Easy No Bake Lemon Pudding Cream Pie

Easy No Bake Lemon Pudding Cream Pie is amazingly delicious and simple to prepare using premade Graham Cracker Pie crust, instant Jell-O lemon pudding mix, half and half, Cool Whip and fresh lemon! This lemon cream pie is prepared in under 30 minutes with only five ingredients!

Why make Easy No Bake Lemon Pudding and Cool Whip Cream Pie

• It’s easy and quick to make – great for potlucks, church gatherings and birthdays
• No oven is required – it’s perfect for those warm months
• It can be made ahead: freeze it or refrigerate it!

Keep in mind that the lemon layer will become brighter in color and more distinct yellow after refrigeration. Initially when you mix the pudding, the pudding itself will appear pale. No worries! This pale color will change even in a couple of hours, but you will see much brighter yellow the next day.

The pictures I took were of the finished pie were taken the next day after the pie has been refrigerated and the pudding got a chance to get exposed to some oxygen.

Ingredients needed to make Easy No Bake Lemon Pudding Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

• Graham Cracker Pie crust
• Half and half
• Lemon flavored Instant Pudding (2 packages) – make sure it’s INSTANT, this lemon dessert won’t work with the pudding that you cook on the stove top. I used Jell-O lemon flavored pudding
• Half a lemon – to squeeze fresh juice into the pudding mixes to make it taste mildly lemony
• Cool Whip (1 package)

How much liquid to add to lemon pudding mix

Please ignore the instructions on the label of the pudding mix. My Instant Pudding Mix – Lemon Flavored Jell-O package called for 2 cups of milk per box of pudding mix, which would make it 4 cups for both boxes – we are not going to be adding this much liquid at all. The amount of liquid needs to be reduced in order for the pie layers to hold their shape.

In this recipe, we add a total of 2 cups of half and half (half heavy cream/half milk) to two packages of Instant Lemon Flavored Jell0-O pudding mix (each package is 3.4 oz.).

Using half and half instead of milk will add more fat into the mixture and will make the pudding structure firmer and more stable – that’s exactly what we need for the layers to be nice and distinct.

Using half and half will also help create a nice thick bottom layer and very soft smooth middle layer.

Refrigerate Lemon Pudding and Cool Whip Cream Pie before serving

For the pudding pie to harden up and become easy to divide and cut, make sure to refrigerate the lemon pudding cream pie for at least 4 hours or overnight.

A quick method to make the layers firm is to put it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. At this point the pudding won’t freeze yet, but it will be solid enough for you to divide it easily.

 

Tools you will need to make this Lemon Pudding Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Whisk to make pudding, such as this stainless steel comfortable grip whisk

Spatula to spread the layers

Medium bowl such as one of these non-slip stainless steel bowls that come with lids

 

Step by Step Photo Tutorial of Easy No Bake Lemon Pudding Cream Pie

Take pie crust out of package, but make sure to keep it inside the foil. Do not turn it upside down or attempt to take it out – it will get crumbled and destroyed.

Add half and half and juice of ½ lemon to the medium bowl and then add both packages of instant lemon pudding. Using a whisk, mix for 2 minutes until all mix is dissolved. Allow the pudding to sit in the fridge or freezer for 5 more minutes so that it thickens.

Once the pudding is thick, take about ½ of the lemon pudding mixture and spread it as a first layer (the remaining pudding will be mixed with Cool Whip to form the second layer).

Tip: You can use various proportions here. For example, use ⅔rd of the mixture to form the first layer as well and mix remaining ⅓rd with Cool Whip to form a second layer.

Add ½ of the Cool Whip package to the remaining ½ of the lemon pudding in the bowl and  mix together with a spatula to form a uniform mixture

Add this Lemon Pudding/Cool Whip mixture on top of the first layer. This next, lighter level, is much smoother and lighter than the first lemon layer. I really like the texture of this second layer the best:

Spread Lemon Pudding/Cool Whip layer with a spatula to even it out:

Add remaining Cool Whip on top:

Spread the Cool Whip on top of the second layer with a spatula. I used short circular motions with my spatula to create the spikes:

This Easy No Bake Lemon Pudding Pie is done! Make sure to refrigerate it at least 4 hours (preferably over night) or freeze it for at least 1 hour before attempting to cut it!
My video recipes:

No Bake Chocolate Pudding Cream Pie with Oreo Crust and Chocolate Shavings

But wait, there are even more delicious no bake desserts waiting for you!

All have easy to follow photo tutorials and explanations to help guide you in the process

No Bake Oreo Dessert with Cream Cheese, Cool Whip and Chocolate Pudding

No Bake Chocolate Pudding Cream Pie with Oreo Crust

super delicious No Bake Strawberry Cream Icebox Cake with Graham Crackers

and yummy No Bake Black Forrest Cheesecake