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This classic Lemon Meringue Pie is a combination of a buttery pie crust, lemon curd filling, and a fluffy meringue topping.

A whole lemon meringue pie with a slice taken out

OVERVIEW

This classic lemon meringue pie recipe yields a wonderfully tart and light deep dish pie that’s perfect for warmer weather. With from scratch pie crust, lemon filling, and meringue, this totally homemade pie is worth every bit of effort!

What makes this pie so impressive

  • When made properly, lemon meringue pie always wows a crowd. Keep this recipe in your back pocket when you need a show stopping dessert. 
  • Swiss meringue is the secret component to this recipe. Unlike French meringue, Swiss meringue will remain strong and stable – key to preventing a soggy, watery pie.
  • Torched desserts are always impressive to me! Toasting the meringue is optional, but this little extra effort adds a wow factor.

Variation Ideas

Lime Meringue Pie: Swap the lemon juice and zest with fresh lime juice and zest for a twist on this classic recipe.

Cranberry Meringue Pie: Swap the lemon juice with cranberry juice. If using bottled juice, make sure it’s unsweetened and 100% juice.0% juice.

Lemon Cream Pie: Instead of topping the pie with Swiss meringue, top with fresh whipped cream. The creamy topping pairs wonderfully with the tart lemon curd.

How to make a Classic Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon meringue pie consists of 3 components: pie crust, lemon curd filling, and meringue topping. I like to make the pie dough the day before so that it can sit in the refrigerator overnight and eliminate the number of steps on the day I make the pie.

Steps in making a lemon meringue pie:

  1. Make the pie dough
  2. Bake the pie crust
  3. Make the lemon curd filling
  4. Make the Swiss meringue
  5. Top the pie with meringue and toast the topping

MAKE & BAKE THE PIE CRUST

Pie crust in a pie plate being crimped on the edges

Traditional pie pastry is extremely simple and requires just a few pantry staples: flour, solid fat (butter, shortening, or lard), salt, and ice water. My guide to homemade pie crust is a great place to start if you’ve never made pie crust before. When working with pie dough, controlling gluten development is the most important factor. To keep the crust tender, work the dough as little as possible once the water is added.

The method we use for making pie dough is actually very similar to The Biscuit Mixing Method. Solid fat is cut or rubbed into the dough and kept in solid pieces which melt in the oven, creating little pockets of steam and flakiness. 

Because lemon meringue pie filling does not bake in the oven, the pie crust needs to blind bake before assembling the pie.

For a shortcut lemon meringue pie recipe, use a store-bought pie crust. Simply skip the pie dough instructions and begin with the lemon curd filling.

Make the Lemon Curd Filling

lemon curd being strained through a mesh sieve to remove any clumps

Fruit curd is one of my favorite pastry components! It’s so versatile and can be used as pie filling, in tarts (like this lemon curd tart), and spread onto biscuits, breads, cookies, and more.

To start, whisk the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Add all of the remaining ingredients to a medium saucepan. Whisk together and cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken. Once it has boiled for a full minute, temper the egg yolks. To do this, slowly stream in about one third of the hot liquid to the egg yolks while whisking continuously.

Add this egg yolk mixture into the pot with the rest of the hot liquid set on medium-low heat and continue to whisk. When the mixture comes back to a boil, cook for 3 more minutes. Continue whisking. Lemon curd is done when it coats the back of a spoon.

Why is it important to temper the egg yolks?

Eggs are extremely temperamental. When making a fruit curd, it’s important that the eggs are smooth and incorporate seamlessly with the other ingredients. To make sure this happens, we need to temper the egg yolks to prevent scrambled eggs and chunks of cooked egg in the curd.

To temper the egg yolks, stream in a portion of the hot liquid to the egg yolks while whisking continuously. This brings the egg yolks up to a high enough temperature (but doesn’t scramble them) so when they’re mixed with the other hot ingredients, they don’t cook and turn into egg chunks.

Once the lemon curd is fully cooked, pour the hot mixture through a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. This will catch any lumps that may have formed and guarantee a silky smooth filling. Pour the warm lemon curd directly into the baked pie crust. Place a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the curd so that it’s touching the surface. This prevents a film from forming.

It’s important to keep the lemon curd warm so make the meringue topping immediately.

Make the Swiss Meringue Topping

Swiss Meringue being whisked in a stand mixer
Swiss meringue as stiff peaks on the end of a whisk.

Swiss meringue is a very dense, stable, glossy, and fluffy meringue. It pipes like a dream and holds its shape without weeping. For this reason, it is great to use as a pie topping especially if you aren’t serving it immediately. 

