A silky and tangy lemon custard pie with a buttery crust, offering the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors in every creamy bite.
Author:Emma Harper
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:4 hours 30 minutes (including chilling)
Yield:8 slices 1x
Category:Dessert
Method:Stovetop and Chilling
Cuisine:American
Diet:Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
1 9-inch pie crust, pre-baked
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Pre-bake the pie crust according to package or recipe instructions; set aside to cool.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt.
Gradually add milk while whisking to avoid lumps. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly add a few spoonfuls of the hot mixture to the yolks to temper them, then stir the yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
Continue cooking for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, zest, and butter until fully combined.
Pour the custard into the cooled pie crust and smooth the top.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until set. Serve chilled with whipped cream if desired.
Notes
Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
To avoid a skin forming on the custard, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface while chilling.
You can use a graham cracker crust as an alternative to traditional pie crust.