A forkful of lemon meringue pie hits all the right sweet spots with its tart lemon custard piled with pillowy soft meringue, finished with a light crunch from the crust.
Why this recipe works
There’s nothing quite like classic lemon meringue pie. With its sweet and tangy flavors and soft meringue topping, it’s hard to stop at just one slice. It’s really quite simple to make, and we’ll give you a few quick pointers along the way!
We’ve also transformed this recipe into lemon meringue pie bars. These pie bars have 16 servings so it’s great for bringing to potlucks or holiday parties instead of having to make two whole pies.
RELATED: you might also like this recipe – Root Beer Float Pie
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
MERINGUE – Making meringue can be tricky for some. Be sure to not overbeat your meringue, specifically the egg whites. The cream of tartar will help to stabilize your meringue, and always use fresh eggs that are brought to room temperature before beginning.
LEMON CUSTARD – Fresh lemon zest and lemon juice give this deliciously smooth lemon filling the best flavor!
CRUST – To make this recipe easy, we’ve opted for a pre-made pie dough. However, you can certainly use a homemade pie dough recipe in place of store-bought.
How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Bake the crust according to the package instructions with weights to keep the pie shell flat.
- Prepare the custard by adding the sugar, salt, and cornstarch to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly add the water and whisk. Continually whisk until thick and smooth, between 5 and 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add a 1/4 cup of the cornstarch mixture to the beaten egg yolks and whisk. Continue to do so until half has been incorporated. Then add the egg yolk mixture to the cornstarch mixture along with the butter. Whisk until melted.
EXPERT TIP: Make sure your eggs are brought to room temperature before separating the yolk and egg whites and beating/adding to meringue. - Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and whisk until combined.
- Pour into the baked pie crust and cover with plastic wrap to chill for 2 hours.
- With a handheld mixer or stand mixer set to high speed, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat on medium-high until soft peaks form.
- Sprinkle in sugar 1-2 tablespoons at a time, making sure to beat at low-medium speed in-between each addition of sugar to fully incorporate.
EXPERT TIP: When the meringue is fully combined with the sugar it should not feel grainy and will form nice stiff glossy peaks.
- Dollup on top of the set pie. Use the back of the spoon or spatula to “pat” the top and form peaks.
- Use a handheld kitchen torch or stick it in the oven under the broiler to brown the top.
- Slice and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this pie ahead of time! Store in the refrigerator if made a day in advance.
Lemon meringue pie will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
We don’t recommend freezing a completed lemon meringue pie as the egg whites don’t thaw well. However, you can freeze the crust and lemon filling to save some time. When ready to serve, let the partially completed pie thaw, then whip up your meringue and add to the top of the lemon layer.
Lemon meringue pie is a Thanksgiving favorite, but it’s delicious year round as well, especially in the summer months when lemon flavored desserts shine!
More Dessert Recipes
- Blueberry Pie
- Key Lime Pie
- Banana Cream Pie
- Perfect Pumpkin Pie
- Homemade Apple Pie
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie
- Homemade French Silk Pie
- Instant Pot Lemon Curd
- Lemon Baked Donuts
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Lemon Meringue Pie
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 pie crust 9 inch
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 7 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups hot water
- 4 egg yolks beaten
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice about 3-4 squeezed lemons
Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- 1 Tablespoons granuated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- Lemon meringue pie will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Instructions
- Bake the crust according to the package instructions with weights to keep the pie shell flat.
- Prepare the custard by adding the sugar, salt, and cornstarch to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly add the water and whisk. Continually whisk until thick and smooth. Remove from heat.
- Add a 1/4 cup of the cornstarch mixture to the beaten egg yolks and whisk. Continue to do so until half has been incorporated. Then add the egg yolk mixture to the cornstarch mixture along with the butter. Whisk until melted.
- Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and whisk until combined.
- Pour into the baked pie crust and cover with plastic wrap to chill for 2 hours.
- With a handheld mixer set to high speed, beat the egg whites until frothy.
- Add cream of tartar and beat on medium-high until soft peaks form.
- Sprinkle in sugar 1-2 tablespoons at a time, making sure to beat at low-medium speed in-between each addition of sugar to fully incorporate. When the meringue is fully combined with the sugar it should not feel grainy and will form nice stiff glossy peaks.
- Dollup on top of the set pie. Use the back of the spoon or spatula to “pat” the top and form peaks.
- Use a hand held kitchen torch or stick in the oven under the broiler to brown the top.
- Slice and serve.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Walter says
saW ist das? Zahnsteincreme?
Amanda Formaro says
Cream of tartar is a white powder found in the baking aisle that is commonly used to help stabilize whipped egg whites in meringues and cakes and give snickerdoodle cookies their signature flavor and texture. It’s made from tartaric acid, a byproduct of the winemaking process.
Annette says
If you add the cornstarch at end, you may end up with lumps… combine it with the sugar at the beginning.
This eliminates the problem. I bake for church festivals….. have my own booth, always raise over 4 figures for charities. Lemon meringue is my #1 seller.
Jo says
I have been making lemon meringue pie for years now. This is one of the best recipes I’ve ever had. Thanks for the post. ❤️
Pamela Footen says
I made the custard for the lemon meringue pie and noticed you are using raw eggs and it doesn’t say anything about cooking them. Will it be ok to eat
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Pamela! Actually they are cooked. The yolks are cooked in the saucepan to make the custard, and the whites in the meringue are heated under the broiler. :)
Dianna says
You didn’t say what size of pie shell you should use.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Dianna! it states 9-inch pie crust in the printable recipe card at the end of the post. Hope that helps!