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. And to get those pretty decorative edges, see my how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial.
- 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.
Print
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. Be sure to crimp or flute the pie crust edges, too.) 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 | Rolling Pin | Pie Weights | Glass Mixing Bowls | Citrus 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
The best lemon meringue pie I’ve ever tasted and I made it! Followed the recipe exactly.
Great Pie! I have a Meyer tree in my back yard and just one lemon gave enough juice and zest for this recipe. Easy to follow and complete.
Did any of your tests for this recipe use Italian meringue instead of Swiss? Curious if you chose Swiss because of taste and it works better with this recipe or because it’s a less technically challenging meringue to make?
Hi Nicole, you could certainly use an Italian meringue if you prefer. For an Italian-style meringue, you would need to bake the filling (without the meringue on top) for at least 15 minutes. Then, what we would do, is let it cool completely and add the meringue. Toast it with a blow torch. Or, instead of a torch, you can use your oven. Preheat to 450°F (232°C), and bake until the meringue begins to brown, usually about 2–3 minutes—keep a close eye on it. You could also use the broiler, but we find this method quickly burns the exposed crust, so we generally don’t recommend it unless you cover just the crust with some aluminum foil. We do something like this with our pumpkin meringue pie.
Hi! Do you have any lemon meringue recipe only with zest measurement? I really need one for my baking class
Hi Ashley, I’m not sure I understand the question. Are you asking to skip the lemon juice and to only use zest?
I am not a great baker, however my husband loves lemon meringue pie, so I tried it. I followed the directions exactly as written, I made a bakery worthy beautiful elegant lemon meringue pie!!
Thank you so much for this recipe. It tasted better then it looked and that was a pretty pie!
First time I ever made a lemon meringue pie… and I’m 76! Always been intimidated. This recipe was perfect!! Thank you so much
My nephew lives the triple-sour version of this (I replace some of the water with lemon juice–1.5 cups of juice and the rest water). It’s too sour for the rest if us that way, but he and my late mother have always requested it that way. Today, he ate 2/3 of the pie in one sitting.
Best Lemon Meringue Pie I’ve made. Heed Sally’s advice and get yourself organized with all ingredients measured and ready to go before your start. The lemon filling was the highlight; great texture and fantastic lemon flavor with perfect amount of tartness. I strongly suggest splurging on organic lemons to achieve the full lemon flavor. I’m glad that I read the comments about the filling not yielding enough for the 9″ pie. I made 1.5x the recipe amount. That was perfect for us and looked like Sally’s pictures. I’m experienced in the kitchen, made the crust ahead of time, and it still took me closer to 2 hours to get to the point of taking the pie out of the oven. Budget a little more than the suggested time; it will be worth it to eat this pie!
I always make a Deep Dish because all of my family Loves Lemon Meringue.
Do you think 1 1/2 x’s is enough for a 9” ceramic deep dish?
Another delicious recipe! I followed the recipe just as written and it all came out perfectly, the crust, lemon filling and meringue! I only used about 80% of the meringue as it was a lot and that much was plenty for my taste. No more box lemon filling for me!!
What do you think about if I made the filling and crust the same, but made a Swiss meringue and piped it on after the filling baked while it was still warm? That way I could just torch the meringue and not bake it all and possibly avoid any weeping.
Hi Julia, you can certainly give it a try – let us know if you do!
I put off making this for a week even tho I’d already bought the lemons. I was daunted making the filling. I followed the instructions exactly as written and made the most delicious pie. No weeping after 3rd day. I’ll definitely be making again. Have a suggestion for the baker said too much meringue and not enough filling. Use an 8” pie crust.
Sugar creates watering, you add 1/2c sugar, how do you prevent this watering
I know putting meringue on filling when it’s hot will help prevent this, but is it enough.
Tks Stephen
Hi Stephan, see #3 above in “Here’s Why This Recipe Works” where we discuss how to avoid a weeping meringue.
Made my first lemon meringue pie today
It was going great until I forgot the egg yolks and used the white by mistake! It is chilling now
Tomorrow I will make the meringue with whites and see what it tastes like
Too much meringue and not enough filling for me.
I’m using a deep dish glass pie plate. How do I need to adjust volumes?
Hi Mary Beth, how deep is your pie dish? This recipe makes the perfect amount for a 9 inch pie dish (about 1.75 inches deep) and we haven’t scaled it for other sizes as this time. Lemon meringue can be a particular recipe, so we’d recommend baking the recipe as is, knowing that it will not completely fill your dish if you are using a deeper size.
