Lemon Sour Cream Pie is sweet, tart, creamy and oh so good!
Lemon Sour Cream Pie is made with lots of lemon juice and zest for a light and tangy flavor. We like using egg yolks for an extra rich custard filling and the sour cream puts this pie over the top. Our classic Pie Crust recipe works perfectly here. This delicious pie is the perfect light dessert that will be requested again and again.
Ingredients:
- 1 9-inch homemade pie crust blind baked and cooled (or store bought pie crust)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 Tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons, depending on the size)
- 3 large egg yolks , lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- Zest of one lemon, (about ½ tablespoon)
- 1 cup sour cream
For the whipped cream topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to make Lemon Sour Cream Pie:
- In a medium size bowl, lightly mix the egg yolks together with a fork and set aside.
- In a medium sized saucepan combine the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the milk and fresh lemon juice and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for a few more minutes. Add a spoonful of the hot lemon mixture into the egg yolks and stir with a fork. (We are tempering the egg yolks with a little of the hot mixture to prepare them before adding to the mixture, and to avoid scrambling the eggs.) Add two or three more spoonfuls of the hot mixture to the egg yolks. Now add the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for two more minutes. Remove lemon mixture from the heat.
- Add the softened butter and lemon zest and stir until the butter melts in. Allow the mixture to cool and then stir in the sour cream. Add filling to your baked pie shell.
Making the whipped cream topping:
- In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer) whip the heavy whipping cream. While whipping, add in the sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream over the top of the lemon pie. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Enjoy!
Make ahead tips:
- Make the lemon custard and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Bake the pie crust and store, sealed in plastic wrap for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. You can also bake a pie crust and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to use the crust you will not need to thaw it, just put it in a 350 degree oven for about 6 minutes.
- Whip the cream and store in the refrigerator. Whipped cream will last up to two days in the refrigerator.
- When you are ready to serve the pie, assemble all of these components, and let the pie chill and set for a few hours in the fridge before cutting into it.
Lemon Sour Cream Pie
Lemon juice and zest along with sour cream create a tangy, sweet lemon pie we love.
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch homemade pie crust baked and cooled
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons +1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 or 3 lemons)
- 3 large egg yolks lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest (use one of the lemons listed above)
- 1 cup sour cream
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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In a medium size bowl, lightly mix the egg yolks together with a fork and set aside.
-
In a medium sized saucepan combine the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the milk and fresh lemon juice and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble.
-
Reduce the heat to low and cook for a few more minutes. Add a spoonful of the hot lemon mixture into the egg yolks and stir with a fork. (We are tempering the egg yolks with a little of the hot mixture to prepare them before adding to the mixture, and to avoid scrambling the eggs. Add two or three more spoonfuls of the hot mixture to the egg yolks. Now add the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for two more minutes. Remove lemon mixture from the heat.
-
Add the softened butter and lemon zest and stir until the butter melts in. Allow the mixture to cool and then stir in the sour cream. Add filling to your pie shell.
For Whipped Cream
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In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer) whip the heavy whipping cream. While whipping, add in the sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the top of lemon pie. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to chill and set before serving. Enjoy!
Making This Recipe? Tag us on Instagram: @NoBiggie using the hashtag #NoBiggieRecipes, so we can see what you are making in the kitchen!
Store-bought pie crust vs. homemade:
If you don’t have time to make a homemade Pie Crust, then a store-bought crust works just fine here. Although we are big fans of our recipe for the perfect pie crust, we can see that using a store bought pie crust can be a big time saver. There are many good brands that you can find in your store’s freezer section for cheap. Blind Bake the crust and proceed with the recipe.
Tempering egg yolks:
Tempering your egg yolks can be a bit tricky. When you introduce heat to egg yolks they will often curdle (like scrambled eggs), but by adding heat slowly and continuously they stay smooth and creamy creating a custard. By first adding just a couple spoonfuls of the hot lemon mixture to the egg yolks, you are preparing the yolks to be added to the hot mixture and will avoid curdling them.
More pies we love:
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