Lemon Raspberry Layered Pie

If sunshine could be turned into a dessert, it would taste exactly like this Lemon Raspberry Layered Pie. Refreshing, creamy, tangy, and beautifully layered, this pie delivers the perfect balance of bright citrus and sweet-tart raspberry. It’s the kind of dessert that looks stunning enough for a celebration but is simple enough for any warm-weather afternoon.

The beauty of this pie comes from its layers: a buttery graham cracker crust, a silky lemon cream layer bursting with citrus flavor, and a fresh raspberry layer that brings juicy color and natural brightness. Chilled until perfectly set, each slice cuts cleanly into gorgeous stripes of summertime flavors.

This dessert is perfect for spring, summer, Easter, Mother’s Day, BBQs, potlucks, or anytime you crave a chilled dessert that tastes light yet satisfying. It’s refreshing, balanced, and has that sweet-tart combination everybody loves. Best of all, the process is simple and largely no-bake — the crust needs only a few minutes in the oven (or can be made entirely no-bake), while the layers come together quickly.

Let’s dive into everything you need: ingredients, instructions, variations, tips for perfect layers, serving ideas, and a complete JSON recipe for easy integration.

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Raspberry Layered Pie

• Bright, fresh, and tangy – perfect for warm weather.
• Gorgeous layered presentation that looks bakery-worthy.
• Easy, creamy, and silky filling with no complicated steps.
• No bake (or minimal bake) depending on the crust method.
• Make-ahead friendly – it chills beautifully overnight.
• Natural fruit flavor with real raspberries and real lemon.

This pie tastes like lemon bars and raspberry cheesecake had a delicious, refreshing baby.

Ingredients

For the Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp melted unsalted butter

For the Lemon Layer

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Raspberry Layer

• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp lemon juice

For Topping (Optional)

• Fresh raspberries
• Lemon zest
• Whipped cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) if baking the crust.
2. Mix graham crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a bowl.
3. Press firmly into a 9-inch pie dish.
4. Bake 8 minutes OR chill for 1 hour for a no-bake version.
5. In a bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
6. Add condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla; mix until silky.
7. Pour lemon layer into cooled crust; refrigerate.
8. In a saucepan, add raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice.
9. Cook over medium heat until thickened and jam-like, about 5 minutes.
10. Cool raspberry mixture completely.
11. Spoon raspberry layer gently over the lemon layer.
12. Chill at least 4 hours or until fully set.
13. Top with whipped cream, raspberries, or lemon zest before serving.

Lemon Raspberry Layered Pie

A bright and refreshing layered pie featuring a creamy lemon filling, a vibrant raspberry layer, and a buttery graham cracker crust.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs

Servings: 8 slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Summer

Calories: 360

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 0.33 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted

Lemon Layer

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 0.33 cup lemon juice fresh
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Raspberry Layer

• 2 cups raspberries fresh
• 0.25 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Saucepan
• Hand mixer or stand mixer
• Pie dish

Method

 

1. Mix graham crumbs, melted butter, and sugar.
2. Press crust into a 9-inch pie dish and bake 8 minutes or chill 1 hour.
3. Beat cream cheese until smooth.
4. Add condensed milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla; mix until silky.
5. Pour lemon filling into crust and chill.
6. Cook raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice until thickened.
7. Cool raspberry mixture completely.
8. Layer raspberry topping over lemon filling.
9. Chill at least 4 hours before serving.

Notes

For ultra-clean slices, chill overnight before cutting.

Tips for Perfect Layers

• Chill between layers to avoid mixing.
• Use fresh lemon juice for the best citrus flavor.
• Let raspberry mixture cool fully so it doesn’t melt the lemon filling.
• Press crust firmly so it slices cleanly.
• Chill overnight for the cleanest cuts.

Variations

• No-Bake Fully – skip baking the crust entirely.
• Blackberry Lemon Pie – swap raspberries for blackberries.
• Lemon Blueberry Version – add a blueberry layer instead.
• Whipped Lemon Layer – fold in whipped cream for extra fluffiness.
• Gluten-Free – use gluten-free cookie crumbs.

Serving Suggestions

Serve slices with:

• Whipped cream
• Extra fresh raspberries
• A sprinkle of lemon zest
• A chilled glass of lemonade

Perfect for warm days, garden parties, birthdays, or “just because.”

Fun Fact

Layered pies first became popular in the mid-1900s as a way to showcase color contrast and flavor pairing in no-bake desserts. This Lemon Raspberry Layered Pie keeps that classic charm but adds modern fresh-fruit brightness.