Homemade Lemon Cheese Pie

Directions

1. Lightly roll out crust into a 12-in. circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim dough to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate, reserving scraps for garnish. Flute edges. Line unpricked pie shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
2. Roll out dough scraps to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut out star shapes with 1-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
3. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in water until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until very thick. Remove from the heat; stir in butter, lemon zest and food coloring if desired. Gently stir in 1/2 cup lemon juice. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and remaining lemon juice. Spread into crust; top with lemon filling. Refrigerate for 6 hours or until the top is set. Garnish with stars.