This is the perfect lemon meringue pie! With a delicious homemade pie crust, tart and smooth lemon filling, and a fluffy toasted meringue topping, it’s impossible to resist.
Let’s welcome a fresh new season with a fresh new pie—the pie I’ve been taunting you with for weeks!! The beautiful, the timeless, the Classic Lemon Meringue Pie.
My lemon meringue pie recipe has a billowy and toasty meringue topping, a balanced sweet/tart lemon filling, and an extra thick and flaky pie crust. I worked on this recipe for a long time, making at least a dozen meringue pies in the past few months. Both my kitchen and head were exploding lemons. Whenever we had friends or family stop by, I’d force lemon meringue pie on them. “PLEASE TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS” I begged while barely blinking.
How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie
Over the years and especially the past few months, I learned that lemon meringue pie can be a daunting process but it doesn’t have to be. Let me make this recipe easy for you by giving you a tested (and praised!!!) recipe, lots of helpful recipe notes, and a video so you can watch it come to life. Perhaps you’re looking for Easter dessert recipes? Celebrating a birthday? Or just want to enjoy a beautiful lemon-y pie? No matter your reason, I’ve got you 🙂
- Blind bake pie crust
- Prepare lemon meringue pie filling
- Whip meringue topping
- Spread meringue on top of filling
- Bake pie until toasty brown on top
Now that you have a general idea of the process, let’s learn why this lemon meringue pie recipe works and what mistakes to avoid.
Here’s Why This Recipe Works
There are 3 main roadblocks when making lemon meringue pie: a soggy pie crust, a watery lemon filling, and/or a weeping meringue. Let’s work through each.
- Let’s avoid a soggy pie crust: Start by reviewing how we blind bake pie crust. You want to partially blind bake the crust because it will continue to bake when you bake the assembled lemon meringue pie. Watch me blind bake the crust I use for this lemon meringue pie in my separate post on how to blind bake pie crust. Lots of tips and tricks there.
- Let’s avoid a watery lemon filling: This is where I always had the most trouble. Lemon meringue pie filling is basically a thinner version of lemon curd. You’ll temper egg yolks. And before you run away screaming, watch me do this in the video below. Promise it’s not scary. While lemon meringue pie filling should be blissfully creamy, we also want it to be stable enough to slice somewhat neatly. (Think: a slightly firmer version of pudding, but not as firm as jello.) There was a lot of back and forth with the water vs lemon juice vs cornstarch vs sugar amounts. Follow my lemon meringue pie filling below. It’s not too tart, not too sweet, and has the silkiest, yet not-too-watery texture.
- Let’s avoid a weeping meringue: There are many different types of meringue topping, but let’s use a French meringue. Beat egg whites into soft peaks, add sugar, then beat into stiff peaks. Unless you want to waste a bunch of egg whites in failed meringue attempts, read these tips: Make sure you begin with just egg whites. Not even a drip of egg yolks. Make sure the bowl you’re using is completely wiped clean. No oil or water residue. Make sure you add cream of tartar. This will stabilize your meringue. Make sure you add the sugar *after* soft peaks are formed. If added before that, the egg whites could stretch too much which prevents a stiff peak altogether. (These tips apply for my chocolate swirled meringue cookies, too.) Make sure you spread the meringue topping so it touches the pie crust. This seals the lemon filling underneath and allows the crust to grip onto the meringue so the two do not separate. And, finally, don’t make lemon meringue pie on a humid day.
How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie Topping
The meringue toasts in the oven. A lot of recipes call for putting the whole pie under the broiler, but I prefer to bake it so that the egg whites have a chance to cook through. Also, see the end of step 6 in the recipe below. Make sure you spread the meringue topping on while the filling is still warm. The warm filling helps seal the two layers together, preventing separation.
- Did you know? (1) Room temperature egg whites whip faster than cold egg whites. And (2) room temperature egg whites whip into a greater volume than cold egg whites. So make sure your egg whites are at room temperature before starting the meringue.
- Time saving tip: You need 5 egg yolks for the lemon filling and 5 egg whites for the meringue topping. Separate the 5 eggs while they are cold. (Cold eggs separate easier! Remember NO egg yolks in the meringue, not even a smidge.) Leave the egg whites out on the counter. Blind bake the pie crust and prepare the lemon filling. By the time you’re ready to start the meringue, the egg whites will be room temperature.
