Hello, there, friends! Today, I’m going to introduce you to my creamy lemon pie with sour cream recipe! This magnificent sour cream pie with lemon is so simple to make! You will never need to look for another lemon cream pie recipe!
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Twenty years ago, I stumbled upon the most incredible key lime pie recipe and tweaked it to my liking (linked in the pie list at the end of this post)! I have made that pie so many times I can’t even tell you. Recently, my Hubs made a mistake on our Amazon order, and he ordered Key West lemon juice thinking it was our usual Key West lime juice. It might have been his most delicious mistake yet!
Basically, I decided to model a new recipe after my super popular Florida key lime pie, and what resulted was this amazing creamy lemon pie with sour cream.
Ingredients
- Condensed milk
- Lemon juice – fresh Meyer lemons or bottled Key West lemon juice (more on this below)
- Sour cream
- Lemon zest
- Unsalted butter
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy cream – for the optional whipped cream garnish
- Vanilla – for the optional whipped cream garnish
- Powdered sugar – for the optional whipped cream garnish
What is the Difference Between Meyer Lemons and Regular Lemons?
You may be wondering what is the difference between Meyer lemons and regular lemons you see all the time at the grocery store.
When it comes to flavor, Meyer lemons offer a less tangy flavor than grocery store lemons. Additionally, some of the difference between regular lemons and Meyer lemons is of a visual aspect. Meyer lemons are smaller and more round with a darker yellow color that carries an orange tone.
Regular lemons at the grocery store, called Eureka lemons, tend to be a brighter yellow with and are larger with a pointed end. Therefore regular lemons don’t have a round shape.
A bag of Meyer lemons at the store will often have many more pieces of fruit than a bag of Eureka lemons – due to the small size. Because of the smaller size of the Meyer lemons, you need more of them to get the same amount of juice that you would expect when working with regular lemons.
Some believe Meyer lemons are a hybrid of a lemon and a mandarin orange.
Can I Use Regular Lemons for Creamy Lemon Pie?
It can be difficult to find Meyer lemons at the grocery store. It is hit or miss for us here in Arkansas. If you cannot find Meyer lemons, just use regular lemons from the grocery store, although the final result will yield a tangier pie than with the Meyer lemons.
If you use regular lemons you will need to squeeze enough lemons to equal 3/4 cup juice. You will probably want to use 4-6 medium/large lemons to get to 3/4 cup.
But if you can find the smaller Meyer lemons, definitely use those! Just know you will likely need to double the quantity of lemons (at least).
Can I Use Bottled Lemon Juice in Lemon Cream Pie?
Absolutely! Most of us live busy lives and may not have the time for squeezing fruit!
There are a lot of lemon juice brands out there. But, we think the Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lemon Juice is incredible! I cannot sing its praises enough! In fact, Amazon offers a double-pack of Nellie and Joe’s key lime and key lemon juice, and it is the key lime juice that I use to make my amazing key lime pie that this lemon cream pie is modeled after. This is the scrumptious mistake the Hubs made – instead of ordering a two-pack of the key lime juice, he accidentally ordered a two-pack that included both the key lime and the lemon juice!
One bottle has enough juice for two pies – with a little juice left over.
How Long Does Lemon Juice Last?
How long does lemon juice last in the fridge? Most would agree that refrigerated fresh lemon juice lasts for 3-4 days.
This is another reason I prefer to use the bottled lemon juice in this recipe. I don’t have to worry about that 3-4 day mark!
Bottled lime juice stays fresh in the refrigerator for a long length of time with a shelf life of 6-12 months after it has been opened – as long as it is properly sealed.
Making the Graham Cracker Crust
For my condensed milk lemon pie, I start by making a homemade graham cracker crust. Almost always, I double the ingredients for two pies because these pies go fast!
For the graham cracker crust, I mix the crumbs and sugar in a medium sized bowl before pouring in the melted butter. Once the mixture is well blended, I press the crumbs down, as evenly as possible, into a pie plate. The pie plate goes into a hot 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Then, I leave it on the counter to cool and set while I make the creamy lemon pie filling.
