Rich and creamyNorth Carolina Lemon Piecombines just the right amount of sweet and tart flavors. It’s made with a secret pie crust ingredient too.

top view of a lemon pie next to lemons and serving utensils

Lemon lovers unite!There’s just something about warmer weather than makes you crave all things lemon:lemon bars,lemon chiffon cake,lemon poppy seed muffins…This pie marries tangy and sweet flavors in such a delicious way. The filling is just beat together and then baked (no stove top cooking first) and then it’s topped with a bit of whipped cream. The crust is as easy to put together as a graham cracker crust, but here’s the secret –it’s made from saltines!How neat is that? It’s crisp and delicious! This pie is simple to make and the finished product is so pretty.

This recipe comes from the May 2015 issue ofCook’s Country magazine. It’s the magazine version of my favorite cookbooks (produced by America’s Test Kitchen!) and it is always fabulous. You get smarter and hungrier every time you read this magazine.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Bright and Refreshing Flavor: North Carolina Lemon Pie has that perfect combo of tart and tangy lemon that just tastes like summer.
Beautiful Presentation: The pie has a gorgeous yellow filling topped with swirls of whipped cream. It looks impressive even though its not difficult to make.
Make-Ahead Friendly: You can make the pie ahead of time and pull it out of the refrigerator when you’re ready to serve.

Ingredients

For the crust

Saltine Crackers
Salt
Butter
Light Corn Syrup

For the filling

Sweetened Condensed Milk
Egg Yolks
Heavy Cream
Lemons:you need the zest AND the juice of about 3 lemons

For the topping

Heavy Cream
Sugar
Vanilla Extract

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities

close up of a slice of lemon pie with the pie in the background

How to Make North Carolina Lemon Pie

Step #1.Preheat the oven. Add the saltines and salt to the bowl of the processor. Pulse until they are coarse crumbs. Add the butter and corn syrup and pulse again until it is the size of oatmeal.

Step #3.Combine the filling ingredients in a bowl. Pour it into the baked crust and place back in the oven for 15-17 minutes until the edges are set but the center still jiggles. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack until completely cool, then move to the refrigerator.

Step #2.Pour the crumbs into a pie plate and press the crumbs on the bottom and sides. Place it on a baking sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes.

Step #4.Whip together the topping ingredients with a mixer until it reaches stiff peaks. Top the pie with the cream mixture as desired and serve.

Recipe FAQs

Does lemon pie need to chill in the refrigerator?

You will want to refrigerate the pie for several hours until it is completely chilled. This makes it ideal to make ahead so you don’t need to worry about it on the day you plan to serve it.

How do I know when lemon pie is done baking?

Bake the lemon pie until the edges of the pie are set but the center still jiggles, about 15 to 17 minutes. Place the pie on a wire rack and let it cool completely.

Should I use fresh lemon juice to make lemon pie?

Fresh lemons will always taste the best. You will need about 3 lemons for this recipe.

How do I get juice out of lemons?

To get the most juice out of a lemon I like firmly roll the lemon on the counter with my hand before cutting and squeezing the juice. This will soften the lemon a bit and help you get the most juice out of each lemon.

How do I choose a good lemon?

When shopping for fresh lemons, there are a few tips to find lemons that are nice and juicy. One is to find lemons that feel heavy for their size- it means has lots of juice inside! Bright yellow lemons with no wrinkles are also a sign of a good lemon.

top view of a plate of lemon pie next to the pie

Expert Tips

Fresh lemons are always your best bet.The bottled stuff just isn’t the same.
Be sure to zest your lemonsbeforejuicing them.
When zesting citrus fruit, be careful to just take off the colored layer.The deeper white part is bitter and you don’t want to use it in your recipes.
If you want to make sure that your filling is ultra smooth,pour the lemon juice through a fine mesh sieveto remove any of the pulp before making your filling mixture.