Foolproof Lemon Meringue Pie
Finally, a lemon meringue pie that is reliably delicious and presentable! No beading, gaping, shrinking, separating, or crying. Plus, this pie is filled to the BRIM with a delicious, tart lemon curd and mounded high with a smooth and light meringue that will leave you wanting seconds…and thirds.
This post may contain affiliate links from which, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission to keep this site running. Only products I myself would or do use are recommended.
Lemon meringue pie is my white whale. I’ve spent about 10 years trying to perfect it. So many (delicious) tries to get that perfect pie.
And I did it. I found the perfect lemon meringue pie recipe that’s not overly complicated and doesn’t weep or separate or bead or shrink or gape at the edges. And it’s sooo lemony.
Except I have yet to have any luck photographing it. Something always comes up or I cannot get a decently clean slice or the lighting’s gone and the slice falls flat by the next day. See? White whale.
So, while I wish my meringue would have sliced as clean as a cake (maybe my expectations are too hight?), I was so happy to finally get a slice worthy of sharing with you! Because this really is a foolproof, delicious, beautiful pie that won’t end up with all of the common tragedies that make people avoid making lemon meringue.
Just follow the recipe as written and read through my tips, and you will be doing the happy baker dance of mastering this elusive white whale of a pie.
How to make foolproof lemon meringue pie
First, pre-bake your pie crust. I’ve used several pie crusts for this, but I like to use my foolproof classic crust with some lemon zest in it to ensure it will cooperate predictably.
Blind bake it with rice or pie weights.
While the pie bakes, get your filling ingredients ready. Mise en place (literally, setting up) is key for lemon meringue.
When the crust is golden, make your lemon filling. As soon as it’s thickened, remove from heat but keep stirring occasionally as you make the meringue.
Whip the meringue to stiff peaks.
Stir the lemon filling over low heat for another few seconds, stirring vigorously, then spread in pie crust.
Add meringue into a giant mound, sealing the edges of the crust with it.
Bake until golden.
Let cool AT LEAST two hours, or until the pie pan is cool to the touch on the bottom. Trust me.
Enjoy!
Tips and notes for this recipe
Cool completely before slicing
Been there, done that. Like, many times. If you slice this too early, the lemon filling will spill out and separate. You’ll have a soupy mess that pools underneath the crust. Be sure the bottom of the pie pan is cool to the touch before you cut into it.
Cook lemon filling as directed
Not cooking the filling long enough will mean it won’t ever set up and will be a soupy mess. Cooking too long actually can break the filling, causing it to separate and make a watery pool underneath. Instead, cook just until thickened as directed. Be sure to stir vigorously as you cook, so nothing in the corners of the pan curdles or hardens. And don’t forget to stir it occasionally as you make the meringue, as it can form a skin that will ruin it as it cools. And be careful when re-heating it once the meringue is whipped. You just want to ensure it’s still warm when the meringue goes on top, which shouldn’t take much.
Don’t over whip the meringue
Ugh, this one! Once the meringue is shiny, stop mixing and check for the peaks to hold their shape. If they do, you are good. If you keep going, you’ll end up with an overly airy meringue that is not at all pleasant. And don’t worry if you see some sugar granules. After this bakes, they will dissolve into the meringue.
Seal the edges with the meringue
You want to make sure that there are no air gaps between the meringue and the crust. Otherwise, it will shrink and pull away from the crust as it bakes and cools.
Adjust the water/lemon ratio to your lemon liking
Yeah, that’s a vague tip. You want 2 cups total liquid in the filling. I like to do up to 75% lemon juice, meaning 1 1/2 cups lemon and 1/2 cup water. You can do half and half, or even less, depending on how lemony you like your pie. Just remember to keep 1/2 cup lemon juice for stirring in at the end, because it helps keep the lemon flavor bright (cooking dilutes some of it).
