This lemon meringue pie is a flaky blind baked crust filled with a cooked lemon filling made from fresh lemon juice, zest, egg yolks and cornstarch, then topped with a vanilla meringue baked at 350°F until the peaks turn golden. Plan on about 1 hour 20 minutes of hands-on work and at least 3 hours in the fridge. One 9 inch pie cuts into 12 slices.
The trick is timing. The meringue goes onto the filling while the filling is still hot, and it gets pushed right onto the crust edge. Heat from below cooks the bottom of the meringue, the seal holds it in place, and that is what stops it from weeping or shrinking.
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- Crust: 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup cold butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water. Chill 30 minutes, then blind bake at 375°F for 15 minutes with weights and 10 minutes without.
- Filling: 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups water, 4 egg yolks, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons), 1 tablespoon zest and 2 tablespoons butter.
- Meringue: 4 room temperature egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Time: 45 minutes prep, 35 minutes cooking, at least 3 hours chilling, about 4 hours 20 minutes in total.
- Keeps: best on the day it is made, up to 2 days in the fridge.
A Crisp, Blind Baked Crust
Whisk the flour, salt and sugar, then cut in the cold butter until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea sized bits left. Those bits melt in the oven and leave the flaky layers. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time. Stop when the dough holds together as you squeeze it. Wet dough bakes up tough.
Wrap the disk and chill it for at least 30 minutes. Resting relaxes the gluten, so the sides do not slide down the dish in the oven. Do not skip it.
Roll it out to fit a 9 inch pie dish, trim, crimp and prick the bottom with a fork. Line it with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes. Lift out the weights and bake 10 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry and pale gold instead of shiny. Let the shell cool completely. If you already have a favorite all butter dough, such as my homemade pie crust, blind bake one disk the same way.
Cooking the Lemon Filling Until It Sets
Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a saucepan before any liquid goes in. The sugar separates the cornstarch grains, so they cannot clump. Pour in the 1 1/2 cups of water slowly while whisking, then cook over medium heat, stirring all the time. It will go from milky to translucent, thick and bubbling.
Whisk the 4 yolks in a separate bowl. Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into them in a thin stream, whisking hard, then whisk everything back into the pan.
Why the Yolks Need Their Full 2 Minutes
Egg yolks carry an enzyme that breaks down cornstarch. If the filling comes off the heat too soon, it looks set in the pan and then turns soupy in the fridge overnight. Keep it bubbling for 2 full minutes after the yolks go in, stirring the bottom and corners. That heat switches the enzyme off.
Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, zest and butter until smooth. The juice goes in last because long cooking with acid weakens cornstarch. Zest the lemons first. Bottled juice works in a pinch, but it tastes flatter and has no zest, which carries most of the lemon smell. Pour it into the cooled crust. It is close to my lemon curd, only lighter and thickened to slice.
Whipping the Meringue to Stiff, Glossy Peaks
Separate the eggs while they are cold, because cold yolks break less. Then leave the 4 whites on the counter while you make the crust. Room temperature whites whip faster and hold more air.
Use a clean, dry bowl. Even a trace of yolk or fat stops the whites from rising. Beat the whites with the cream of tartar on medium until soft peaks form, the tips just flopping over when you lift the beaters. Add the 1/2 cup of sugar one tablespoon at a time, about 8 additions, and keep beating until the peaks stand up stiff and glossy. Rub a little between two fingers. Gritty? Keep going. Smooth means the sugar has dissolved, so beat in the vanilla and stop. Meringue beaten past this point turns dry and lumpy and weeps more easily.
This is a lighter meringue, 2 tablespoons of sugar per white. It bakes up soft and tender, but it is not as sturdy as a heavily sweetened one, which is why the pie tastes best the day you bake it.
Spreading Meringue Over Hot Filling
Whip the meringue as soon as the filling is in the crust, so the filling is still steaming when you top it. Spoon the meringue around the edge first and push it onto the crust all the way round, leaving no gap. Pile the rest in the middle. Swirl it with the back of a spoon.
Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the peaks are golden and the valleys are still pale. The oven colors the top. The hot filling cooks it from underneath.
Weeping Meringue: Beads on Top or a Puddle Underneath?
Weeping shows up two ways. Each has its own cause.
- Amber beads on top: sugar that did not dissolve, or meringue that baked too long. Add the sugar slowly, check it for grit, and take the pie out once the peaks have color.
- A clear, watery layer under the meringue: the meringue went onto filling that had cooled, so its underside never cooked. Top the filling while it is hot.
- Meringue pulled away from the edge: it was not sealed to the crust. Spread it onto the crimp, not just to it.
- Filling runs when sliced: the yolks did not get their 2 minutes, or the pie was cut before 3 hours in the fridge.
Cooling, Slicing and Leftovers
Let the pie cool at room temperature until it is no longer warm, then chill it for at least 3 hours. Use a sharp knife. Dip it in hot water and wipe it clean between slices. A dry blade drags the meringue and smears the lemon layer.
Cover leftovers loosely and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let a slice sit out for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the meringue is not rubbery. Skip the freezer. Thawed meringue turns spongy and weeps.
More Lemon Pies to Bake Next
For a creamier slice, try my North Carolina lemon pie or this lemon pie recipe. The raspberry lemon chiffon pie is light and airy, and the lemon meringue pie bars give you the same flavors in squares for a crowd.
Lemon Meringue Pie Questions
Is there a no bake lemon meringue pie?
This one needs the oven twice, for the crust and the meringue. For no baking at all, make my lemon lime icebox pie or a frozen lemonade pie.
Can I make lemon meringue pie the day before?
Yes, it keeps up to 2 days in the fridge, but the meringue is at its best on day one. For a party, bake the crust a day ahead and finish the pie that morning.
Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
This lemon meringue pie is a flaky blind baked crust filled with a cooked lemon filling of fresh lemon juice, zest, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch, topped with a vanilla meringue. It takes about 1 hour 20 minutes of work plus at least 3 hours of chilling, and one 9 inch pie gives 12 slices with a firm, bright lemon layer and soft, golden peaks. The filling cooks for 2 full minutes after the yolks go in so it sets, and the meringue is spread over the hot filling and sealed to the crust so it does not weep or shrink. Serve this homemade lemon meringue pie for Easter, spring dinners or any lemon dessert table. Keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Ingredients
- FOR THE PIE CRUST
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (160g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes (115g)
- 3-4 tablespoons ice water
- FOR THE LEMON FILLING
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250g)
- 1/3 cup cornstarch (40g)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups water (360ml)
- 4 large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (120ml, about 3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- FOR THE MERINGUE
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
MAKE THE PIE CRUST: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together without being sticky. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
ROLL AND BLIND BAKE THE CRUST: Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Transfer the dough to the dish, trim the edges, and crimp decoratively. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake for another 10 minutes until lightly golden. Allow the crust to cool completely.
PREPARE THE LEMON FILLING: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add the water while whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper them. Return the tempered yolks to the saucepan and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter until fully incorporated and smooth. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust.
MAKE THE MERINGUE: In a clean, grease-free mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating continuously until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in the vanilla extract until fully blended.
ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Spread the meringue evenly over the hot lemon filling, making sure to seal the meringue to the crust edges to prevent shrinking. Use the back of a spoon to create decorative swirls on the surface. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown.
COOL AND CHILL: Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing to ensure clean slices.
Notes
Use freshly squeezed lemon juice; zest the lemons before juicing them. Cook the filling for the full 2 minutes after adding the tempered yolks, or it can turn runny in the fridge. Add the meringue sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and beat only until stiff, glossy peaks form; overbeaten meringue is more likely to weep. Spread the meringue over the hot filling and seal it to the crust edge so it does not shrink. Chill at least 3 hours before slicing and cut with a knife dipped in hot water. The pie is best the day it is made and keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; do not freeze.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 372Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 103mgSodium 242mgCarbohydrates 54gFiber 1gSugar 33gProtein 6g
