Learn how to make lemon meringue pie completely from scratch with a homemade all-butter crust, silky lemon filling, and a fluffy toasted meringue topping. Bright, sweet, and citrusy, it’s the perfect dessert for every season and occasion!
I enjoy a rich, chocolatey dessert like a chocolate layer cake or brown butter chocolate chip cookies as much as the next person. However, when the weather is warm, I find myself reaching for lighter, brighter treats, and this lemon meringue pie recipe is always at the top of my list.
It starts with a buttery, flaky pie crust. Then, I add a bright, citrusy filling and finish with a whipped meringue topping. What sets this recipe apart is the use of Italian meringue. Unlike French meringue or Swiss meringue, Italian meringue creates a sturdier, more stable topping that holds its shape well while still being light and fluffy.
Finished with golden brown peaks, this lemon meringue pie is every bit as impressive in appearance as it is delicious. It. holds up well even after slicing and is special enough for holidays and special occasions yet light and refreshing enough for warm summer gatherings.
Ingredients and Notes
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredient list and instructions.
- All-Butter Pie Dough – You can use a pre-made pie crust if needed. However, I prefer to make a homemade crust using all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, unsalted butter, ice water, and egg wash.
Lemon Filling
- Egg Yolks – These are key for creating the rich, silky, lemon curd-like consistency we want. Save the whites for the meringue!
- Sugar – Granulated sugar adds sweetness, balancing the tartness of the lemon.
- Cornstarch – This thickens and stabilizes the filling so it holds its shape once sliced. Potato starch works well, too.
- Salt – Just a pinch enhances the rest of the ingredients, creating a balanced flavor and a bolder lemon taste.
- Lemon – Fresh lemon zest and lemon juice create a bright, citrusy taste. Avoid the white pith when zesting. It can cause the filling to taste bitter.
- Butter – Once melted and stirred into the filling, unsalted butter adds richness and creates a smooth, glossy consistency.
Italian Meringue
- Egg Whites – The base of the meringue, these whip into a light, fluffy topping. Make sure there are no yolks in the whites, or the meringue won’t whip properly! Also, skip using boxed egg whites. They take longer to whip and are typically less stable.
- Granulated Sugar – This adds sweetness and structure, helping to stabilize the meringue.
- Salt – This balances the sweetness and encourages the egg proteins to bond, which leads to a more stable meringue.
- Cream of Tartar – An acid stabilizer, cream of tartar strengthens the protein bonds around the trapped air bubbles, creating more volume and a glossy appearance while preventing the meringue from weeping.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract adds depth to the flavor.
How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie
1. Prepare the Crust
2. Make the Lemon Filling
3. Make the Meringue
4. Assemble the Pie
Nick’s Tips for Success
- Keep everything cold when making the crust. Cold butter creates steam as it bakes, resulting in flaky layers. If the dough becomes soft while working with it, chill it before continuing.
- Don’t skip freezing the shaped crust. Chilling the dough before baking prevents shrinking and helps the crimped edges hold their shape.
- Whisk the filling constantly. Continuous whisking prevents lumps and ensures the filling thickens evenly.
- Pour the filling into a warm crust. This helps the filling and crust bond together, reducing the chance of separation after cooling.
- Spread the meringue over hot filling. The heat from the filling helps cook the underside of the meringue and minimizes weeping.
- Avoid overwhipping the meringue. Stop mixing as soon as stiff, glossy peaks form. Overwhipped meringue can become grainy and difficult to spread.
- Prevent burning. If the edges of the crust begin to brown too quickly, wrap them with aluminum foil and continue to bake until the meringue is set.
- Use a hot, clean knife for serving. Wipe the blade between slices to create clean cuts without dragging the filling or meringue.
Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
This homemade lemon meringue pie recipe is a classic dessert that's perfect to serve all year long. With a flaky, from-scratch all-butter crust, a silky lemon filling, and a fluffy, toasted Italian meringue topping, every bite is bright, tangy, and perfectly sweet. It takes a little extra effort to make each component from scratch, but the steps are simple, and the end result is worth it!