Meringue can be tricky, but you’re a baker and you can absolutely handle this.
Craving something smaller? Here is my lemon bars recipe.
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Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
- Prep Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours, 10 minutes
- Yield: one 9-inch pie
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is the perfect lemon meringue pie! With a delicious homemade pie crust, tart and smooth lemon filling, and a fluffy toasted meringue topping, it’s impossible to resist.
Ingredients
- Homemade Pie Crust*
- 5 large egg yolks (use the whites in the meringue below)
- 1 and 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 to room temperature
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
- Pie crust: I like to make sure my pie dough is prepared before I begin making lemon meringue pie. I always make pie dough the night before because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out and blind baking (next step).
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and adjust your oven rack to the lowest position. Partially blind bake pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish. (Follow blind baking instructions through step 9.) Tip: You can get started on the lemon meringue pie filling steps while your crust is blind baking. But making the filling is time sensitive because you will temper the egg yolks, so if multi-tasking isn’t your thing, just wait until your crust is done blind baking before beginning the filling.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
- Watch the video below to see how I work through each of the following steps.
- Make the filling: Whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside. Whisk the water, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. The mixture will be thin and cloudy, then eventually begin thickening and bubbling after about 6 minutes. Once thickened, give it a whisk and reduce heat to low.
- Temper the egg yolks: Very slowly stream a few large spoonfuls of warm lemon mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Then, also in a very slow stream, whisk the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan. Turn heat back up to medium. Cook until the mixture is thick and big bubbles begin bursting at the surface. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the butter. Spread filling into the warm partially baked crust. Set aside as you prepare the meringue. (Don’t let the filling cool down too much as you want a warm filling when you top with the meringue in step 7. The warm filling helps seal the two layers together, preventing separation.)
- Make the meringue: With a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed until soft peaks form, about 4 more minutes. Add the sugar and salt, then continue beating on high speed until glossy stiff peaks form, about 2 more minutes. Spread meringue on top of filling. (I like to make decorative peaks with the back of a large spoon.) Make sure you spread the meringue all the way to the edges so that it touches the crust. This helps prevent the meringue from weeping.
- Bake pie on the lowest oven rack for 20-25 minutes. (If the meringue is browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil over it as best you can without the foil touching the meringue.) When pie is done, remove from the oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour before placing in the refrigerator to chill. Chill for 4 hours before slicing and serving.
- Cover any leftovers and store in the refrigerator. Lemon meringue pie tastes best on day 1 because it doesn’t keep very well. No matter how hard you try to prevent it, the meringue will wilt and separate over time. Best to enjoy right away.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The pie crust can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also blind bake the crust ahead of time, see how to blind bake pie crust for details. Lemon meringue pie is not the best pie to freeze. The filling and meringue’s texture are never quite the same.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | 9-Inch Pie Dish | Pie Weights | Glass Mixing Bowls | Zester | Saucepan | Whisk | Cooling Rack
- Pie Crust: My homemade pie crust recipe makes 2 pie crusts. If you use my “dough strip” method explained in my how to blind bake pie crust tutorial, you will need 1 and 1/2 pie crusts. Or you can skip that little trick and just use 1 pie crust.
- Prepare Ahead of Time: Prep all of your ingredients before you begin, including grating the lemon zest and separating the eggs. Don’t multitask unless you’re confident! The filling is time sensitive and you want to make sure everything is ready when you need to add it. Prep all of the meringue ingredients as well. You want them on hand, especially the sugar and salt, the very moment you need them. Don’t walk away from the bowl of egg whites as they whip. Meringue can beat into stiff peaks quite quickly.
Keywords: Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Have you tried this recipe with limes?? If so, how’d it turn out?
Hi Margie, using fresh lime juice would be pretty tart, but some readers have reported success with using key lime juice here. You could also try this key lime pie recipe, and top with meringue!
I have a new recipe on this fantastic pie . I make my own crust but I do add sesame seeds n my crust. N with the lemon meringue I use hafe of cream cheese. N the hot meringue. I make everything by scratch
If I want to use an Italian meringue & torch instead of bake, will I need to change anything with the filling because it isn’t going to get the extra bake time? Is it going to set without it?
I love your recipes! Your coconut cream pie filling recipe paired with Italian meringue just won me best pie at my county fair. I’m in love!
