1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch pie dish or a similar-sized baking dish—Mama Lu always said, “A well-buttered dish is the first step to a happy pie.”
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. These dry ingredients are your pie’s foundation.
3. In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs until they’re light and frothy, about 2 minutes. This little bit of air is what helps the filling become custardy and light.
4. Add the milk, melted butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the eggs. Stir gently to combine. When I was a kid, I’d stand on a chair to reach the counter and help Mama Lu squeeze lemons—there’s something about that fresh citrus that always felt like a spark of sunshine.
5. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, just until smooth. Don’t overmix; you want the batter to stay light.
6. Pour the batter into your prepared pie dish. The batter will seem thin, but that’s the magic of an impossible pie—it bakes into a layered wonder.
7. Bake in the center of your oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are perfect). The pie will puff up and then settle as it cools, just like a good story unfolding.
8. Allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. This cooling time lets those layers set up just right.
9. Dust with powdered sugar before serving for a touch of southern sweetness, if you like.

One of my favorite memories is bringing this pie to a summer potluck in Portland, where people marveled at how something so simple could taste so divine. It’s a reminder that the best recipes don’t need fuss—they just need love and a little faith.