Lemon Cream Pie Filling

Aug 17, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pies tarts Origin: Tahitian Vanilla: Extract Medium

A creamy, sliceable lemon cream pie filling for one 9-inch pie. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works. Makes one 9-inch pie (8 servings).

Prep 20 min

Cook 15 min

Chill 4 hr

Total 4 hr 35 min

Servings 8

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

2.0 cups (480.0 ml)whole milk
1.0 cup (240.0 ml)heavy cream
⅓ cup (80.0 ml)fresh lemon juice, fresh
1.0 tbsplemon zest, finely grated
2.0 tsp (10.0 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract
5.0 (90.0 g)large egg yolks
⅔ cup (133.0 g)granulated sugar
⅓ cup (43.0 g)cornstarch
¼ tspfine sea salt
2.0 tbsp (28.0 g)unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1.0fully baked 9-inch pie crust, cooled

Make it at home

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Instructions

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and cream with the lemon zest over medium heat until steaming, about 5 minutes.
In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth.
Slowly whisk about half of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, then whisk everything back into the saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the filling is very thick and bubbles steadily. Keep whisking for 1 minute more so it sets firmly and reaches at least 160°F.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you see any lumps.
Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top.
Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until cold and firm enough to slice, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Tips

Top with whipped cream just before serving.
Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Tahitian (floral, cherry, anise), or Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic). Any pure vanilla works.
Storage: Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make lemon cream pie filling?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, plus 4 hours to chill. It makes one 9-inch pie (8 servings).

How should I store lemon cream pie filling?

Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.

A creamy, sliceable lemon cream pie filling for one 9-inch pie. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works. Makes one 9-inch pie (8 servings).

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

445 Calories / serving

28.1g Fat

42.1g Carbs

6.4g Protein

22.0g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~3560 cal · 225g fat · 337g carbs · 51g protein · 176g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 445 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 84 min·4.9 mi·~9850 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 60 min·3.0 mi·~6000 steps
Moderate cycling 45 min·9.0 mi
Swimming laps 62 min
Jogging 44 min·3.7 mi·~7050 steps
Stair climbing 41 min·~3700 steps
Dancing 72 min
Bodyweight circuit training 45 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 103 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.