This light and luscious lemon chiffon pie recipe is certain to impress with both looks and taste.
Tangy Lemon Chiffon Pie Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Lemon chiffon pie might sound intimidating, but it’s easier to make than you might think. This recipe combines the tangy flavor of lemon curd with the airy texture and rich flavor of freshly whipped cream. Served chilled, it’s a refreshing and show-stopping dessert for any meal.

Why is it called “chiffon pie”?

Lemon Chiffon Pie with hot beverageTMB STUDIO

This pie gets its name from its light and airy texture, which is reminiscent of chiffon, a lightweight and gauzy fabric. In this recipe, the light and airy texture comes from freshly whipped cream. Chiffon pie is also commonly made by folding in a meringue, which is made from whipped egg whites.

Ingredients for Lemon Chiffon Pie

  • Lemon curd: Rich lemon curd, made with ingredients including lemon juice, egg yolks and gelatin, gives the pie its signature bright and citrusy flavor.
  • Whipped cream: Freshly whipped cream provides the pie with its light and air texture.
  • Pastry dough: A crust made from pastry dough is tender and flaky. For this recipe, you’ll need to buy or prepare a dough for a single pie crust. If making a pie crust from scratch makes you nervous, check out these tips to make a perfect pie crust every time.

Directions

Step 1: Roll out the crust

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 1/8-inch-thick circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the plate, and flute the edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Editor’s Tip: Follow this visual guide to make a decorative pie edge.

Step 2: Bake the crust

Line the crust with a double thickness of aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until the edge is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Bake until the bottom is golden brown, three to six minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

Editor’s Tip: This guide explains why it’s important to blind bake a pie crust.

Step 3: Prepare the lemon curd

In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water. Let stand two minutes to soften. Add 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed for about five minutes or until pale yellow. Gradually drizzle the hot gelatin mixture into the yolks, beating constantly. Return the yolk mixture to the saucepan. Stir in the lemon juice. Cook over low heat until the mixture thickens and bubbles around the edges, stirring constantly. Cool to room temperature.

Editor’s Tip: Fresh lemon juice is best in this recipe. This hack is a surprisingly easy way to juice lemons.

Step 4: Make the whipped cream

In a large bowl, combine the cream, food coloring (if desired) and remaining sugar. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form.

Editor’s Tip: Use cream directly from the refrigerator, and chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer before using. This will help the cream whip up quicker.

Step 5: Beat in the lemon curd

Add the cooled lemon curd to the whipped cream. Continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Step 6: Add the filling to the crust

Spoon the filling into the crust. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

Lemon Chiffon Pie Variations

  • Add even more lemon: For an even brighter and tangier lemon flavor, stir 1 tablespoon lemon zest into the lemon curd before cooling.
  • Make it lime: Replace the lemon juice with fresh lime juice to make a lime chiffon pie.
  • Go for more fruits: To add additional fruit flavor, top the pie with fresh berries such as raspberries or blueberries. Alternately, you could swirl in a raspberry or blueberry sauce after adding the lemon filling to the pie.
  • Add a chocolate drizzle: Add a chocolate drizzle as an additional layer and topping. To do so, spoon just half of the filling into the crust. Melt the chocolate and shortening in the microwave, and stir until smooth. Drizzle half of the melted chocolate over the filling in the crust. Top with the remaining filling. Drizzle the remaining chocolate over the pie. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

How to Store Lemon Chiffon Pie

Lemon chiffon pie should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator and eaten within three to five days. The pie can also be frozen. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then place the wrapped pie in a freezer-safe resealable bag, and seal. Store in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Lemon Chiffon Pie Tips

Lemon Chiffon Pie Slices on PlateTMB STUDIO

How do you prevent the filling from separating?

Make sure the lemon curd is fully cooled before adding it to the whipped cream mixture. Additionally, the pie should be thoroughly chilled to ensure it has completely set before serving.

Can I make the lemon curd in advance?

You can make the lemon curd up to one day in advance. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Can I use a different type of crust?

A crumb crust made from graham crackers, shortbread or vanilla wafer cookies is an excellent option for this pie. Just like using the classic pastry dough shell, the crumb crust should be baked before adding the filling.

Can I use store-bought crust?

A store-bought crust is perfectly fine to use in this recipe. These are our Test Kitchen’s favorite pie crust brands.

Tangy Lemon Chiffon Pie

This lemon chiffon pie is so easy to make, you can put it together in no time at all. And it's impressive enough to share with guests! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Tangy Lemon Chiffon Pie Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Total Time

Prep: 35 min. + cooling Cook: 30 min. + chilling

Makes

8 servings

Ingredients

  • Dough for single-crust pie
  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3 to 4 drops yellow food coloring, optional
  • CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE (optional):
  • 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons shortening

Directions

  1. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Line crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
  3. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand 2 minutes to soften. Add 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
  4. In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed about 5 minutes or until pale yellow. Gradually drizzle hot gelatin mixture into yolks, beating constantly. Return yolk mixture to same saucepan. Stir in lemon juice. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens and bubbles around the edges, stirring constantly. Cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, combine cream, food coloring if desired and remaining sugar. Beat a high speed until soft peaks form. Add cooled lemon mixture. Continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks form.
  5. Spoon filling into crust. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Or, if desired, layer filling with chocolate drizzle: Spoon half of filling into crust. In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag with a small round tip. Spoon half of lemon filling into crust. Drizzle half of the melted chocolate over filling. Top with remaining filling. Drizzle remaining chocolate over pie. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 514 calories, 36g fat (22g saturated fat), 213mg cholesterol, 252mg sodium, 43g carbohydrate (28g sugars, 1g fiber), 6g protein.