Easy Lemon Pie with Grape-Nuts Crust (No-Roll Cereal Crust)
If you love a bright, creamy lemon pie but don’t want to fuss with rolling out dough, this Easy Lemon Pie with a Grape-Nuts Crust is about to become your new secret weapon. The crust is simple, crunchy, and naturally nutty, while the filling is silky, tangy, and perfectly sweet – basically sunshine in dessert form. It’s the kind of pie you can whip up on a busy afternoon, bring to any gathering, and watch disappear slice by slice.
This recipe for Easy Lemon Pie is a new take on the classic dessert favorite. Not only does it have a crust made from Grape-Nuts cereal and apple juice, but it also has a luscious homemade lemon filling that will remind you why this dish has been so popular since the early 20th century!
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This pie may not be as old-fashioned as some recipes are today, but don’t let that stop you from giving it a go! This twist on the traditional lemon tart uses Grape Nuts cereal and Apple Juice in place of flour for both crispy texture and subtle sweetness
Did you know that Grape-Nuts has been used for years in pie crusts? Grape-Nuts itself has been around for more than 100 years.
A Tidbit About the Name
Grape-Nuts actually contains neither grapes nor nuts. It’s made from natural wheat and barley. So, why is it called Grape-Nuts? As with many great emblems in history, there are two versions of the story.
One says that Mr. Post believed glucose, which he called “grape sugar,” formed during the baking process. This, combined with the nutty flavor of the cereal, is said to have inspired its name. Another explanation claims that the cereal got its name from its resemblance to grape seeds, or grape “nuts.”
How to Make a Pie Crust with Grape-Nuts
A Grape-Nuts pie crust is about the easiest crust you’ll ever make – no rolling pin, no butter, and no chilling. The cereal gives you a crunchy, nutty base, and apple juice concentrate binds it together with a touch of natural sweetness.
A few tips for the best crust:
- Pulse the cereal fine. A few small nutty bits are fine, but the finer the crumbs, the better the crust holds together.
- Make sure every crumb is moistened. Scrape down the sides of the food processor so all the cereal gets coated with the apple juice concentrate.
- Press it firmly. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs into an even layer across the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan.
- Don’t skip the 5-minute bake. It sets the crust so it stays crunchy under the filling.
Ingredients
This pie is really easy to make with the following ingredients:
- 1 cup Grape-Nuts Cereal
- ¼ cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 lemons) + zest of 1 lemon
- Whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch glass pie pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Place a cup of Grape-Nuts in your food processor. Pulse until it becomes fine and crumbly. Don’t worry about having some nutty bits left behind.
Add ¼ cup of thawed apple juice concentrate and pulse a few more times until the cereal is moist.
- Spread the cereal out in a lightly sprayed pie pan. Be sure to cover the entire bottom and about halfway up the sides. Now it only takes 5 minutes to bake.
- Meanwhile, combine condensed milk, eggs, lemon juice and zest with a whisk until well blended. Pour into prepared pie crust and bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges and only slightly jiggly in the center.
Pour this creamy mixture into the prebaked pie crust and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Allow the pie to cool and then refrigerate it for a couple of hours.
- Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
If you’re craving even more bright and citrusy desserts after making this Easy Lemon Pie, you’ll love exploring a few of my other lemon favorites. My Frozen Lemonade Pie is cool, creamy, and perfect for warm days, while the Gooey Lemon Bars offer that irresistible sweet-tart bite everyone loves. And if you enjoy simple cakes packed with flavor, don’t miss my Creamy Lemon Poke Cake – it’s refreshingly tangy and unbelievably easy to make.
Easy Lemon Pie with Grape-Nuts Crust Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray glass pie pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Place cereal in food processor and pulse until it is fine. There will still be some nutty bits. Add thawed apple juice and pulse until combined. Use a spatula to scrape sides of food processor and ensure that all of the cereal is moistened.
- Place mixture in bottom of pie pan and pat out until the bottom is covered as well as half way up the sides. Bake for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine condensed milk, eggs, lemon juice and zest with whisk until well blended. Pour into prepared pie crust and bake for 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely and then refrigerate for a couple of hours. Best served cold.
- Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Recipe Notes
Can’t find frozen apple juice? You can make your own concentrate by boiling 1 cup of apple juice over medium-high heat until it reduces to ¼ cup. Allow it to cool before using it in this recipe.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Refrigerate: Cover leftovers and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead: This pie is perfect for making the day before. It needs a couple of hours to chill anyway, and the flavor is even better the next day.
- Freeze: Wrap the pie tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The crust softens a little after freezing, but it still tastes great.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Grape-Nuts are made from wheat and barley, so this pie contains gluten.
You can, but fresh lemon juice gives the brightest, tangiest flavor. Plus, you’ll need a fresh lemon for the zest anyway.
Yes! Swap the lemon juice and zest for lime for a key lime-style pie in the same crunchy crust.
I haven’t found an egg substitute that works in this pie. The eggs are what help the filling set as it bakes.
Just for 5 minutes. That short bake sets the crust so it stays crunchy under the filling.
Last Bite
If you make this Easy Lemon Pie, I’d love it if you’d leave a star rating in the recipe card and a comment below to let me know how it turned out. Your ratings help other bakers find the recipe!ou!
I don’t have apple juice on hand but will use some homemade sugar free applesauce instead. I’ll report on the results later.
How easy! I love lemon pie too. Definitely need to try this one out!
This lemon pie with Grape Nuts crust looks so tasty! I’ll have to try the recipe.
Great idea to use Grape Nuts for the crust!
I would have never thought of this, but it looks so, so good!
That looks like a little slice of summer 🙂 I did not know that Grape Nuts has been around for 100 years. I also didn’t know you could make a pie crust from it. Thanks for the info.
I absolutely love the idea of a Grape Nuts crust and oh a lemon pie sounds heavenly right about now.
Yum! I love the looks of that pie! On my “to-do” list!!
That looks delicious!
What a great pie! It kind of reminds me of a recipe I have for Key Lime Pie. I ADORE the idea of using Grape Nuts and apple juice for the crust. This means I just *might* be able to have a bigger slice. Thank you for sharing!
The Grapenuts crust makes me feel better about eating the pie lol
Oh that looks so amazing. I like the idea of the grape nuts crust.
That looks delicious! I never thought to use Grape Nuts for a crust before, I’m going to have to try that.
I never thought to use Grape-Nuts as a pie crust but that sure does look like a yummy pie with it.
Great looking pie. It resembles one of my favorites, a key lime pie.
This looks like an awesome way to use Grape Nuts, yum!
Sorry I don’t know how to leave a reply or question to the original poster who gave the recipe.
I don’t eat eggs. I know there are a lot of egg substitutes but it depends on different things on which one to use. I know it can depend on the use of the egg but don’t know if there are others.
I’m hoping someone can give me advice on what egg substitute will work.
Thanks.
Unfortunately, I don’t know of a good egg substitute for this pie. Here is a recipe for a lemon tart that does not have eggs: http://www.snackworks.com/recipe/refreshing-lemon-tart-108291.aspx