Description
This easy no-bake lemon pie is creamy and luxurious. It boasts a tangy lemon filling inside a buttery shortbread crust. The surface is adorned with piped-on dollops of airy whipped cream. Enjoy a refreshing burst of citrus in every bite.
Ingredients
🍋 For Lemon Pie Filling
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely-grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 or 4 lemons)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract, for a stronger lemon flavor
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1–2 drops yellow gel food coloring, not liquid food coloring
For the Crust
- 1 prebaked shortbread pie crust, homemade or store-bought
For Stabilized Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, for stabilizing the whipped cream
Instructions
Recipe Prep: Chill a large mixing bowl and metal beaters in the freezer for 15 Minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice and lemon extract. Mix until well combined and smooth. Set the bowl aside.
- Pour the heavy whipping cream into the large (chilled) bowl. Add yellow gel food coloring, if desired, to achieve the perfect color. With an electric hand mixer (with chilled metal beaters), whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip.
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold the condensed-milk/lemon mixture into the whipped cream until fully incorporated. Be careful not to deflate the whipped cream.
- Pour or spoon the filling into the pre-baked shortbread pie crust, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Cover the lemon pie, and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight until the filling is fully set.
- Pipe or spoon the stabilized whipped cream over the chilled lemon filling. You can do this in small decorative dollops, or you can spread it over the entire surface of the pie. Slice your no-bake lemon pie into portions and serve cold.
Notes
Use lemon extract: Don’t skip it! During the final phase of recipe testing I made two pies. One with and one without lemon extract. My team of recipe testers agreed that the pie without the extract was delicious – but not “lemony” enough. They raved about the irresistible flavor of the pie that included the lemon extract.
Yellow gel food coloring: For this lemon pie I used AmeriColor 107 “Lemon Yellow”. For a lighter shade of yellow, you can use AmeriColor 184 “Lemonade”. I buy AmeriColor online. But you can pick up Wilton gel food coloring at Walmart. Look for it in the specialized baking aisle.
How to store this dessert: Tightly cover the pie in plastic wrap or place it inside an airtight container. Refrigerate the pie for up to 4 days. However, for the best texture and flavor, it’s recommended to consume it within 2-3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Chill Time: 4 Hours
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American