Lemon Sponge Pie I

Wow! This is excellent. Didn't know what to expect, but I wanted something lemony that wasn't Lemon Meringue, and this was perfect. Followed the recipe exactly, except I used a reduced fat pre-made graham cracker crust. With this substitute, the pie was practically guilt-free, and certainly worth every bite--YUM! Between three people, the pie was gone in less than 40 minutes! The pie crust wasn't a deep dish, so I had some filling left over--baked it in ramekins along w/ the pie in the same oven and for the same amount of time. UPDATE: Made this last night, only used 1 c. of sugar, and increased the lemon juice to 1/2 c.--I LOVE lemon, and this small change made it healthier and even tastier too! You can also make this with no crust, in a pie plate w/ some no-stick spray, or in little individual ramekins...the baking time and temp. is still the same. Without the crust, it's less than 150 calories per serving and has only 2 grams of fat, but still has a deliciously decadent taste:)

This is the BEST pie recipe. I've been meaning to make a lemon sponge pie ever since I first tried one at a Pennsylvanian Dutch restaurant. The one there was heavenly, and this one is just as good. I haven't made a lot of pies, but this recipe is simple and produces great results. I made it for Thanksgiving and everyone raved about it. I even had to make another one the day after because of the demand. The pie comes out spongy on top and custardy on bottom and VERY lemony. A must for the holidays or any occasion. I used a standard pie pan (9")but I had a lot of leftover filling, so for my second pie I used a larger, deep dish pie pan (10" with a 2" depth) which was just right.

This is a wonderful recipe. The low temperature at which it bakes makes all the difference in the world. No worry about it getting too dark, and yet the filling sets beautifully. The results are superb.

This didn't really turn out for me, but I think I know how I can fix it so it does. The sponge part was mostly good, but the bottom part was runny like other users had mentioned. I don't know that more time in the oven would have helped, because I had it in for another 10 minutes and I was about to burn the top part. The crust, since it was not previously baked, never cooked on the bottom. I am thinking if I would have baked the pie crust for about ten minutes and then poured the lemon mixture in, it would have helped the crust as well as finish baking the rest of the lemon stuff as well. Something that I will try next time.

This was a hit with friends that I served it too. I topped it with strawberries (macertated with lots of grand marnier) when I served it. The only problem was beating the egg whites took FOREVER but when I googled afterwards to find why it had taken so long, I read that you should not use fresh eggs (which I did)--a few days old are better for egg white beating and that you should also bring the egg whites to room temperature before beating.

I joined this site so that I could review this recipe! I made it a month ago to take to a potluck supper, where it got rave reviews. So I decided to make it again and enter it in a heritage pie contest. It won third place! Thank you, Kitty. This is a wonderfully refreshing pie - a real change from lemon meringue.

This is very good, and very easy to make. Be aware, though, that it does make alot of filling. I used a 10 inch deep dish pie plate, and still had a bit too much. I managed to get it all in, but it overflowed a bit. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but even the little bit of smoke my oven produced managed to sink into the top 1/4 inch of the pie. lemon sponge pie should never have a smokey flavor. I took off the top little bit and it was then fabulous. I'll just put a little less in next time,and voila fab pie.

Ever find a recipe that just made you giggle it turned out so well? This one did it for me. Looking for some sort of dessert and found that I had all the ingredients on hand to make this one. I added a photo of it straight out of the oven and another when DH cut into it before it had completely cooled. It was barely warm. The consistency is that of a sponge/custard pie. Very pleasing on the palate and the lemon flavor was just right. All I did was follow instructions...and smile... a lot!!