Whisk together all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer or heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. If the water is touching the bowl, pour a bit of it out.

Whisk continuously, but do not whip air into the mixture. Check the mixture periodically by rubbing it between your fingers until there is no grittiness. If you have a thermometer, the mixture should reach 160°F/71°C.

Once the mixture feels smooth between your fingers, transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or use a hand mixer. 

Whip on medium-high speed until the mixture cools down and holds stiff peaks, about 5-7 minutes.

Top the Pie

A whole lemon meringue pie

Remove the plastic wrap over the lemon curd and dollop the meringue on top (you may not need to use all of the meringue). To make pretty swoops, use the back of a rubber spatula. The warmth of the lemon curd will act as a seal to keep the curd and meringue together.

Bake at 425°F/220°C for 4-5 minutes until browned. Alternatively, you can use a kitchen torch to brown the top.

Chill the pie for at least 2 hours before serving.

FAQ

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

For best results, fresh lemon juice and zest are best. I notice a huge difference in the brightness and flavor of this pie when using fresh lemons. Bottled lemon juice tends to give the pie a slightly metallic flavor.

What can I use instead of meringue?

Meringue is the traditional topping for a lemon pie however, you can swap the meringue for homemade whipped cream for a creamy lemon pie.

What kind of pie dish should I use?

This recipe was specifically written to be used in a deep dish pie plate. A deep dish pie plate is about 2.5 inches (6.3 cm) deep whereas, a regular pie plate is only about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) deep. If you use a regular pie plate, the crust will be too thick and you’ll have excess filling and topping.

How do you keep a meringue pie from weeping?

By using Swiss meringue, we can prevent the topping from weeping and making the pie soggy because it is a very stable type of meringue. The sugar in the meringue stabilizes the protein web that traps the air. The earlier in the process the sugar is added, the more stable the meringue.

It’s also important to spread the meringue on top of the lemon curd filling while the filling is still warm. The warm mixture will slightly heat the meringue and seal the two together. Not only will this keep the 2 layers together instead of separating, but it will prevent weeping.

MAKE-AHEAD CLASSIC LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Because the curd filling needs to be warm while adding the meringue topping, I do not suggest making the filling or meringue ahead of time. The pie crust however, can be made in advance.

Pie Crust: Store premade pie dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store a baked, un-filled pie crust in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (wrap tightly in plastic wrap before refrigerating).

STORAGE

Place a piece of plastic wrap loosely over the top of the assembled pie and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. After 3 days, the pie will release moisture and become watery.

MORE LEMON RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you loved this recipe, you might like to try these other lemony recipes!

A whole lemon meringue pie with a slice taken out
Yield: 10 servings

Lemon Meringue Pie

Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 22 minutes

Lemon Meringue Pie is a classic recipe with 3 simple components: pie crust, lemon curd, and meringue topping. This recipe calls for a deep dish pie plate.

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 180 grams (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 30 grams (2 ½ tablespoons) shortening
  • 57-85 grams (4-6 tablespoons, 60-90 milliliters) ice water

For the lemon curd filling

  • 145 grams (8 large) egg yolks
  • 38 grams (5 tablespoons) cornstarch
  • 267 grams (1 ⅓ cups) granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 360 grams (1 ½ cups, 360 milliliters) fresh lemon juice, from about 6 medium or 5 large lemons
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cubed

For the Swiss Meringue Topping

  • 112 grams (about 4 large) egg whites, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 170 grams (¾ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons) granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prep: 

  1. Read through this recipe in its entirety to get a feel for the workflow. 
  2. Measure out all of the ingredients and gather the equipment.

Make the Pie crust:

*I prefer to make the pie dough the day before making a meringue pie that way the dough can relax in the refrigerator overnight before rolling it out.

