No Bake Lemon Curd Turmeric Pie

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This no bake lemon curd turmeric pie is bursting with lemon flavor. It is unbelievably creamy and requires very few ingredients to make. The hint of turmeric adds a subtle flavor to the pie resulting in an even more refreshing taste. The entire process might seem intimidating at first but I promise it will be worth all the effort at the end. The meringue frosting on top makes it look so deliciously decadent. If you want to challenge yourself and try something new, this is the perfect project to take on. This is truly the best spring dessert and lemon pie you’ll want to bake.

One 9-inch lemon curd turmeric pie in a pie dish on a white marble.

Ingredients you’ll need to make this pie:

All-purpose flour: I highly recommend weighing all your ingredients using a kitchen scale for accurate recipe results. If you’re using cups, don’t scoop your cup into the flour. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
Unsalted butter: It is very important to have your butter at room temperature. You can ensure this by lightly pressing your finger on the block of butter. It should slightly leave an imprint. I also prefer to use unsalted butter because salted butters have varying amounts of salt content in them and it is always a good idea to add it on your own and avoid your bakes from being too salty.
Cold water: It is very important that you use as chilled and cold water as you can. This helps prevent the butter from melting while kneading the dough and resulting in those flaky layers.
Eggs: Use large eggs and bring them to room temperature before mixing in. Eggs strengthen the binding of your curd when heating and also add moisture. Having your eggs at room temperature makes it easier to incorporate them and allow them to mix evenly in your lemon curd. A good way of doing this is by letting them sit in a bowl filled with room temperature water for around 10 minutes or until they come down to room temperature.
Lemon zest: Citrus zests are known to add more flavor and fragrance to your bakes. You must not leave them out.
Lemon juice: In my experience, homemade lemon juice gives an incredibly better flavor than store bought lemon juice. I highly recommend that you put in those few extra minutes and use homemade lemon juice for a rich, preservatives-free flavor.
Turmeric powder: I always love adding lots of spices to my bakes. But if this is not something that you prefer, you can always leave it out.
Cream of Tartar: This helps to give stability to your meringue and is a non negotiable ingredient. However, if you’re in a pinch you can substitute it with equal amounts of homemade lime juice. Store bought lime juice may not give accurate results.
Powdered Sugar: This will help add sweetness and stability to your frosting. Add only a few spoons at a time and beat until completely incorporated. Don’t use granulated sugar as it will not dissolve in your frosting as powdered or confectioners’ sugar will.

Lemon Turmeric curd being poured into a cooled all butter pie crust for chilling

Some Notes:

Do I need to chill my container & equipment for making the pie dough?

It is known to helping your dough stay cold for longer durations and helps avoid the butter from melting. However, as long as you’re not in extremely hot surroundings, you can skip this step by moving as fast as possible. Let the butter chill in the refrigerator while you weigh all your dry ingredients and mix them. Take out the butter only when you need it. I sometimes chill my pastry cutter with my butter depending on the temperature outside.

What if I don’t want to make an all butter pie crust?

Yes you don’t have to make an all butter pie crust. You can always use a store-bought pie crust also. You can also swap half of the butter with shortening. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter and is much easier to handle. However, all butter pie crusts are thus more flakier than the ones made from shortening. Which is why, my pie crust recipe is an all butter one. However, shortening works perfectly too. You might require less amount of water while using shortening so I’ll recommend adding water as and when you need it rather than all at once.

Can I make this recipe before time?

Yes you can very well prepare the pie dough and let it chill in the refrigerator for 5 days and freeze it if you’ll need it after that. You can also prepare the lemon curd beforehand. However, the lemon curd will thicken when you let it chill in the refrigerator and you must let it come back to room temperature before baking the pie. You can chill the pie in the refrigerator after it is baked for upto a week. You can freeze the pie for upto 3 months too, but make sure you haven’t frosted it with meringue.

One slice of a lemon curd pie on a white plate

Other recipes you’ll love:

Lemon pie ready to be eaten with a slice on a plate

Some other tips to make this recipe:

You can always use a store-bought pie crust also. You can also swap half of the butter with shortening. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter and is much easier to handle. However, all butter pie crusts are thus more flakier than the ones made from shortening.
Homemade lemon juice & lemon zest gives a more rich and natural flavor as compared to store-bought lemon juice or zest.
I always love adding lots of spices to my bakes. But if this is not something that you prefer, you can always leave out the turmeric.
I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer and a kitchen scale. Baking at accurate temperatures and weighing your ingredients correctly ensure that you can replicate the recipes perfectly and enjoy the best flavors.

Happy Baking!