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    Home » Food » Dessert

    The Easiest Lemon Pie Filling Recipe

    By Debi 52 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This site also accepts sponsored content

    Jump to Recipe

    Want to make a lemon pie filling from scratch? This Lemon Pie Filling Recipe is tart, tangy, and so easy to make you will wonder why you never made it homemade before.

    lemon pie filling in a jar

    Homemade Lemon Pie Filling is so much better than anything you buy from a can. One of my favorite pies every is my great grandmother’s lemon meringue pie recipe.

    She used to have it all the time. I think from that love of lemon meringue I developed a love for all lemon desserts. It is sweet and sour and amazing.

    I remember having a dessert a long time ago that they used pie filling in the frosting and I thought ooh what a unique idea. When I was making my Lemon Cake, I decided to try to make lemon frosting using homemade lemon pie filling. 

    Another delicious dessert idea is our Lemon Dump Cake. This is such a simple recipe that the lemon lovers in your family will love!

    Jump to:
    • 🥘Ingredients
    • 🔪Instructions
    • 🧾Substitutions
    • 📖Variations
    • 🍽Equipment
    • 🥫Storage
    • 👩🏻‍🍳Top Tips
    • ❔FAQ
    • Lemon Pie Filling

    🥘Ingredients

    • Sugar
    • Cornstarch
    • Cold water
    • Egg
    • Concentrated lemon juice.

    You will find a complete list of the ingredients, with measurements listed below.

    🔪Instructions

    lemon pie filling ingredients in a pot
    spoonful of lemon pie filling

    At the bottom of the post, in the recipe card, you will find the full instructions.

    🧾Substitutions

    • Fresh lemon juice can be used in lieu of concentrated, but you will need to use more of it, and it take longer to cook.

    📖Variations

    Most recipes have four main ingredients: lemon juice, eggs, sugar, and cornstarch. The ratio of these ingredients varies depending on the recipe, but the basic principle is always the same: the acidity of the lemon juice interacts with the eggs and cornstarch to create a thick, creamy filling.

    Sugar is added to offset the tartness of the lemon juice and provide sweetness. Water is used to thin out the filling if it is too thick. Some recipes use flour to thicken the filling, but I use just the cornstarch.

    Ultimately, the goal is to create a balance of tartness, sweetness, and creaminess that will make your taste buds sing.

    🍽Equipment

    You can make lemon pie filling and store it in these mason jars in the refrigerator or use the jars to can the filling. That way you have it whenever you want it. Don’t know how to can? Use this FREE book to learn how. 

    🥫Storage

    You can freeze this filling. Just place it into a freezer-safe container and store it for up to six months.

    It will last in the fridge for up to two weeks. Make sure you put it in an airtight container though, so it doesn’t pick up the other smells from your refrigerator.

    You can also make up a double batch and can this for later. To do this, simply sterilize some canning jars and then fill them with the pie filling.

    Be sure to leave some headspace at the top of each jar, and then seal them with canning lids.

    Then, process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes before allowing them to cool and storing them in a cool and dry place.

    👩🏻‍🍳Top Tips

    Besides the lemon cake with lemon icing, you can also make a delicious dessert with lemon pie filling. If you love baking with lemon pie filling, try these ideas:

    • Lemon Meringue Pie
    • Lemon Cookies
    • Lemon tarts
    • Lemon Danish
    • Lemon Muffins

    Need a low calorie, low point pie crust recipe that tastes amazing- Use the one from this Skinny Easy Strawberry Pie Recipe.

    As the lemon filling cools, it will thicken. It will usually take 3 to 4 minutes to start to thicken.

    ❔FAQ

    Can Filling be Used as Cake Filling?

    If want to add a burst of lemon flavor without the cake itself being lemon, you can add a thin layer of lemon pie filling between the layers of the cake. How much pie filling you put in between depends on how thick and how messy you want the cake to be. 

    How to Make Lemon Pie Filling Thicker

    If you find that the pie filling isn’t as thick as you like, simply cook it longer. This is all it takes to make lemon pie filler thicker. 

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    .
    spoonful of lemon pie filling

    Lemon Pie Filling

    Want to make a lemon pie filling from scratch? This Lemon Pie Filling Recipe is so easy to make you will wonder why you never made it from scratch before. Homemade Lemon Pie Filling is so much better than anything you buy from a can. 

    3.89 from 227 votes
    Print the Recipe Save Go to Collections
    Prep Time 0 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 pie

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1/3 cup cornstarch
    • 1 1/2 cups cold water
    • 1 egg
    • 1/4 cup concentrated lemon juice

    Directions
     

    • In a small saucepan, mix together water and cornstarch.
    • When the cornstarch dissolves, add sugar, lemon juice, and a slightly beaten egg.
    • Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until it thickens and comes to a boil.
    • If adding food coloring, add it in this step.
    • Remove the thicken lemon mixture from the heat.
    • Let the filling cool before using.
    Keyword lemon pie filling
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mita

      February 07, 2021 at 12:25 pm

      Can you make without eggs

      Reply
      • Debi

        April 25, 2021 at 11:03 pm

        I have never tried it without eggs

        Reply
      • Liz

        October 27, 2021 at 3:45 pm

        1/3 c applesauce substitutes for one egg and it comes out delicious!

