Sweetdough Pie Lemon Recipe

Make the sweet dough

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.25 cups all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup granulated sugar and 0.25 tsp salt. Add 0.5 cup cold, cubed unsalted butter. Using a pastry cutter, two forks or fingertip method, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.

In a small bowl, lightly beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp vanilla. Add the yolk mixture to the flour-butter mixture and mix just until combined. If the dough seems too dry and won’t come together, add up to 1 tbs cold water, 1 tsp at a time, until it holds when pressed. Do not overwork.

Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Chilling firms the butter and helps prevent shrinking.

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the chilled dough to about 1/8" (3 mm) thickness. Fit the dough into a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom (or a 9-inch pie plate), trim the excess and crimp the edges as desired. Refrigerate the fitted crust for 15 minutes to relax the gluten and keep its shape during baking.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the chilled crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans (about 1 cup) to hold the bottom flat, and bake (blind bake) for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and return the crust to the oven for an additional 5–8 minutes, or until the shell is lightly golden. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Let the crust cool slightly (5–10 minutes) before adding filling.

Prepare the lemon filling

While the crust chills and bakes, combine the filling ingredients: in a medium bowl whisk together 3 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks until smooth. Add 1 cup granulated sugar and whisk until blended and slightly thickened.

Stir in 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice and 2 tbs finely grated lemon zest. Whisk until homogenous. In a small cup, dissolve 1 tbs cornstarch into 1–2 tbs of the lemon mixture (or a little water) to avoid lumps, then whisk that back into the bowl. Add 0.125 tsp salt.

Option A — Baked set (recommended): Pour the lemon mixture into the warm prebaked sweet dough shell. Dot the top with the 0.25 cup (4 tbsp) cubed unsalted butter so it melts into the filling as it bakes. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle (it will continue to set while cooling).

Option B — Stovetop curd (alternative): If you prefer stovetop curd for a silkier texture, pour the lemon mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low–medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and registers about 170–175°F (77–80°C) or coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in the cubed butter until smooth. Cool slightly and then pour into the prebaked shell; chill until fully set (see cooling step).

After baking, remove pie from oven and transfer to a wire rack. If you used the baked method, allow the pie to cool to room temperature for about 45–60 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour (longer for firmer set). If you used the stovetop curd, cool to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes) then refrigerate until fully firm, about 1–2 hours.

Once the filling is fully chilled and set, remove the tart from the tart pan (if using removable bottom). Dust the top lightly with 2 tbs powdered sugar if desired.

Serve slices chilled or at cool room temperature. Top each slice with a spoonful of whipped cream or a few fresh berries (use about 1 cup total for serving) if you like. Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.