Have you ever tried Atlantic Beach Pie? Well, if not, let me tell you it’s bound to be a new favorite! This pie has a creamy, velvety, uber lemony filling topped with a mound of perfect homemade whipped cream. Wait, but that’s not all. What really separates this lemon pie from all the others is that the crust that’s made with salty, crisp, crunch Saltines and of course a good amount of butter. Don’t miss out on this super easy, super delicious pie!
If you’ve got pie in mind (and I don’t blame you!) consider million dollar pie and chocolate cream pie, They’re both creamy confections that everyone will rave about. For a fruity twist, try blackberry pie!
Let’s head to the kitchen and get started!
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What I Love About This Recipe
- The sweet summery flavor is unbeatable.
- I love the sweet and salty, tangy and creamy contrasts.
- Saltine crusts are the best! A nice change from graham cracker crumbles.
- The ingredients are very “back to the basics.”
How To Make Atlantic Beach Pie Recipe
Crust: Begin by crushing the saltines and combining them with sugar and melted butter. Press them into the pan. Chill to firm it up then minutes before baking.
Filling: Combine the condensed milk, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Pour into the mostly cooled crust and bake. Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Topping: Once the pie is cool and set, make the whipped cream by whisking together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread on top of the pie and garnish with lemon zest and a sprinkle of sea salt if desired.
Recipe Notes
Pressing the crust – Press the saltine mixture evenly into your pie pan to avoid an irregular crust. Simply place the crumbs in the center of the pan, and press outwards until the pan is uniformly covered.
I use the bottom of a juice glass to finish pressing them in and lightly compressing the crust. (lightly, you don’t want to pulverize it!)
Whipping cream: If you are having trouble getting the peaks to stiffen, a tablespoon of cornstarch to every cup of whipping cream is commonly used as a stabilizer.
Whipping the Cream- Make sure you use a good quality heavy cream with a 30-40% milk fat. As you’re whipping the cream, when it forms soft peaks, slowly add the powdered sugar as you whip it to stiff peaks. Stiff peaks mean that when you pull the beater up, the cream stands straight.
Don’t overwhip it because you’ll end up knocking all of the air out of your whipped cream, and it will be runny.
Topping with whipped cream: Spooning your whipped cream onto the pie or spreading it with a spatula will work just fine. You can make a fancier design by putting the whipped cream into a plastic bag, cut a half-inch slit off one corner of the bag, and squeeze the cream out in a spiral pattern.
How to know when the filling is set – The surface of the pie should look firm, and there should be only a slight jiggle to the center when shaken. Too much jiggle and your pie is undercooked; no jiggle at all and your pie is overcooked! You can also try inserting a toothpick close to the center to see if it comes out mostly clean.
Ingredient Notes
Lemon – Only fresh will do in this pie! I would get 2 large lemons or 3 medium lemons to have enough juice and zest for this pie.
Zesting – When zesting a lemon, be sure not to get down into the white pith. Don’t skip the zest! It adds lots of color and flavor! This is the tool I use.
Butter – Real butter brings the best flavor to the crust. Don’t use margarine or the flavor will be compromised.
Storing Tips
This pie must be stored in the fridge. Make sure to store it in a well-sealed container to maintain its freshness. I love this storage container and use it all the time!
Can You Freeze This?
This pie isn’t a good candidate for freezing. Sorry!!
Make Ahead Tips
Yes! You can make the pie a few days ahead of time. Pies last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
According to food handling guidelines, this pie will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge, but the texture of the crust and cream top is best within 2 days.
Atlantic Beach Pie
Ingredients
For The Crust:
- 1 1/2 sleeves saltine crackers about 60 crackers
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 tablespoons sugar
For The Filling:
- 1 (14 Ounces) can sweetened condensed milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish:
- zest of one lemon
- a sprinkle of flaky sea salt
Instructions
For The Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Crush the cracker in a 1-gallon plastic bag with a rolling pin. (stop before crackers turn to dust; You want some little pieces.)
- Add the crushed crumbs, sugar, and butter to a medium bowl and mix until the butter evenly coats the mixture and the crumbs come together like a graham crack crust.
- Press into an 8-inch pie pan. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes, then bake for 18 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
For The Filling:
- While the crust is cooling (it doesn’t have to cool completely), in a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks into the condensed milk, then beat in the lemon juice and beat until well combined.
- Pour filling into crust, and bake for 16-19 minutes or until filling is set.
- Refrigerate until completely cold, 4 hours up to overnight (the pie needs to be completely cold to be sliced).
Topping:
- When the filling has cooled, make the whipped cream. Whip the heavy cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until peaks are just stiff.
- Top the pie with the whipped cream then garnish the top with lemon zest and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
More Spring And Summer Dessert Recipes
Conclusion
You’re going to love the creamy, dreamy Atlantic Beach Pie. It’s so simple and so tasty! It’s perfect for any occasion. I can’t wait to hear how it works for you!
Be sure to comment below!
Source: Chef Bill Smith from Crook’s Corner
This pie was so delicious.! I liked the change of the saltine crust in place of the traditional graham cracker. And the combination with the lemon filling and whipped cream was so good! I did cook my filling on top of the stove rather than in the oven (easier for me to know it’s done), although it does require messing up another pan and a little more “hands on” prep time. So good!
Oh, Lurlie I’m so happy you enjoyed the pie! I think its amazing too <3
This cake looks beautiful, but those plates, I want them (back)!
Thank you so much, Lindsey!
I don’t think that little bit wouldn’t matter
In Canada our sweetened condensed milk comes in 300 ml cans, which is approximately 10.1 oz US. This might make this difficult to make? What would you suggest? Are you in the US?
Yes we are in the U.S. and our cans measure 14oz, hope this helps! <3
You could probably use two 10.1 oz. cans and increase the other ingredients proportionately and have a little more filling. This is a delicious pie!
Thanks Lurlie <3