Lemon Meringue Pie

Everyone loves this classic Lemon Meringue Pie with a flaky crust, tangy homemade lemon pie filling, and fluffy, golden meringue.

Author Amber Brady

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 10

Rest Time 2

Total Time 3 40

Yields servings

Ingredients

1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie crust

Lemon Pie Filling

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ cups (355 ml) water
1 Tbsp lemon zest, about 2-3 lemons
6 Tbsp lemon juice, about 2-3 lemons
2 Tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
4 large egg yolks, whisked

Meringue

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
¼ tsp cream of tartar*
4 large egg whites, room temperature

Instructions

Blind bake a single 9-inch pie crust. Set aside. Then turn the oven to 325˚F. (I prefer to use a glass pan for blind baking a homemade crust, because it grips better to the sides, and shrinks less. Use a 9-inch frozen deep dish pie crust, if using store-bought.)
Separate 4 large eggs into two separate bowls; one for the egg yolks (whisk briefly) and one for the egg whites; set aside to come to room temperature. Prepare all other ingredients and tools, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
LEMON PIE FILLING: Whisk the granulated sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir in water, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens into a gel. Turn off heat and stir in butter.
Slowly temper the egg yolks with ½ cup of the lemon mixture, whisking the egg yolks briskly while pouring the hot mixture very slowly. Then whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining lemon mixture. Return pan to medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly until boiling and thick. Remove from heat and cover with a lid to keep hot.
MERINGUE: Stir together the granulated sugar and cream of tartar; set aside. Beat the egg whites with an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until thick and foamy. Then gradually add the sugar mixture while beating on high until stiff peaks form.
ASSEMBLE: Add the hot lemon filling to the baked pie crust. (You may reheat it, if needed. The filling needs to be very HOT for the meringue to properly adhere, prevent weeping, and cook all the way through.)
Dollop the meringue around the edges with a spoon and seal it to the crust. Then dollop the remaining meringue over the rest of the pie and smooth together with the back of a spoon. Use the spoon to create peaks all over the meringue.
Bake at 325˚F for 20-25 minutes until the meringue puffs up and is golden brown. Transfer lemon meringue pie to a wire rack and let it cool completely to room temperature (approximately 2-3 hours) before cutting and serving. If the pie is even remotely warm when you cut into it, the lemon filling may be runny.

Video

Notes

This pie is best eaten the day it is made. Store leftover lemon meringue pie loosely covered with plastic wrap or foil in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Meringue has a tendency to weep the longer that it's in the refrigerator, so try to eat it as soon as you can.
Meringue does not like steam/moisture. It is imperative not to cut into the pie while it’s still warm because the steam will create crystallized sugar drops and ruin the appearance of the meringue. Unfortunately this is unavoidable when storing the pie in the fridge, which is why it’s best eaten after it has been made and cooled to room temp.
Fresh eggs work best for the meringue to whip properly. Make sure no egg yolks get into the egg whites, and you have a clean bowl and whisk attachment.
*No cream of tartar? Substitute 1 tsp white vinegar added to the egg whites before beating with the sugar.
Make ahead: You must make this pie the day that it's served, but if you want a jump start, make the crust the day before.

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