Making the Filling for Creamy Lemon Pie
No doubt, there are plenty of lemon cream pie recipes out there which use cream cheese rather than sour cream. But I love this creamy lemon cream pie recipe with sour cream so much. I feel no need to further experiment with any other version. This one is the real McCoy, as my Dad would tell you!
You will need to juice the lemons or use 3/4 cup of the bottled lemon juice mentioned above. Be sure to zest some lemons with a grater. The lemon zest is needed for the pie filling and again for garnish, as you will see in the recipe card below. (If you are using bottled lemon juice, you might still want to purchase one lemon for the zest.)
To create the filling, I mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until all the lumps are gone.
Once the creamy lemon filling is ready, I pour it into the pie shells and place in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until tiny pinhole bubbles start to rise. Typically, I bake mine 7-8 minutes with my oven.
When out of the oven, I let the pies cool for a couple hours on the counter before placing them in the fridge to chill. Do not rush the chill time! I give the pie at least three hours in the refrigerator to chill – preferably, overnight.
Making Whipped Cream
Before serving time, I start on the optional whipped cream which makes a great lemon pie topping.
First, I beat some heavy cream until peaks are nearly formed. Then, I add in powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until stiff peaks form. I try not to over beat the mixture because it turns out lumpy.
Finally, I add a dollop of whipped cream with a sprinkle of lemon zest to the individual pie slices just before serving. Sometimes, I add in a thin slice of lemon, instead. Either way, I wait and garnish after the slices are on the individual plates.
Sour Cream Lemon Cream Pie
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/4 cups Graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp Unsalted butter melted
Key Lime Filling
- 28 oz Sweetened condensed milk two cans
- 1/2 cup Sour cream
- 3/4 cups Lemon juice Nellie and Joe's brand is what we use; you can also use 4-6 medium/large lemons or 12-20 Meyer lemons
- 1 tbsp Lemon zest grated
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 2 tbsp Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla
Instructions
Make Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium sized bowl before pouring in the melted butter.
- Once the mixture is thoroughly blended, pat the crumbs down, as evenly as possible, into a pie plate. (Be sure there are no thin/open spots in the crust.)
- Put the pie plate into the 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes.
- Then, set it on the counter to cool and set while making the filling.
Make Lemon Cream Pie Filling
- Mix all pie filling ingredients, in the order listed, in a medium bowl and mix vigorously until all the lumps are gone, using an electric mixer.
- Pour filling into the pie shell and place in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until tiny pinhole bubbles start to rise.
- Once out of the oven, let the pie cool a good while on the counter before placing it in the fridge to chill for at least three hours. (It is best to let it chill as long as possible – overnight is great.)
Make Whipped Cream (Optional)
- Beat the heavy cream in a clean metal or glass mixing bowl until peaks are nearly formed.
- Then, add in the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until stiff peaks form. (Keep a close eye on the peaks and do not over beat so mixture does not turn lumpy.)
- Add a dollop of whipped cream to the individual pie slices when serving for best results. Sprinkle on some lemon zest or add a lemon slice for color.
Notes
Nutrition
More Homemade Desserts
You won’t want to miss some of our other popular desserts here at Planted in Arkansas!
Easy Chocolate Cake with Homemade Chocolate Buttercream
Butter Pecan Praline Poke Cake (Number ONE recipe on the website!)
White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake
Copycat Cracker Barrel Coca Cola Cake
No Bake Coconut Pecan Praline Cookies
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies with Oatmeal
White Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Almond Cookies
Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies with Snickers
No Bake Cranberry Pecan Cookies with Pecans
White Chocolate Oreo Bars with Marshmallows
Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies
Edible Sugar Cookie Dough for Valentine’s Day or Any Time
Coconut and Pineapple Cream Cheese Pie
Creamy Lemon Pie with Sour Cream
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