Lemons are often featured prominently in spring and summer recipes but are deserving of a place on the table all year round. Especially around Christmas time, the pretty yellow citrus looks so festive when paired with bright red cranberries and a sprig of fresh evergreen. This lemon pie is a perfect light and unique alternative to the traditional holiday dessert spread, and its striking colors and flavor will be sure to make it stand out.
My favorite thing about this pie is how simple and adaptable it is! This recipe includes the instructions for scratch-made graham cracker crust and whipped cream, but you could just as easily pick both up from the grocery store in a pinch! I also love that the pie filling has the texture and taste of a fancy lemon curd but without any of the boiling and endless stirring! You can just throw the three ingredients into a stand mixer and you’re good to go. It really couldn’t be simpler, but the results are showstopping.
Wherever and whenever you want to serve this delicious lemon pie, you’ll find it easily adaptable to your current season and situation. Give it a try this Christmas and let us know what you think!
PrintChristmas Lemon Pie
Time: 2 hours (20 minutes active)
Makes eight slices
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8 slices 1x
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cup crushed graham cracker (about half a box)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons melted butter
- Optionally, substitute a premade graham cracker crust
Filling
- 2 cans (28 oz or 2 /12 cups) sweet and condensed milk
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 egg yolks
Topping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Lemon slices, cranberries, and pine or rosemary for garnish
Optionally, substitute pre-made whipped cream or whipped topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the crust, use a food processor to crush the graham cracker if not already done. Combine crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl and stir until the graham cracker crumbs are evenly moistened. It should resemble the texture of wet sand.
- Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan with your fingers. Bake for 8 minutes until set. It won’t feel hard to the touch when hot, but once cooled it will firm up. Alternatively, use a pre-made graham cracker crust to make this recipe even simpler.
- While the crust bakes, make the filling. In a stand mixer, beat the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and lemon juice together for 4 minutes. Scrape the sides and mix again until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the filling evenly into the baked crust, tapping gently to remove air bubbles. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula if necessary. Bake the pie for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for about thirty minutes. Then, cover the top lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and firm for at least 1 hour and up to three days.
- For the whipped topping, beat the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla together with an electric mixer until it is fluffy and soft peaks form. Alternatively, use premade whipped cream or whipped topping to save on time.
- Spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie and garnish with lemon slices, fresh cranberries, and a spring of rosemary or pine. Serve or keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.