to medium-low speed, and mix until all the ingredients are combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

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Add the Whipped Cream: Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and fold it into the cream cheese mixture until combined.

Add the Filling to the Crust: Spread the filling into the cooled crust. Cover the pie and chill it for at least 2 hours.

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Make the Whipped Cream

Combine Whipped Cream Ingredients: When you are ready to serve the pie, make the lemon whipped cream. Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, and, on high speed, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe this on top of the chilled pie.

Tips for Success

Okay, now that you’re all caught up on the instructions it’s tip time! Here are some tricks (and misc. information) that will help you get a perfect lemon cream pie every time:

• Crust Additions: The Nilla Wafer crust is buttery, and a great place to add some unexpected flavor. You could even use a little extra lemon zest IN the crust to amp up the lemon flavor. And yes, you can use graham crackers as well, if you prefer!
• Garnishing Tip: The lemon whipped cream makes enough to cover the entire pie. If you would like it only as a garnish, cut the recipe in half.
• How to Pipe the Whipped Cream: Don’t worry about piping tips or going too crazy with piping tools. You can just put your whipped cream into a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off, and pipe a little ruffle or swirls!
• Line Your Pan: I would recommend lining your pan with foil so you can easily remove the bars from the pan.
• Can I Make Lemon Bars With This Recipe? Yes! You can easily make this pie into bars. Use a 9×9 pan instead of a pie plate and follow the instructions as written.

Topping Ideas

Wondering what else you can top your tangy lemon pie with? Fair question! I am a huge advocate of the lemon whipped cream, but you could try slivered almonds, berries (strawberries, raspberries, etc.), a berry sauce, lemon slices, or even lemon zest. Or a mix of a few of those! Whatever you like.

How to Store Leftovers

Store any leftover lemon cream pie in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3 days. I doubt you’ll need that long, but just so you know!

Can I Freeze Cream Pie?

Absolutely! You can freeze your cream pie (or separate slices of it) in an airtight container for up to a month.

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More Lemon Desserts to Try

Looking for more quick and easy lemon dessert recipes?

• Lemon Cream Cheese Bars
• Strawberry Lemon Icebox Pie
• Lemon Meltaways
• Pistachio Lemon Bundt Cake
• Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake