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Treat yourself to a slice of Lemon Meringue Pie, a delightful blend of tangy lemon and airy meringue. It’s a must-try for anyone who loves classic sweet flavors!
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Pin ItLemon Meringue Pie Recipe
Lemon Meringue Pie is a timeless dessert that brings a burst of citrus flavor and a cloud-like meringue topping to delight your taste buds. A sweet treat that has captivated hearts and palates for generations, Lemon Meringue Pie offers a unique combination of flavors and textures that make it an unforgettable experience for anyone who enjoys desserts.
This pie isn’t just about the lemon. The meringue topping adds a light and airy contrast to the lemony tartness. When baked to perfection, the meringue turns a golden brown, offering a visual and textural contrast that’s sure to excite the senses.
What sets Lemon Meringue Pie apart is the perfect balance between the tart lemon filling and the sweet, soft meringue. The preparation involves a careful balance of ingredients, a well-timed chill, and a meticulous baking process.
Served chilled, Lemon Meringue Pie provides a refreshing finale to any meal or a delicious treat on its own. Whether it’s a family gathering, a special occasion, or simply a personal craving for something sweet and tangy, this pie never fails to impress.
Its classical appeal and tantalizing combination of flavors continue to make Lemon Meringue Pie a favorite dessert across all ages and cultures. It’s not just a pie; it’s a celebration of taste that brings joy to any table.
Lemon Meringue Pie: Ingredients & Substitutions
To make Lemon Meringue Pie, you will need …
Ingredients
- 9-inch pie crust – homemade or store-bought.
- large egg yolks, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salted butter – the tangy and tart lemon filling ingredients.
- egg whites, cream of tartar, granulated sugar, and salt – the meringue ingredients.
How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie
Blind bake and cool the pie crust. Blind bake the pie crust per the directions on the box or recipe. Once baked, chill it in the fridge on a wire rack while you prepare the filling and meringue.
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Prepare the lemon filling. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and set aside. Then, in a saucepan combine filling ingredients. Heat until it just comes to a boil. Take off the heat and stir in the butter. Combine some of the sugar mixture with the egg yolks. Then, slowly stream the egg mixture back into the pot while whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil. Boil until thickened, then take off the heat.
Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare the meringue. Make the meringue by placing the egg whites and cream of tartar into the body of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar and salt and continue to whip on medium speed for another 1-2 minutes until glossy stiff peaks form; set aside.
Assemble the pie. Place the pot with the filling back on the stove and bring it to a boil while constantly whisking. This step will help secure the meringue to the filling. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Top with the meringue and smooth it out so the meringue touches the crust on all edges, this will help prevent the meringue from weeping.
Bake. Place the pie in the oven on the bottom rack and bake until the meringue is browned.
Cool before serving. Place the pie on a wire rack to cool for 1 hour and then place it in the fridge to set up for 4 hours. Slice and serve.
Lemon Meringue Pie: FAQs
Weeping meringue can be caused by over-beating the egg whites or by not sealing the meringue to the crust properly. Make sure the meringue touches the crust on all edges to prevent this issue.
Yes, but it’s best served within a day of making. If refrigerated properly, it can last up to 2 days, but the meringue may soften.
Freezing is not recommended as it can affect the texture of the meringue and filling, causing it to become soggy when thawed.
The correct cooking time and proper balance of flour and cornstarch are vital for the filling to set. Following the recipe’s exact measurements will usually ensure a perfect set.
Yes, you can experiment with different crusts, such as graham cracker or almond flour crust, depending on your preferences and dietary needs.
The meringue should be golden brown, and the filling should have thickened. The exact time may vary, so closely following the recipe’s cooking time and temperature is advisable.
A knife dipped in hot water can make slicing easier and cleaner. Allow the pie to cool and set in the fridge before slicing for best results.
Yes, lime can be used for a different citrus twist, though it will alter the classic lemon flavor.
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Lemon Meringue Pie
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the pie
- 1 9-inch pie crust
- 5 large egg yolks, well beaten
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
For the meringue
- 5 egg whites, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Blind bake the pie crust per the directions on the box or recipe. Once baked, chill the baked shell in the fridge on a wire rack while you prepare the filling and meringue.
- Whisk the egg yolks until smooth in a medium-sized bowl, and set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, cornstarch, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Place over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it just comes to a boil. Take off the heat and stir in the butter.
- Slowly stream about 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks while whisking fast and constantly. Once all of the sugar mixture is whisked in, slowly stream the egg mixture back into the pot while whisking constantly.
- Place the pot back on the stove and continue to cook, frequently whisking until it comes to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes until thickened, then take off the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Make the meringue by placing the egg whites and cream of tartar into the body of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the sugar and salt and continue to whip on medium speed for another 1-2 minutes until glossy stiff peaks form; set aside.
- Place the pot with the filling back on the stove and bring it to a boil while constantly whisking. This step will help secure the meringue to the filling.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust. Top with the meringue and smooth it out so the meringue touches the crust on all edges, this will help prevent the meringue from weeping.
- Place the pie in the oven on the bottom rack and bake for 20-25 minutes until the meringue is browned. If you think it is browning too fast, you can loosely cover it with foil, making sure not to touch the meringue.
- Place the pie on a wire rack to cool for 1 hour and then place it in the fridge to set up for 4 hours.
- Once cooled and set, slice and serve.
Notes
- This pie is best eaten cold and must be refrigerated. Keeps for up to 2 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- This pie is best eaten the first day or the next day. It needs to be stored in the fridge, and the longer it sits in the fridge, the more chance the meringue will weep, and it will eventually. So, this is one pie you don’t want to save as a make-ahead dessert idea.
- It is important to reheat the filling right before adding the meringue. The hotter the filling, the more likely the meringue will secure to it
- Also, it is very important to have the meringue touching the crust all around the perimeter of the pie. That way, the meringue will stick, not shrink back, and less chance it will start to weep too soon.
- The filling is tart and smooth with a very fluffy meringue topping. Browning the top adds a caramelized flavor to the pie that is truly irresistible.
- This pie has a mile-high meringue! Feel free to use less meringue on top if desired. I wanted to keep the ratio of eggs the same so that none went to waste. The egg yolks go into the filling while the leftover egg whites are added to the meringue.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