Equipment
- 1 (9-inch/23 centimeter) Metal Pie Plate
- 3 Mixing Bowls
- 1 Rolling Pin
- Pie Weights or Ceramic Baking Beads
- 1 Medium Saucepan
- 1 Stand Mixer Fitted with a Whisk Attachment
- 1 Instant-Read Thermometer or Candy Thermometer
- 1 Pastry Brush
- 1 Kitchen Torch (Optional)
Ingredients
All-Butter Pie Dough
- 2 cup (263 gram) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 gram) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (2 gram) baking powder
- 12 tablespoon (170 gram) cold unsalted butter, sliced into ½ inch (1.25 centimeter) cubes
- 4-6 tablespoon (60-90 milliliter) ice water, as needed
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliter) water
Lemon Filling
- ¾ cup (177 milliliter) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon (6 gram) lemon zest
- 1 cup (200 gram) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (38 gram) cornstarch OR ⅓ cup (65 gram) potato starch
- ¼ teaspoon (1½ gram) salt
- ¾ cup (177 milliliter) water
- 6 large egg yolk
- 4 tablespoon (57 gram) unsalted butter
Meringue
- 6 large egg white
- ¼ teaspoon (1 gram) cream of tartar
- 1¼ cup (250 gram) granulated sugar
- ⅙ teaspoon (¾ gram) salt
- ½ cup (118 milliliter) water
- ½ teaspoon (2½ milliliter) vanilla extract
Instructions
Make and Blind Bake the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Using your hands, a pastry cutter, or a bench scraper, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.12 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
- Add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together.4-6 tablespoon ice water
- Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Roll the dough into an 11-inch (28 centimeter) circle and fit it into a nine-inch (23 centimeter) metal pie plate.
- Gently lift and press the dough into the corners of the plate. Fold excess dough underneath itself and crimp the edges.
- Freeze the shaped crust for at least one hour.
- Line the crust with parchment paper, and fill it with pie weights.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the egg and water to make the egg wash.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water
- Remove the parchment and pie weights.
- Brush the crust evenly with the egg wash.
- Return the crust to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes more, until golden brown and fully baked.
- Set aside and keep warm while preparing the filling.
Make the Lemon Filling
- In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and lemon zest. Let sit for 15 minutes.¾ cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch OR ⅓ cup (65 gram) potato starch, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Gradually whisk in the water, followed by the lemon juice and zest mixture.¾ cup water
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about two minutes.
- Place the egg yolks in a separate bowl.6 large egg yolk
- Slowly whisk about one cup of the hot lemon mixture into the yolks to temper them.
- Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
- Continue cooking for one to two minutes, whisking constantly, until thick, glossy, and smooth.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted.4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Immediately pour the hot filling into the warm pie crust.
Make the Meringue
- Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.6 large egg white, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, and water.1¼ cup granulated sugar, ⅙ teaspoon salt, ½ cup water
- Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer.
- Stop stirring and continue cooking until the syrup reaches 230°F (110°C). If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, brush them down with a pastry brush dipped in water.
- Once the syrup reaches 230°F (110°C), begin whipping the egg whites on medium speed until frothy.
- Continue cooking the syrup until it reaches 240°F (115°C).
- Increase the mixer speed to high.
- Carefully pour the hot syrup down the side of the mixing bowl in a slow, steady stream.
- Add the vanilla extract.½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Continue whipping until the meringue is glossy, thick, and holds stiff peaks. Do not over whip or meringue will be grainy. Set aside.
- Do not over whip, or the meringue may become grainy.
Assemble the Pie
- Spread the meringue over the hot lemon filling immediately.
- Start at the edges and completely seal the meringue to the crust to prevent shrinking and weeping.
- Pile the meringue toward the center to create height.
- Use the back of a spoon to create decorative peaks and swirls.
Bake and Finish
- Reduce the oven temperature to 275°F (135°C).
- Bake the assembled pie for ten minutes to help set the meringue.
- Remove from the oven.
- Use a kitchen torch or the broiler to toast the meringue until golden brown with lightly charred peaks.
- Cool completely at room temperature for at least three hours.
- Refrigerate for two to three hours before slicing for the cleanest cuts.
Video
Notes
*Adjust the ingredient amounts in the recipe instructions accordingly if doubling the recipe to make two pies.
Storage:
– Refrigerator: Store cooled lemon meringue pie loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
– Freezer: Lemon meringue pie is not ideal for freezing, as the meringue can become watery and lose its texture when thawed. If needed, freeze the baked pie without the meringue for up to three months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and top with freshly made meringue before serving.
– Refrigerator: Store cooled lemon meringue pie loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
– Freezer: Lemon meringue pie is not ideal for freezing, as the meringue can become watery and lose its texture when thawed. If needed, freeze the baked pie without the meringue for up to three months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and top with freshly made meringue before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 616kcal, Carbohydrates: 86g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 221mg, Sodium: 502mg, Potassium: 146mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 57g, Vitamin A: 920IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is the best dessert for summer!