This is the recipe I use every time and I’m always asked which recipe I use. Thanks Sally
The best LMP recipe I’ve tried! I’ve made a few but they always seem to separate. This one worked like a charm! Thank you!
Just made this and it’s currently cooling! This is my first time ever making any kind of meringue. I follow your recipe and I THINK I did it right but…is the topping supposed to be a little hard? Mines out of the oven and it’s still relatively soft. It’s certainly cooked but when I tough it it’s very fluffy. Just wanted to check if I was supposed to get it harder on top?
Hi Charlotte, the topping is supposed to be very fluffy and soft! It’s just the torched bit on the surface that gets a little crispy. We generally make 2 types of meringue toppings for pies. The first is a really fluffy topping, like the one on this lemon meringue pie. The second one, which is what is on this spiced chai pumpkin meringue pie, is more of a billowy, soft and creamy topping, which tastes like melted marshmallow. Hope this explanation clears things up, and that you loved the pie!
This is a very tasty recipe! I’m wondering why after 5 hours in the fridge, the meringue deflated a bit, maybe 40-50%? Did I need to cook it longer?
★★★★
Hi Sharon, The common culprit behind meringue deflating is beating the egg whites too quickly (or at too high of a speed). In this instance, the whites form unstable air bubbles which collapse when heated in the oven. What might help is starting the egg whites on a lower speed at first, then gradually increasing to a higher speed. Also, see the “Let’s avoid a weeping meringue” section in the blog post above. Hope these tips help for next time!
The best LMP recipe I have made in 50 years. My husband’s absolutely favourite dessert. Thank you for the technical information as well.
I made this today and I can stop trying to find a new one…which I have been doing for years…this is quite probably the best lemon meringue pie I’ve ever had anywhere. Absolutely brilliant. Everyone who’s tried it has said the same. Thank you!
★★★★★
I’ve made this recipe 3 times and love it! Silky smooth tasty filling and gorgeous meringue.
Very easy to make especially after watching your video prior.
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I like to think I’m pretty accomplished in the kitchen. I also think I can spot a great recipe when I read it. This is the near perfect Lemon Meringue Pie recipe. I made it using a pate brisee which par baked well using a silicone pie weight making sure I docked the pie shell. He loves his lemon pie tart so I did use one cup of water and added one third cup more lemon juice. I also shorted the sugar in the lemon mixture by one eighth of a cup. Quick tip: If your meringue is browning too quickly I found placing the aluminum foil on an upper rack in the oven works great and no worries about damaging the meringue. Picture Perfect Pie with just the right amount of Pucker!
★★★★★
I, on the contrary to the previous comment, didn’t make the meringue Only crust and curd, making something similar to lemon bars (I can state with confidence that I’m addicted to them yup). OMG!! BEST lemon topping I’ve tried! Exactly what I imagined and was salivating over when I saw lemon bars recipes, but they always ended up too “gummy” and chewy. THIS however is perfection! I also swapped some water for more juice since I loooove the sourness.
Thank you so much for this recipe! Can’t wait for it to cool
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Meringue turned out perfect! I did not make the pie, just the meringue…great recipe. Thank you.
i’m an amateur baker with some home baking experience but this was my first time doing: tempering eggs, citrus filling, pre/blind-baking crust, and any kind of meringue…this recipe made it so, so doable and it turned out really successfully. i followed the instructions super carefully (for once in my life), pre-prepped all ingredients, made a crust ahead of time, and heeded all the tips. i swapped the crust for a honey graham cracker crust which was a) easier to make and b) technically didn’t require pre-baking but i did it anyway, and it was a great combo. i also used a small amount of lime to make the zest and juice instead of just lemons, and that was also good. lastly i risked adding a bit of extra zest and everything was totally fine! reading all the tips saved me i’m sure, thank you for sharing this!
★★★★★
My adult step-daughter loves lemon as much as I do, so I wanted to make a lemon meringue pie for her. I don’t like the ones made with pudding because I like the tartness that they lack. I used your recipe, and it just came out of the oven – looks beautiful! Your meringue instructions are perfection, it worked beautifully!
Just made this and it was amazing! I was wondering if you could cold set this pie instead of baking it (if you were to do a Swiss/Italian meringue and torched it).
★★★★★
What is temp for oven. I missed it if it’s there.
Hi Lois, to start, Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and adjust your oven rack to the lowest position. Partially blind bake pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish. Then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) to bake the full pie.