Fabulous! I used 1 cup 2% milk, 1/2C splenda with 1/2 cup reg sugar. Upped lemon juice to 1/2C as I like strong lemon taste. Prebaked pie crust for 7 minutes @350 (docked the heck out of it first) and glad I took that advice from other reviewers. I would also use a deep dish 10" crust if possible as this make plenty of filling. Mine turned out with a 1/2 layer of custard and 1/2 light fluffy sponge on top. I get requests for recipe often. With minor tweaking, this was the best lemon pie & I make it often. Not much work either in my opinion. I topped with homemade whipped cream flavored with a bit of the zest and 1/4 tsp of lemon extract - SO GOOD! *Based on any negative reviews, I wonder if high altitude has something to do with that? Baking has to be altered at higher altitudes - just a thought. Note: I've made this numerous times using above measurments. Turns out perfect every time but I am near sea level for baking. Try this one. I'm glad I did even tho I had no clue what the heck 'sponge' pie was all about :)

great tasting, but takes time to prepare

Sooo good! This recipe makes enough for a deep dish pie crust- I only had a regular pie crust so had some left over. Fabulous recipe- very spring/ summery! Wouldn't change a thing- Thank you!

This pie is great....strong lemon flavor. I used zest and juice of 3 lemons. My family loved it as much as the Amish lemon sponge pie we buy on our trips to Lancaster County, pa.

This is a recipe my dad gave me this week that my great grandmother used to make. The only difference is her recipe only called for two eggs & egg yokes and 1 cup of sugar, so if you don't have enough eggs, don't fret, it works with just two!! I made it with only two eggs and used an extra deep pie shell which I really didn't need to do. Next time I'll try it with four eggs. It really is a delicious pie and very very easy to make. I couldn't believe it used so few ingredients and turned out so nice. It looks very liquidy when you pour it into the shell, but it sets nicely as it cooks. I can see where it gets the name "Lemon Sponge Pie" as it is deliciously lemony tasting, custardy on the bottom and very spongey on top. We really enjoyed it.

Great pie made stupendous by the addition of whipped cream on top! Excellent flavor and texture! I made the pie exactly according to directions and had no problems with it being runny or needing more cooking time. (You folks who have had these problems may want to check your oven temp. When my oven was running low, not everything, but certain temperature sensitive, recipes were coming out under-cooked) I listened to the reviewers who said that the filling over-flowed a 9"deep dish crust, so I pressed my store-bought 9" deep dish crust into a 8" square pan (didn't have a 10"round pie pan.) This works fine if the crust stops 1/2" to 3/4" from the top of the pan. The filling fit with ease using this method. I still cut the pie into wedges so the proper proportion of filling to pie would be maintained. Delicious!

I didn't have my own recipe with me on holidays so I tried this. It was pretty good but I would eliminate the flour. My original recipe doesn't call for flour and I found it made the bottom layer of pie a little gummy. But the taste is good. Also always use fresh squeezed lemon juice for a better flavour.

This was delicious, and I even messed up a few times. First of all, I didn't have lemon zest, so I just used not quite a tablespoon of lemon extract instead, which worked fine. But I'm not sure I creamed the butter and sugar together correctly, and I definitely messed up the egg whites, which started to collapse on me a bit, so I just dumped them into the mixture anyway and hoped for the best. And it turned out great. I do think, however, that some people might want to pre-bake the crust to make it less soggy; I baked mine for about 7 minutes and next time I'll probably let it bake a few minutes longer.

This pie has become a true family favorite, and makes a wonderful dessert for company or Thanksgiving!

I have made this pie several times for our family and they love it!

I made this pie exactly as written and used a large pie plate. It turned out perfect - a layer of custard on the bottom and sponge on the top, the way a lemon sponge pie should be! Thanks, Kitty for a wonderful recipe.

This is the way to go if you like lemon pie but don't like meringue. I followed the recipe exactly and had about 1 cup left over after filling my 9 inch crust. I baked the extra in a custard cup for about 30 minutes. I was a little concerned about the slightly curdled texture when tasting the extra, but I must have overbaked it as the actual pie was creamy and delicious! I will be making this for years to come!!