How would I make this for 20 people in one bake? Regarding ingredient adjustment. TIA
Hi Joanna! We would recommend making multiple pies to feed 20 people (2 pies with thinner slices or 3 pies to have extra). It is best to make separate batches instead of multiplying. You could search for a lemon meringue pie bars recipe with good reviews instead, if you’re looking for a single batch to serve 20 people. Let us know what you try!
Love your page
Hi Sally,
I followed your recipe but I had to pull the pie at 17 minutes because it was browning and the foil was sticking to the meringue. It looked great after cooling for an hour then I went to pick it up and liquid came out of the side. What did I do wrong? I even spread the meringue to the edges and it had stiff peaks. I let the filling cook on the stove top until there were big bubbles. I’m so confused.
Hi Jordan! A weeping meringue could be the result of a few things– see #3 above in Here’s Why This Recipe Works where we discuss how to avoid a weeping meringue. Was it particularly humid the day you made it?
I just made your lemon meringue pie. I can’t wait to have a piece. Thank you for this recipe.
I’m 14, and this was my first time making a lemon meringue pie. I made it for my dad. Sally makes recipes so easy to understand!
Hi Sally: Should I cover the meringue pie when putting it in the fridge to cool for four hours?
Thanks!
Hi Diane, you can keep it uncovered for that time in the fridge, and then cover after 4 hours.
I wasn’t sure I could make this delicious pie but I did! The recipe was supported by invaluable tips. Fearful that I couldn’t get the timing right but again, I did it!
If only I could upload a pic.
I made it with gluten-free flour. I made the lemon filling by beating up all the ingredients in microwave safe bowl till very frothy. Placed in microwave for 2 minutes. Beat it again microwave for 1min:30secs then beat again. Repeat decreasing microwave time to 1minute till froth starts to disappear and mixture thickens. Add butter beat lightly. Pour into pie base continue as in recipe. Easy and delicious. Made twice in 1 week
I made without crust and cooked until meringue browned for 15 minutes. Used juice of 2 limes and 2 lemons. The limes really add a special touch. Delicious. Will make again with crust and maybe add some limoncello next time.
I’ve used your recipe many times and it really is perfection. I made 2 beauties tonight that will help raise money for our local historical society tomorrow. Hope they don’t weep or I will!
Wish it would let me post a picture. They’re that pretty!
Hi Deb & Sally,
I love my lemon filling for my pie to be VERY lemony & tart. Will this recipe come out that way or what would you suggest I could add?
I’ve made this three times now and it comes out perfectly delicious. Recipe is easy to follow.Lots of ooohs and ahhhs when I bring it to a family dinner! Thanks Sally!!!
Cecilia
Thanks Sally. I’m not much of a baker so I followed the recipe closely. It worked a treat. Everything turned out as expected, I was surprised.
Hi Sally!
I used to bake this pie when I was a teenager, we’re talking in the 60s, using my mother’s Betty Crocker cookbook. It always came out really well, although the meringue was shrunk, and the crust was never perfect, but fortunately no one cared your videos and websites Are amazing so very very helpful and I learned a lot. However, the meringue was a big disappointment it did not whip up the way I’m used to or hold peaks like I am used to it doing. The old recipe did not use salt, but used a little bit of lemon juice & only used three egg whites. I’m a little confused as to what I did wrong with the meringue, although it’s entirely possible I got a little bit of yolk in there, which would explain it not whipping up to the kind of peaks we are used to. I did learn a lot about making a better pie crust, and the filling was fantastic, thank you!
Hey, Laura!
Fats are the enemy of whipped egg whites. Any fat in the bowl or on the beaters will prevent your whites from whipping up. The most likely problem was a bowl or beaters that weren’t clean OR some egg yolk that made it’s way into your whites as you were separating them.
When I was baking the lemon meringue the meringue started rising and after baking the crust started crimping.
Hi Sally! Any tips on how to make this in advanced to bring to work? I want to bring it for a work morning tea but it says its best enjoyed on the day. Would it make sense to finish baking at like 12am and let it chill in the fridge until I have to leave for work in the morning?
Hi Isabelle, that should be fine. It’s best to eat as soon as you can after making it. Enjoy!
Hi Sally,
I do a lot of baking and like your recipes the best. I bought your cookbook.
Thank you for being such a good baker.