Joanna Gaines’ Lemon Pie
If the song Seasons of Love (yes, from RENT) were a pie, it would be this lemon pie. Hear me out: Lemon pie has magical powers. Each sweet and tangy bite tastes like summer, but winter is prime citrus season. It’s almost as if this little paradox exists to prove that lemon pie is acceptable to bake, eat, and enjoy all year round. Gimme lemon pie five-hundred twenty-five-thousand six-hundred minutes out of the year. Measure your life in l … emon pie. And while you’re at it, make it Joanna Gaines’ lemon pie.
In her cookbook, Magnolia Table, Joanna gets a little nostalgic about when she first happened upon this lemon pie recipe. It was early on in her marriage to Chip, when a friend shared it with her. She couldn’t believe how little work was involved in the making of something so delicious — and beautiful. You can be the judge of that, though. Here’s the recipe!
Lemon Pie
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Serves 8 to 10
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Lemon pie:
Vegetable oil spray
- 1 1/2 cups
crushed graham crackers (from about 27 squares)
- 1/3 cup
sugar
- 6 tablespoons
salted butter, melted
- 3 cups
sweetened condensed milk
- 3
egg yolks
- 2/3 cup
fresh lemon juice (from 3 to 4 lemons)
Pinch of sea salt
Whipped cream topping:
- 1 cup
heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons
sugar
- 1 teaspoon
pure vanilla extract
Garnish:
Lemon slices
Grated lemon zest
Mint sprigs
Instructions
To make the lemon pie: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with vegetable oil.
In a large bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers and 1/3 cup of the sugar and stir to blend. Stir in the melted butter until well blended. Press the cracker mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate. Bake until firm, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer), beat the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt on medium speed for 4 minutes.
Pour the mixture into the baked pie crust. Return to the oven and bake until the center is set when the pan is gently nudged, about 10 minutes.
Cool the pie on a rack for 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator until set, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
Just before serving, make the whipped cream topping: In a medium bowl, with a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla on high speed until fluffy and the cream holds a soft peak when you pull the beater out of the bowl.
Spread the cream on the cooled pie. Garnish with fresh lemon slices, a sprinkle of lemon zest, and mint sprigs.
Recipe Notes
From Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines. Copyright © 2018 by Joanna Gaines. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.