I made this pie after searching out a recipe for a Lemon Sponge Pie and took it to work today and it was called a bangin' dessert. Definatly a keeper and I felt bad I did not have a blueberry syrup for it but it did not need it at all!!!! I had baked it for 5 min. longer and it was perfect. I followed the directions exactly. I would not change a thing. It is a nice change from Lemon Meringue Pie. I am making it again next week and can't wait. Thank you Kitty

Tasty tasty!! Thank you for posting! We loved it!

I agree with some of the reviews the filling in the pie was runny. There was not enough of the sponge part. My pie crust did not get totally baked, I believe because of the low oven temp. and the wet filling. If I made it again I would pre-bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes. It did have excellent lemon flavor. It was ok over all but the runny filling made it not very appealing plus not worth the trouble prepare. Everyone was so full after Christmas dinner and did not eat any of the pies so I do not have comments by others to write.

Just like my grandmothers pie. I did have to add time to the recipe though. The top should be a dark golden brown, as in very dark... If the top is slightly browned, or golden brown, it'll be a bit runny. I've made this pie many times, and I've never received a complaint, only accolades. My all time favorite pie!

This was delicious! The only issue I had was the bottom and the lower sides of the crust did not get done.

I made this recipe for a fundraiser dinner were we serve pies for desert. I made a blueberry topping for it. I have to say that it came out much better than I thought. Smooth & creamy lots of lemon flavor,I will certainly make this again. LOVE IT!

I baked this pie yesterday. My family did not care for it at all. I baked it just like the instructions said. I did not change a thing. We thought it was too sweet and not enough lemon flavor. I will stick to my lemon meringue recipe.

fairly easy to make and RAVE reviews at Easter gathering. I gre up near the Amish in Lancaster County, so this brought many childhood memories back with one bite. Everyone loved it at the dinner party and asked for the recipe.

My husband is the pie baker in our house but one day I decided to try this pie. It was the best lemon sponge pie we ever tasted and I am now the "expert" on how to make lemon sponge pies. It is very easy but you have to be careful not to overbeat the egg whites. I did that one time and they were very difficult to fold in properly. The pie still tasted great but there were a few small lumps of egg white visible which made it not look as nice as it normally looks.

Delicious! I used a whole-wheat frozen pie crust from Whole Foods and poured the filling right into the frozen shell before sticking in the oven. Light, tangy, sweet, EASY!

Oh my, so good! I made it for an office meeting, and even someone who doesn't like lemon told me that she liked it! I served it with whipped topping and, as suggested, a blueberry sauce (actually the blueberry breakfast sauce recipe from this site). I will definitely make this again!

Really good lemon flavor. My daughter who dislikes pie loved this pie. I followed directions and recipe as called for, except added 1/4 tsp cream of tartar to my egg whites. I will definitely be making this again.

I used Meyer Lemons as I have a tree in the back yard. It was very good. I am not a great pastry crust maker, but used the Basic Flakey Crust recipe and it turned out pretty good. Next time I will use regular lemons as I think it will make it more lemony. My family loved this pie.

This is one of the best pies I have ever made or even eaten.

This is an easy, delicious pie that works when you want lemony without dealing with the work of a lemon meringue pie. Loved it. No need for changes! I have made this recipe twice successfully. :)

I made this according to the recipe, and it turned out mushy and soggy. The texture was a turn off. It is cool the way the layers separated, though.

Very moist and very easy to make. Use nonfat milk to cut calories. You can also use custard cups if you don't have a pie shell available. Top with whipped cream. Nice pie to bring to your new neighbors!

I won a pie baking contest with this recipe. Easy to make and taste was delicious. I had no problem with the crust or consistency of custard. I will be making this again. By the way I split it into two pans which made it flat and Im guessing thats why the custard was perfect.

Delicious, light and fluffy. Much better use of the egg whites than the usual meringue topping.

Made this pie exactly as the recipe called for. Was beautiful, and tasted amazing. Thank's so much for your excellent recipe! This will be a family keeper!

