
Imagine a dessert that tastes like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day – bright, tangy, and exquisitely creamy, yet requires minimal fuss to bring to life. That, my friends, is the magic of the Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Pie. This isn’t your grandmother’s elaborate, hours-long baking project; this is a clever, no-bake (mostly!) masterpiece that champions simplicity without sacrificing a single ounce of flavor or elegance.
Yields: 8 servings Prep time: 20 minutes Chill time: 4 hours (minimum) to overnight
Ingredients:
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (about 150g) graham cracker crumbs (from about 10-12 full graham cracker sheets)
- ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Filling:
- 16 oz (450g) cream cheese, softened completely to room temperature
- 1 (14 oz / 397g) can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice (from 2-3 large lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons, finely grated)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Garnish:
- Whipped cream or cool whip
- Additional lemon zest
- Fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries)
Equipment:
- 9-inch pie dish (glass or ceramic recommended)
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Rubber spatula
- Zester/grater
- Citrus juicer
Instructions:\