This sour cream lemon pie recipe combines a tangy, vibrant citrus filling with a whipped cream topping, all served in a flaky butter crust.
It’s hard to beat a slice of lemon pie, whether you’re sitting at the table for dessert with family or ordering a slice from a diner with friends. Lemon desserts, from lemon meringue pie to lemon icebox cake, are some of my favorites. This sour cream lemon pie is also high on my list, with its ideal balance of tangy, vibrant filling and creamy texture.
You’ll start by blind-baking a pie crust, then filling it with homemade lemon custard punched up with fresh lemon zest and juice. And while that custard could easily stand on its own, recipe creator Martha Sorensen of Fallon, Nevada, adds sour cream to the filling to transform this into a fluffy, creamy, not-too-bold pie that’s simply delicious with every bite. Top it with whipped cream for the ultimate addition to your collection of favorite homemade pie recipes.
Ingredients for Sour Cream Lemon Pie
Pie dough: For this pie, you’ll need a single-crust pie dough, whether homemade or your favorite store-bought pie crust.
Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the lemon pie filling.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the filling for the best texture.
Milk: Use whole milk for the lemony filling, or swap in 2% if needed.
Lemon juice and zest: You’ll need two to four lemons to get 1/2 cup lemon juice, plus lemon zest, for the filling. Freshly squeezed juice always tastes better, but store-bought juice is fine in a pinch. Make sure to zest the lemons before juicing them.
Egg yolks: Egg yolks play a key role in thickening the pie filling. Tip: It’s easier to separate egg whites from yolks while eggs are still cold.
Butter: Cubed butter creates a silky lemon custard.
Sour cream: Sour cream creates a smooth and fluffy pie filling.
Heavy whipping cream: Make a light-as-air whipped cream to top the pie, or use store-bought whipped cream in a pinch.
Directions
Step 1: Prep the pie dough
On a lightly floured surface, roll pie dough to a 1/8-inch-thick circle and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the pie plate and flute the edge. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Editor’s Tip: A fluted edge is the easiest crust design for a pie. To flute the edge, press one forefinger and one thumb into the edge of the dough, making a V-shape. Use your other forefinger or thumb to press the dough into the V, creating a crimp. Crimp the entire outer edge of the pie dough.
Step 2: Bake the pie crust
Line the crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until the edge is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until the bottom is golden brown, three to six minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
Step 3: Start the lemon filling
In a large heavy saucepan, mix the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the milk and lemon juice until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce the heat to low. Cook and stir for two minutes longer. Remove from heat.
Step 4: Finish the filling
In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, then return all to the pan and whisk constantly.
Bring to a gentle boil, then cook and stir for two minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and lemon zest, then cool without stirring.
Step 5: Fill the pie and finish with whipped cream
Stir in the sour cream.
Add the filling to the cooled crust. Top with whipped cream.
Sour Cream Lemon Pie Variations
Use another crust: An all-butter pie crust complements the pie’s lemon filling, but you could also use a graham cracker crust or another crumb crust.
Make a lemon-lime pie: Combine citrus fruits for vibrant flavor. Incorporate fresh lime zest into the pie filling as well for a sour cream lemon-lime pie.
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