I made this pie for my boyfriend and he really liked the flavor and the texture of the "custard". He wasn't crazy about the "sponge" part. I don't eat lemon stuff but I thought it was really flavorful. I used Rice Milk instead of regular milk and I only put in a little bit over a cup of sugar. No one noticed or thought anything tasted different. Good recipe, I will probably make it again and use it just as custard. Thanks for the recipe.

very good! i'm 13 and i made this. it took me a looooooooong time but that's becus i go a littl youlk in my egg whites thee first time and after beating them for 30 minutes looked up what was wrong and found out that even a tiny bit of egg yolk can ruin it. i started over and then it took me only like 5 minutes to get peaks. great recepe!!!

Made it just like the recipe said and it is delicious. This recipe is a keeper.

Increased lemon juice to 1/2 cup. Very yummy!!

I will probably make this recipe again with a few changes to see if it may resolve some of the not-so-great things about this very good pie. As many have stated, the pie does not thicken in the amount of time stated. I cooked for half an hour over stated time and it could have gone for another 15 minutes easily. I will probably add another egg to the mix next time, increase the amount of lemon to at least a half a cup and decrease the amount of sugar to 2/3 to 3/4 cup. I will probably also cook the pie shell to five to ten minutes before adding the filling. Good pie, but could make it better.

Delicious. I added a teaspoon of lemon extract the second time I made this dessert and the extra flavor made it even better. It’s become a family favorite.

This brings back memories of the "Distlefink" restaurant (Gettysburg, PA) and my childhood. They had the best Lemon Sponge Pie in south-central Pennsylvania (my opinion). When I left that area Lemon Sponge Pie became impossible to find and became an incredibly special treat whenever I returned home. This is one of the easiest recipes I have found and it lends itself to experimentation so you can make it "to taste". When the lemon is just a touch stronger the aroma of the baking pie makes your mouth water. Lemon Sponge Pie is my all-time favorite (bar none) so one pie doesn't last very long for me. Anyone who loves this pie will likely tell you it's great with almost any meal. For you coffee lovers, this is a phenomenal "go-with" for that evening cup of coffee - especially in winter! Easy to create. Mouth-wateringly delicious. Everyone in your family will love it!

I baked this for dessert for friends we had over for dinner last night. I heard rave reviews on it. I served it with sugared blueberries on top. My guests said it was the best pie they ever ate. I must agree. My mom use to make it. In fact,that was the last time I had it, say 35 years ago. I doubled the recipe and gave a pie to my daughter and her family, she called me last evening (while my guests were here)and told me it was scrumptious. The really nice part is that it takes only very simple ingredients and the returns on it are lovely. It is a bit difficult to prepare but I think every new recipe is when you first make it. Please give this a try. If you like lemon, this recipe is the ultimate reward for a job well done! Flowers to the person that sent it in, it will be on the menu permanently at my house. 11/25/15: This is still my favorite pie. And it is extra fancy for company. It is part of my Thanksgiving feast tomorrow. No traditional pumpkin pie at this house!

This is delicious. As one person said it does take time to prepare but it is wonderful. My filling was a little runny, maybe I should have baked it an extra 5 mins. I made it just as the recipe called for. Even with my soft filling it was still delicious. My husband loves lemon and he said it was the best.

I made this using 2 Marie Callender's deep dish frozen pie crusts. The filling was just the right amount for 2 pies. I followed the instructions to the letter and the sides and bottoms of my pies were completely raw. So I cranked up the oven, turned on the convection fan and put them in for another 30 minutes, they still weren't done. So the next time I make these I will pre bake the pie crusts before filling them and returning to the oven. Or I will try with homemade crust in a glass pie dish to see if that makes a difference. However, the filling is perfect. They taste like a delicious lemon bar. Or you could put some meringue on top for the last 10 minutes of cooking and have lemon meringue pie.

Turned out perfect the first time! This is a great and easy receipe. I will definitely be making this again!