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (180 grams/ 1 ½ cups) and salt (½ teaspoon).
  2. Add the shortening (30 grams/ 2 ½ tablespoons) and cold butter (85 grams/ 6 tablespoons) to the bowl and toss with your hands so all of the fat is coated with flour. Use the tips of your fingers and thumbs to press down on all of the pieces of fat, creating little sheets of fat throughout your mixture. If it feels like the fat is starting to melt, pop the bowl in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes before continuing. Continue working the fat through the flour until all of the fat has been worked through and ranges in size from peas to walnuts throughout. 
  3. Add the ice water (57-85 grams/ 4-6 tablespoons) little by little into the mixture. Fold the mixture gently with a silicone spatula to incorporate. Use a light hand to slowly hydrate the flour as you add more water. You may not need all of the water. Once large clumps of dough start forming, gather the dough up and press it together. If it crumbles then you need to add a little more water. If it holds together then you are ready to chill the dough. 
  4. Bring the dough together on your counter and press into one mass and knead very gently for one or two turns to bring it into a cohesive dough.
  5. Press flat into a round disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes (or overnight) to allow the gluten to relax and the flour to fully hydrate. 
  6. Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C.
  7. Lightly flour a clean work surface and place your chilled dough on top. Lightly flour the top of the dough and your rolling pin. As you roll the dough, lift it up, turn it, and redistribute flour underneath it every few rolls to prevent sticking. Roll the dough out to about 1 ½ - 2-inches (4 -5 cm) wider than your 9 inch (23 cm) deep dish pie dish all the way around. This is important so that your dough doesn’t need to stretch to fit down into the plate, which can cause it to shrink.
  8. Set the rolling pin in the middle and fold the dough in half over the rolling pin. Gently transfer it into the pie plate, unrolling it off the rolling pin. 
  9. Lift up on the sides of the crust to allow it to fall naturally into the pie plate without having to stretch it. 
  10. If there are places that don’t have quite enough dough to hang over the edge, you can patch it with pieces from the other side. 
  11. Trim the excess dough leaving about ½-inch overhang all the way around the pie plate. Fold the extra dough under, creating a lip all the way around and crimp the edges. Using a fork, dock the crust a few times on the bottom and up the sides. 
  12. Place a piece of parchment paper over top of the pie crust and fill it with dry beans, rice, or pie weights; they should fill the pan all the way to the top. This will help the crust hold its shape and not shrink while baking. I typically use dried beans for this and save them to reuse. 
  13. Optional: I suggest placing your crust in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up before baking to prevent shrinkage. 
  14. Bake in the bottom third of the oven for 20 minutes. 
  15. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights from the crust. Return the crust to the oven and bake for another 12-15 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and fully set. Set aside to cool while making the filing.

Make the Lemon Curd Filling:

  1. Whisk the egg yolks (145 grams, 8 large) together in a medium bowl and set aside. 
  2. In a medium saucepan, whisk the cornstarch (38 grams, 5 tablespoons) if using, sugar (267 grams, 1 ⅓ cups), salt (¼ teaspoon), and lemon juice (360 grams, 1 ½ cups) together.
  3. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking continuously until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. 
  4. Once the mixture has boiled for about 1 minute and has thickened, temper the egg yolks by slowly streaming in about a third of the hot liquid while whisking continuously. 
  5. Add the egg yolk mixture into the pot with the rest of the hot liquid and continue heating on medium-low heat while whisking continuously. When the mixture comes back to a boil, cook for about 3 minutes longer. It should coat the back of a spoon and if you trace a line with your finger across the spoon the line should remain visible.
  6. Pour the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Add the lemon zest (2 teaspoons) and the butter (85 grams, 6 tablespoons) and whisk to combine. 
  7. Pour the warm lemon curd directly into the baked pie crust and smooth with a spatula. Place a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the curd to prevent a film from forming while you make the meringue topping. Make the meringue immediately so that the lemon curd stays warm.

Make the Swiss meringue:

  1. Set a medium saucepan filled about halfway with water on the stove over medium-low heat to bring to a simmer.
  2. Combine all of the ingredients together including the egg whites (112 grams), cream of tartar (½ teaspoon), granulated sugar (170 grams), salt (¼ teaspoon), and vanilla extract (¾ teaspoon) in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a heatproof bowl. Whisk to combine.
  3. Set the bowl over the pan of simmering water. If the water is touching the bowl, pour a bit of it out.
  4. Stir with the whisk continuously, but do not whip air into the mixture. Check the mixture periodically by rubbing it between your fingers until there is no grittiness. If you have a thermometer, the mixture should reach 160°F/71°C.
  5. Once the mixture feels smooth between your fingers, transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer.
  6. Whip on medium-high speed until the mixture cools down and holds stiff peaks, about 5-7 minutes.

Top the pie:

  1. Dollop the meringue over the warm lemon curd and use the back of a spatula to create swoops in the meringue for aesthetic purposes. You may not need to use all of the meringue.
  2. Bake at 425°F/220°C for 4-5 minutes until browned. Alternatively, you can use a culinary torch to brown the top.
  3. Chill the pie for at least 2 hours before serving.

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© Baker Bettie