Lemon Chiffon Pie

Lemon chiffon pie features a light, airy lemon filling on top of a buttery graham cracker crust. With plenty of tart, lemony flavor, this pie makes a beautiful addition to any spring menu.

The Christmas before my great-grandmother passed away, my mom gifted everyone in the family a binder she had compiled full of Ma-Ma’s recipes.

Momma learned to cook and bake from Ma-Ma (her grandmother), and had a whole collection of recipe cards and notes from over the years. She spent several months typing everything up and adding anecdotes such as where the recipes had come from or who in the family really loved each one.

When I moved out on my own, we made a copy of “Ma-Ma’s Best Recipes” for me to have. Some reader favorites have come from that cookbook, including homemade pimento cheese, no-knead refrigerator rolls, and angel food cake.

Every once in a while, when I need some recipe inspiration, I will open it up and flip through the pages, looking for new-to-me recipes. That was how I discovered this lemon chiffon pie recipe.

I love lemon anything, so I had to make this one immediately. And boy am I glad I did, because it is definitely one of my new favorites.

What is lemon chiffon pie?

Chiffon pies consist of a light, airy filling in a pie crust. 

The filling is typically made by folding a meringue into a fruit curd that has been thickened with unflavored gelatin. The meringue is what gives the filling its light texture.

Chiffon pies are different from cream pies or mousse pies; those use whipped cream in the filling instead of meringue.

So it makes sense that this lemon chiffon pie has a bright and tangy lemon filling. The filling is perfectly tart and has an almost marshmallowy texture, which pairs beautifully with the buttery graham cracker crust.

You can also make chiffon pies with a traditional homemade pie crust, but I personally prefer the graham cracker crust here. 

In this recipe, only the pie crust gets baked while the rest of the pie is cooked on the stove and chilled in the refrigerator.

How to make lemon chiffon pie

This lemon chiffon pie has a few steps that might seem intimidating if you’re a new baker, but I’ll walk you through the process. 

If you’re a beginner baker looking for a lemon dessert that has steps you’re more familiar with, check out my friend Jamie’s layered lemon dessert.

Ingredients you’ll need

For this recipe, you’ll need to make the graham cracker crust and the lemon chiffon filling.

For the crust, you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

I typically buy graham crackers and pulse them in a food processor until they are broken down into crumbs. But many stores sell boxes of graham cracker crumbs if you’d like to save yourself some time.

For the pie filling, you will need:

• 2 teaspoons powdered unflavored gelatin
• ⅓ cup cold water
• 4 large room-temperature eggs, separated
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided use
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Unflavored gelatin can be found in the baking aisle by the other gelatin and pudding products. It’s typically sold in boxes that contain small packets of the gelatin. 

While the egg yolks will be cooked, the egg whites will not. I recommend looking for pasteurized eggs at your grocery store.

You can usually get about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and 3-4 tablespoons of juice from 1 large lemon. Since you will need 1 tablespoon of zest, you’ll want to get at least 3 large lemons.

Making this recipe

Start by preparing the pie crust for your lemon chiffon pie. Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until the crumbs are well coated with the butter.

Grease a 9-inch pie plate and press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides. I like to use my hands and the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup to do this.

Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then let the crust cool completely while you work on the filling.

To make the lemon filling, add the cold water to a small bowl, then sprinkle the powdered gelatin on top. Set this aside to allow the gelatin to bloom.

Place a double boiler over medium heat. Whisk together the egg yolks, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the salt, and the lemon juice until well combined. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Take the mixture off the heat. Whisk in the bloomed gelatin and the lemon zest. 

Pop the bowl into the refrigerator for 25-30 minutes, until cooled and starting to thicken. Stir the mixture periodically while it cools.

Now, in a medium bowl, use a hand mixture to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Slowly add the rest of the granulated sugar and keep mixing until just combined.

Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the meringue mixture into the lemon mixture 1/4 at a time. Make sure you fully incorporate each addition before adding the next. 

Gently pour the filling into the cooled pie crust, spreading to smooth the top.

Chill the pie in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours so the pie can finish setting before serving. Top with whipped cream and garnish with curls of lemon zest for serving, if desired.

Storage tips

Store leftovers of lemon chiffon pie, lightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend waiting to garnish the slices with whipped cream until just before serving.

I do not recommend freezing this pie.

Frequently asked questions