Pennsylvania Dutch Lemon Sponge Pie

Adapted from the Pennsylvania Dutch Cookbook (1961)

I found this recipe in a 1960s Pennsylvania Dutch cookbook, and it feels right at home there. Lemon sponge pie has deep roots in Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish tradition, and is a treasured part of their culinary heritage.

And it’s easy to see why. This pie is simple to make, bright and lemony, and the kind of dessert that feels like a little lift on a summer’s day. It’s bright and lemony like a lemon tart, but without the fuss of cooking up a lemon curd. It just magically comes together in the oven!

How to Make It

Whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks, then mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and melted butter. Stir in the milk until combined, then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients in three additions, stirring until smooth.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to rounded peaks and gently whisk them into the lemon mixture until just incorporated (you’ll see in the video below that tried to fold them with a spatula, but a whisk would be more effective).

Pour the filling into a parbaked pie shell and bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes, or until the filling is set. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature, with plenty of whipped cream!

A Note on Parbaking

While the original recipe calls for an unbaked crust, it’s worth taking the extra step to parbake for a pie like this. Because the filling is quite wet and liquid, parbaking — partially baking the shell before adding the filling — gives the crust a head start, helping both the crust and filling finish cooking at the same time. The result is a crisper, flakier base with no soggy bottom. Here’s a great tutorial on how to do it from pie expert, Erin Jeanne McDowell.

Drop a comment below if you made this recipe – I’d love to know!

Pennsylvania Dutch Lemon Sponge Pie

Adapted from the Pennsylvania Dutch Cookbook (1961) // Lemon sponge pie is closely associated with Pennsylvania Dutch Amish tradition, where it has long been considered part of their culinary heritage. This pie is refreshing and delicious, and delivers that lemon tart flavor without all the fuss.

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Ingredients

  

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs separated
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon salted butter melted
• 1 cup milk
• 1 8- inch pie shell parbaking suggested
• Optional: Whipped cream for garnishing

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks, then mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and melted butter.
• Stir the milk into the egg yolk mixture until combined.
• Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients in three additions and stir until smooth and well combined.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until rounded peaks form. Gently whisk into the lemon mixture until just incorporated.
• Pour the filling into a parbaked pie shell and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the filling is set.
• Allow to cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature – with lots of whipped cream!

Notes

Notes on parbaking: Parbaking means partially baking a pie shell before adding the filling. While the original recipe calls for an unbaked crust, for a pie like this, where the filling is quite wet, it’s worth taking the step to parbake. Parbaking allows both the crust and filling to finish cooking at roughly the same time, can prevent a soggy bottom, and provide a crisper, flakier texture. Here’s a great tutorial on how to do it from pie expert, Erin Jeanne McDowell.