I have made this recipe a few times! My family LOVED it when I made it for Easter. I grew up in central PA and lemon sponge pie was a staple at our bakeries & Amish markets. So pleased with how this turned out :)

It does not state in the recipe to use a deep dish pie shell. I had a regular size pie shell and it ended up making two pies as a result. The taste was very good but it would’ve been even better if I would’ve known I needed the deeper pie shell.

I was looking for a different lemon dessert. I love lemon but was tired of bars and lemon meringue pie. I found this recipe and it sounded interesting. I read all the reviews and i followed the recipe exactly but added slightly more fresh lemon juice to ramp up the lemon flavor and i made sure to cook it until very brown on top to avoid undercooked filling. A couple hours of cooling and a dollop of whipped cream i really liked this pie. Very easy to make and i loved the flavor and texture. A keeper recipe. Can't wait to share this with the lemon lovers in my family!!

This was delicious. Made it by recipe and it was perfect. My son is allergic to gluten, so I left out the flour, poured some into a ramekin for him, added the flour and put the rest in a pie crust.

I did not use a pie crust but just put it in a sprayed pie plate. This pie has become one of my husband's favorites.

My first attempt making a lemon sponge pie and it was SUPERB!!

I have made this pie twice now with rave reviews each time! I followed the instructions completely. I will say that the second time was a bit better. Be careful not to over fold. I did so the first time and it led to a grainy texture. Having said that it was still delicious because of the wonderful lemon flavor. Second try I folded egg whites in without over mixing. It resulted with the same taste, better texture. I served it with fresh whip cream and Chef John’s fresh raspberry sauce along with some fresh rapsberries and mint. Everyone loved it!

This was the first time I made this pie but it won’t be the last. I made my own crust so it was a little thick but as for the pie, it was excellent.

Wow! This recipe was really easy because I thought I screwed it up and it came out perfect. I used bottled lemon juice because I didn't have an actual lemon and it is weak so next time I'll use real lemon and lemon zest. But it still came out like a lemon sponge should come out. Crossy and Cakey on the top custard on the bottom. It's a beautiful thing.

This is one of my favorite pies to make for Easter. It's so lemony & fresh for spring.

Excellent ! Didn't change a thing!

Light and luscious. I upped the lemon juice to 1/2 cup for a stronger lemon flavor. Next time I'll make it crustless for an even lighter dessert.

Used Meyer lemons

I loved it. Easy to make. Reminds me of the one my Mema, Aunt Susan and Mom used to make when I was a little girl.

This pie was the star of my Thanksgiving. Lots of work, but worth it for a special occasion, and it was a big hit. Light, sweet, lemony. I used a cup of coconut milk instead of the regular milk and 1/2 cup lemon juice instead of 1/3 as many reviewers suggested, but otherwise followed the recipe as written. As others have said, it's far too much filling for a regular 9 inch pie crust, which is what I had, so we tried baking the extra in cupcake papers, which I would not recommend- uneven mess. Still tasty, however. The pie crust I had was a chocolate graham cracker crumb crust, and it went with the lemon beautifully. I served it with sugared strawberry slices, and my family all loved it. You know you're doing something right when they fight over the leftovers.

Excellent recipe, or according to our friends...fabulous! The only thing I may try different the next time I make it, is pre-bake the crust a bit the next time. But as far as the filling, I wouldn't change a thing!

This one's a keeper! The contrast in textures is amazing. Perfect for a spring or summer get together.

a surprisingly 'different' dish and a very good recipe....

do not use skim milk as the custard will not set up. I used a cookie sheet under the pan as it is very full. And baked it a bit longer than above.

This pie is really delicious - light and fluffy with a great, tangy lemon flavor. I followed the advice of some others and prebaked my crust for 10 minutes before adding the filling, and it turned out perfectly. I also topped mine with sugared strawberries and it was a lovely sweet compliment to the lemon flavor. I will definitely be making this again!