Ah! Atlantic Beach Pie is a classic Southern dessert, especially popular in North Carolina. It’s kind of like a tangy, creamy lemon custard pie with a buttery crust, often topped with whipped cream. Here’s a good recipe you can try:
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup sugar
For the filling:
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2–3 lemons)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, for extra flavor)
For the topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven:
Preheat to 350°F (175°C). - Make the crust:
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a bowl until evenly combined.
- Press firmly into a 9-inch pie pan.
- Bake 8–10 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
- Make the filling:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, egg yolks, and lemon zest.
- Pour into the prepared crust.
- Bake the pie:
- Bake for 15–20 minutes until the filling is just set (it may jiggle slightly in the center).
- Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours (or overnight) to fully set.
- Make the whipped topping:
- Beat heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
- Spread or pipe over the chilled pie.
- Serve:
- Slice and enjoy a creamy, tangy, buttery Southern treat!
💡 Tips:
- Fresh lemon juice is key—it gives that bright, slightly tart flavor that makes this pie iconic.
- You can add a few extra graham crackers on top of the whipped cream for crunch if you like.
If you want, I can also give a simpler “no-bake” version that tastes almost identical but skips the oven entirely. Do you want me to do that?
