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Lemon Sponge Pie

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 7, 2011

Time

1¼ hours, plus 2 hours cooling

Yield

Serves 8

Lemon Sponge Pie

Ingredients

2 large eggs, separated1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) sugar 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 large lemon, zested and juiced¾ cup milk 1 (9-inch) pie shell, unbaked

Before You Begin

Use your favorite pie dough or our recipe (attached). For a convenient option, use one sheet of Pillsbury JustUnroll! Pie Crusts, available in the refrigerator biscuit section of your supermarket.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Whip egg whites to soft peaks. In separate bowl, beat sugar, butter, and egg yolks until creamy. Mix in flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Fold in whipped egg whites.
  2. Pour filling into prepared crust and bake until surface is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool and serve. (Pie can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for 2 days.)
Lemon Sponge Pie

Lemon Sponge Pie

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1¼ hours, plus 2 hours cooling

Yield

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 large eggs, separated
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
¾ cup milk
1 (9-inch) pie shell, unbaked

Ingredients

2 large eggs, separated
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
¾ cup milk
1 (9-inch) pie shell, unbaked

Ingredients

2 large eggs, separated
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
¾ cup milk
1 (9-inch) pie shell, unbaked

Why This Recipe Works

For the perfect fluffy, spongy Lemon Sponge Pie, we beat the egg whites to soft peaks. If beaten to stiff peaks, the whites deflated when mixed into the rest of the filling, and the pie turned out flat. We used both lemon zest and lemon juice in the filling for the brightest flavor in our recipe.

Before You Begin

Use your favorite pie dough or our recipe (attached). For a convenient option, use one sheet of Pillsbury JustUnroll! Pie Crusts, available in the refrigerator biscuit section of your supermarket.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Whip egg whites to soft peaks. In separate bowl, beat sugar, butter, and egg yolks until creamy. Mix in flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Fold in whipped egg whites.
  2. Pour filling into prepared crust and bake until surface is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool and serve. (Pie can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for 2 days.)

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