Classic Lemon Meringue Pie

This is the perfect lemon meringue pie! With a delicious homemade pie crust, a tart and smooth lemon filling, and a fluffy toasted meringue topping, it’s impossible to resist.

This recipe has been perfected through extensive testing and tweaking, ensuring a flawless pie every time.

How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie

Here’s a general overview of the process:

Blind bake the pie crust.
Prepare the lemon meringue pie filling.
Whip the meringue topping.
Spread the meringue on top of the filling.
Bake the pie until the meringue is toasty brown.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe addresses the common challenges of making lemon meringue pie:

Soggy Crust: Partially blind baking the crust prevents it from becoming soggy.
Watery Filling: The lemon filling is carefully balanced to achieve a creamy, sliceable texture that’s not too tart or too sweet.
Weeping Meringue: Using a French meringue with cream of tartar stabilizes the meringue and prevents weeping. Spreading the meringue to touch the crust also helps seal the filling and prevent separation.

Tips for Success

Blind Bake the Crust: Partially blind bake the pie crust, as it will continue to bake with the filling and meringue.
Perfect Filling: Temper the egg yolks for a smooth and stable filling.
Stable Meringue: Use room temperature egg whites, ensure no egg yolk gets into the whites, and add cream of tartar for stability. Add sugar after soft peaks form. Spread the meringue to touch the crust to seal the filling.
Meringue Topping: Baking the whole pie instead of broiling allows the meringue to cook through and prevents a raw egg white taste.
Time-Saving Tip: Separate the eggs while cold, then leave the egg whites out to reach room temperature while you prepare the crust and filling.

This classic lemon meringue pie features a buttery homemade crust, a smooth and tangy lemon filling, and a fluffy toasted meringue topping. Perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, it’s an irresistible dessert for any occasion.

Prep Time: 6 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours 10 minutes
Yield: One 9-inch pie

Ingredients

Pie Crust

1 homemade or store-bought pie crust

Lemon Filling

5 large egg yolks
1 1/3 cups (320ml) water
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (38g) cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened

Meringue

5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Roll out the pie dough and chill for at least 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and partially blind bake the crust in a 9-inch pie dish. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
Whisk egg yolks in a bowl. In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk water, sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and zest until thickened. Slowly add a few spoonfuls of the warm mixture to the yolks, then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan. Cook until thick and bubbling, then remove from heat and stir in butter. Pour into the warm crust.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar and salt, then beat until glossy stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over the warm filling, making sure it touches the crust edges.
Bake on the lowest oven rack for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. If browning too quickly, tent with foil. Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
Serve chilled. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, but enjoy within a day for the best texture.

Notes

The pie crust can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for 5 days or frozen for 3 months.
Lemon meringue pie does not freeze well due to texture changes.
Avoid overbaking the meringue to prevent weeping.