        Reply
    2. Jeanne McIntyre

      March 11, 2021 at 9:45 am

      Is it possible to prepare this recipe for canning?

      Reply
      • Debi

        April 01, 2021 at 5:41 pm

        I am not sure. I am still new to canning.

        Reply
    3. Rita

      April 04, 2021 at 12:09 am

      I was making cream cheese pastry dough so had 4 oz of very soft cream cheese which I added with immersion blender! Almost ate the whole batch …

      Reply
    4. Frances

      May 02, 2021 at 5:42 am

      Can I use lemon juice instead of the concentrate, and if so how, how much?

      Reply
      • Debi

        June 17, 2021 at 3:26 pm

        You can but I am not sure the amounts. I haven’t tried it with real lemon juice

        Reply
        • Kathy

          July 16, 2023 at 7:48 am

          The lemon juice that you linked is not concentrated. It is made from concentrated but just reconstituted to regular lemon juice strength. If you squeezed a lemon and compared it to the bottled “concentrated” Real Lemon juice it would taste the same as the great lemon although maybe not as fresh. I have seen this exact recipe on ten different posts that all reference “concentrated lemon juice” which I am not sure actually exists

          Reply
      • Susanne

        December 31, 2021 at 2:54 pm

        Fresh lemon juice can be substituted for concentrate in any recipe, in the same amount.

        Reply
        • Carolyn

          March 11, 2022 at 5:33 pm

          Thank you, I was wondering the same as I have a friend that has 2 lemon trees!

          Reply
    5. Josephine B

      August 08, 2021 at 9:25 pm

      Hello, I just came across your site while looking for “Lemon Filling”, but now find you use lemon concentrate. I live in Australia and we don’t have the concentrate, so what can I use i place of the concentrate? Can lemon juice be used?
      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Debi

        August 25, 2021 at 7:51 am

        You can. You just need more of it

        Reply
      • Anita M Thompson

        November 23, 2023 at 9:42 am

        I used the juice from 2 lemons for a double batch. I also put some of the rind in it. I just used a small grater .

        Reply
    6. Annette

      September 26, 2021 at 5:30 pm

      How many days can you store 5his for?

      Reply
      • Debi

        October 15, 2021 at 2:00 pm

        I use it within 5 days

        Reply
    7. Jeanne Denis

      December 03, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      Hi, I made this today. It is very tasty…but I had bits of cooked egg white in mine, which I had to pick out, which
      was very time consuming. I cooked over medium heat as suggested…do you think I should try low heat next time?
      Is there a trick to the egg not cooking? I constantly stirred and thought I was doing a good job…until I was done cooking it and it had the white egg globules. I’d welcome suggestions as to what I did wrong and what I can do the next time to prevent this from happening again. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Kathy

        December 11, 2022 at 12:25 pm

        Whisk as you pour in the eggs then when it’s all cooked strain through a very fine strainer and it removes the egg white a leaves a very smooth spread.

        Reply
      • Roybal J

        May 27, 2023 at 10:13 pm

        You can add one tablespoon of the lukewarm mixture to the egg and whisk it first then pour it back into the pan and continue cooking!

        Reply
      • Brenda

        December 12, 2023 at 11:38 am

        I have a very old recipe for this and you don’t use the whole egg ,just the yolk and you use 2 yolks…hope this helps you!!!

        Reply
    8. Michael

      December 25, 2021 at 8:05 pm

      This is so good and easy thank you!

      Reply
    9. Brenda Griffith

      January 03, 2022 at 4:07 pm

      Can this filling be frozen for a later date?

      Reply
    10. Paula

      February 27, 2022 at 4:37 pm

      This pie is sooooo easy and Delish with a capital D! Thanks!

      Reply
    11. Carolyn

      March 29, 2022 at 5:23 pm

      Can this be frozen?

      Reply
      • Debi

        August 08, 2022 at 9:55 am

        Yes, it can be frozen.

        Reply
    12. Lizlittle

      April 08, 2022 at 5:23 pm

      Great recipe!! I had to use limes, no lemons at the store..I added a tablespoon more of juice plus some zest. Delicious!

      Reply
    13. Rosemary Ruiz

      April 10, 2022 at 8:53 pm

      Finished lemon pie recipe equates to how many cups/ounces
      Can this recipe be doubled?
      Thanks

      Reply
    14. Melody

      April 16, 2022 at 9:08 pm

      Easy and yummy

      Reply
    15. Debbie Sanderson

      May 14, 2022 at 4:09 pm

      I made this for first time I always bought Sheriff box lemon couldn’t find it so figured it try this I found adding the eggs there were lots of egg whites in lemon and and it didnt thicken as much I want it for lemon tarts but tastes delicious. In box lemon it asks for just yokes maybe I made mistake reading your receipe wrong .