Make the crust ahead to save time
Lemon meringue pie can feel very time consuming. I highly suggest making a double crust so you have extra for another time. Put one in the fridge overnight and one in the freezer for a future pie. It will make your time feel more worth it and will save you stress if this is your first time trying lemon meringue.
You might also like:
Foolproof Lemon Meringue Pie
- prep time: 30-35 minutes
- chill time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- bake time: 1 hour
- total time: about 3 hours (plus time to cool--can be split up)
servings: 8-12
Ingredients:
for the lemon filling
- ½ cup water (see note)
- 1 ½ cups lemon juice, separated
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 8 egg yolks
- 1-2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into a few pieces
for the meringue topping
- 8 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions:
- Make the pie crust. This can be done ahead of time. When ready to bake, roll the crust to about 3 inches larger than the pie pan (so 12” for a 9” pan). Gently roll onto a rolling pin, fit over pie pan, then gently slide into the pan and press into the edges. Fold the overhang to be flush with the edge of the pan, then shape as desired. Freeze the crust for 30 minutes to help it keep its shape.
- While the crust freezes, preheat the oven to 375. When ready, line the crust with a double layer of foil (cross the layers so all of the edge is covered). Fill with rice or pie weights and gently tent the edges of the crust (don’t seal them in). Bake for 30 minutes then remove the foil and rice/weights and bake another 10-15 minutes, until the bottom becomes golden. Remove from the oven to cool while you prep the filling.
prep the filling
- While the crust cooks, prep all of your filling and meringue ingredients. You won’t have time to crack the eggs or measure out ingredients while you’re making the filling and meringue. Combine the water, all but ½ cup lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch for the filling in a medium saucepan. Have everything else ready in prep bowls next to your stove. For the meringue, combine the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together and have a tablespoon ready to use for it.
- Once the crust is done, let it cool on a wire rack and turn oven to 325 while you make the filling. Heat the water, all but ½ cup lemon juice, cornstarch, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until filling reaches 170 degrees or begins to thicken and look a little translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Remove filling from heat. Whisk in egg yolks one at a time, whisking quickly and constantly as you do so. Optional: if you’re nervous putting the yolks straight in the pot, you could temper them by slowly whisking a little bit of the lemon mixture into the eggs.
- Slowly stream in the ½ cup lemon juice, the zest, and the butter, whisking constantly. Return mixture to heat and bring to a simmer for about 30 seconds to one minute, until it thickens slightly. If it looks clumpy at any point, remove from heat and whisk quickly to smooth it out.
- After it’s simmered, remove from heat. Set aside, whisking a few times while you make the meringue. Plan ahead so you can move straight to making the meringue. If you let the lemon filling cool too much before making the meringue, it could break when reheating it or separate from the meringue in baking.
make the meringue topping
- Turn the mixer to medium until the whites are frothy. Then turn to high. Once the eggs start to thicken and turn white, begin adding one tablespoon of the sugar/cornstarch mixture at a time, with the mixer running. You only need to wait a few seconds between additions. Don’t forget to whisk the lemon mixture from time to time while you do this.
- Continue mixing until shiny and stiff peaks have just formed (don’t over whip). Once shiny and stiff peaks have formed, turn the mixer off.
fill the pie and bake
- Return the lemon filling to the stove over low heat, whisking constantly. You just want to make sure it’s still hot, so only heat it until it’s a little steamy or hot to the touch (this should only take about 30 seconds or so).
- Pour lemon filling into the pie crust and spread evenly. Add the meringue using a rubber spatula, placing spoonfuls around the edge of the crust first, then filling in the middle then building a mound on top. This will make a large mound of meringue, but it will sink a little when it cools. Use the back of a spoon to make decorative swirls or whatever design you prefer.
- Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes, until the meringue is a light golden brown.
- Let cool on a wire rack for at least two hours, until the bottom of the pie pan is cool to the touch. A wire rack is ideal so that the pie cools evenly.
- Once cool, serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Enjoy!