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Cardamom Ginger Lemon Cream Pie

A zesty lemon pie with a subtle twist. Creamy lemon wrapped in a cardamom ginger spiced graham cracker crust topped with fresh whipped cream.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Pie
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 slices
Calories 384kcal
Author Jen

Ingredients

9" Deep Cardamom Graham Crackeer Crust

  • 1 3/4 cup, twelve sheets graham crackers
  • 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 7½ Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted sea level (6 Tablespoons)

Filling

  • 6 egg yolks, large - room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice, about 6 medium size
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1-2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust

  • Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease your pie pan with a light coat of butter, then set aside.
  • Crumb graham crackers in a food processor. Pulse or roll until the crumbs are fine and uniform in size. 
  • Combine graham crackers, brown sugar, cardamom, ginger, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well, then add the melted butter. Stir with a fork, then with your hands. Coat the crumbs until the butter is evenly distributed.
  • Spread the crumbs evenly across the bottom of the pie plate. With your hands, a tart tamper, or the back and side of a small measuring cup, press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Refrigerator for 10 minutes. 
  • On the center oven rack, bake the crust for about 7 minutes. The crust won't turn golden, but when finished, will smell graham cracker fragrant. Let the crust cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Cream Filling

  • In a medium-sized bowl, beat the egg yolks and zest with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk and continue beating on until the mixture is thick and fluffy, another 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, slowly add the lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix until just blended. Pour the filling into the cooled pie shell.  
  • Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake 15-20 minutes or until the filling first appears set and has a slight jiggle in the center.
  • Transfer pie to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Tent loosely with foil and refrigerate until cold, at least two hours.

Cardamom Ginger Whipped Cream

  • About 15 minutes before you're ready to serve, chill a medium-sized (preferably glass or metal) bowl and the beaters from your electric mixer in the freezer.
  • Using an electric mixer, start at medium speed beating the cream, powdered sugar, cardamom, ginger, and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Avoid over beating. 
  • Pipe or spread whipped cream topping over pie. Slice and enjoy! 

Notes

Crust adapted from Pie. My all time favorite "Pie Guy." 
Pie adapted from Perfect Pies. I altered Michele Stuart's amazing Key Lime Pie.
High Altitude
  • the only change at 6,300 altitude, is using 8 tablespoons of butter in the crust vs. 6 at sea level, the rest of the recipe is the same.
Crust
  • if your crumbs feel dry when mixing, wet your fingers under water and continue with the crust.
  • the crust can be made ahead, cooled, and covered. I usually make and keep my crust up to one day before, but I've read they can be frozen too.
Pie Notes
  • four minutes is awhile to beat the eggs and zest, but it's worth it. Some lemon zest wraps around the beaters. I detangle and save the lemon goodness.
  • for an unbelievable key lime pie, swap lemon for lime.
  • for the crust - leave as is, omit spices for full graham cracker, or add a different kind of zip by swapping 10 ounces (2.5 cups) of gingersnap cookies.
Whipped Cream Notes
  • for the best whipped cream, use a medium-sized deep glass bowl. 
  • place the bowl and beaters in the freezer for a minimum of fifteen minutes.
  • whipped cream can be made early, covered, and refrigerated for up to a few hours.
  • the pie can be whipped and stored in the refrigerated for up to one hour, but after that, it begins to "weep" or release liquid.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 23g