      Reply
      • Debi

        July 25, 2022 at 11:09 am

        If it didn’t thicken enough, I would cook it longer

        Reply
      • Caye

        August 09, 2023 at 11:54 am

        When making this or homemade custard you need to heat the other ingredients and temper the eggs. Whisk them and add a T. Of hot liquid at a time while continuing to whisk. Once it is hot you can whisk it into the pan and add the thickening agent.

        Reply
    16. Olga

      June 21, 2022 at 12:25 pm

      Can I use this recipe with juice other than lemon?

      Reply
      • Debi

        July 25, 2022 at 11:06 am

        I haven’t tried other juices. But I would think that you can

        Reply
    17. jak

      July 21, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      Quick, easy and delicious! Thank you! I have used this recipe several times just as written and it is very very good .
      The only thing I did a little bit differently this time (no lemon concentrate available) was add a 1/4 cup and 1 TB extra of Juiced lemon and a little of the zest for pucker.

      Reply
    18. Patricia

      July 26, 2022 at 7:37 pm

      I love this recipe but i cut back on the sugar as i find it was to sweet. Thanks for sharing

      Reply
    19. Kristine

      September 30, 2022 at 6:54 pm

      Is the sugar granulated or powdered?

      Reply
      • Debi

        December 12, 2022 at 10:09 am

        Granulated sugar

        Reply
    20. marjorie

      December 06, 2022 at 5:47 pm

      I can’t imagine using concentrated lemon juice. I always use fresh squeesed lemon juice. the rest of the recipe is great. The info about keeping or frezing is new to me & much appreciated. Love your recipies.. Thank you.

      Reply
    21. Mel

      December 18, 2022 at 11:19 am

      Can you just use egg yolks instead of whole egg

      Reply
      • Our Wabi Sabi Staff

        December 19, 2022 at 7:27 am

        Yes, you can use 2 egg yolks to replace 1 whole egg.

        Reply
    22. Cathy

      February 11, 2023 at 10:28 pm

      I made I used this recipe as a guideline, it came out great. I made two batches. First batch I used half lemon juice concentrate. Second batch used fresh lemon juice. I grated zest for a tart taste and so you could tell it was homeade filling. I made one gluten free crust and two regular crust. Thanks for the recipe. One helpful hint…be sure to stir and pay attention to thickness because this will scorch very easily.

      Reply
      • Our Wabi Sabi Life Staff

        February 13, 2023 at 7:59 am

        Glad you liked the recipe and thanks for the tip!

        Reply
    23. Cindy Riojas

      March 20, 2023 at 1:26 pm

      is this recipe enough for 1 whole pie?

      Reply
      • Debi

        April 27, 2023 at 10:49 am

        Yes, I use it to make 1 pie.

        Reply
    24. Rosemary Scalera

      April 09, 2023 at 1:25 pm

      I used Swerve in place of sugar. Really good.

      Reply
    25. Brenda

      April 17, 2023 at 6:08 pm

      Great recipe. I liked using the whole egg. I did whisk it to insure there was no white to be seen. Followed it using lemon juice and it turned out super. Graham cracker crust. Will not hesitate to make again.

      Reply
    26. Judy

      April 20, 2023 at 1:46 am

      Thanks for letting me join

      Reply
    27. Elena Bowe

      April 23, 2023 at 7:51 am

      I make a lemon and pineapple crumble add lemon mix to crushed pineapple then put a ginger crumble mix on top, flour, butter sugar ginger rub in put in top sprinkle with a little Demerara sugar and bake in a medium oven 25 mins. No need to make custard with it as your lemon filling is your sauce. Enjoy.

      Reply
    28. Mark

      April 28, 2023 at 11:01 pm

      How do you concentrate the lemon juice? I squeeze the lemon juice and freeze it in 20oz bottles.

      Reply
    29. Liz Chilcott

      June 08, 2023 at 12:10 pm

      I too did not have lemon concentrate so used more fresh and took out equal amount of water. I also added lemon zest. at the end of process ran trough sieve. I also used a keto friendly thickener and powdered Monkfruit sweetener 1 to 1. Came out great!

      Reply
    30. DEBRA

      August 25, 2023 at 11:11 am

      I find whipping my egg in some of the sugar does the trick for cooked egg white.

      Reply
    31. Cheryl Curtis

      September 02, 2023 at 1:16 pm

      Thanks for sharing this recipe, I love all kinds of lemon treats. I come from a large family and appreciate ideas for fun and food that maximize pleasure, and minimize costs. As a single Mom of two with 1 grandson I was always on the lookout for ways to stretch my money. I also love crafts like crocheting, jewelry making, making holiday decor and I am a lover of all types of books. I look forward to seeing more of your interesting ideas.

      Reply
    3.89 from 227 votes (219 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Debi!

    Welcome to my world. I am a 40 something year old mom to a lot of kids and a lot of pets. When I am not busy with the kids, grandkids, or animals, I love to do crafts and read.

    I love to knit and can often be found working on a project.

    More about me →

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