Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie makes the best summertime dessert! The lemon filling is perfectly balanced with a sweet and tart flavor. Adding the toasted and fluffy Meringue topping takes this classic pie recipe to the next level.

My entire family loves lemon desserts and this pie is perfect for sharing for any occasion. For even more lemon recipes, make Lemon Lush Dessert and Lemon Angel Food Cake.

Why You’ll Love this Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

• Bursting with Lemon Flavor – We use fresh lemon to make this pie which helps to ensure each bite is full of sweet and tart flavor.
• Fluffy Meringue – The star of the show is the Meringue topping. It is light, fluffy and melts in your mouth.
• Simple Ingredients – This pie is made with simple pantry ingredients. This Best Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe is foolproof and requires minimal prep time.

Ingredients

• Pie Crust – You can use premade crust or Homemade Pie Crust
• Granulated Sugar – Add the perfect amount of sweetness to the filling
• Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest – For the best flavor we recommend fresh lemon
• Cornstarch – Helps to thicken the filling
• Large Egg Yolks – Save the egg whites to make the meringue
• Butter – We used unsalted butter

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie

• Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

Step 2 – Bake the pie crust for 9-11 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool completely.

Step 3 – Stir together the sugar, cornstarch and kosher salt in a saucepan. Then add the lemon juice and combine with sugar mixture.

Step 4 – Add the lemon zest and egg yolks. Stir to combine with a whisk or the whisk attachment on a mixer.

Step 5 – Pour in water. Mix together.

Step 6 – Once combined, turn the heat to medium. Whisk continuously until the mixture starts to thicken. It will take 6-8 minutes.

Step 7 – After the mixture is the desired consistency, remove from heat.  Add butter and stir until melted, combined and smooth. 

Step 8 – Pour this mixture into the cooled pie crust. 

Step 9 – Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar for one minute on medium-high speed.

Step 10 – Once combined, increase the speed to high for 4 minutes until soft peaks form. Next, add the sugar and salt to the mixture. Beat on high for 2 minutes until stiff peaks appear.

Step 11 – Spread the meringue on top of the filing with a spatula or spoon.

• Step 12 – Bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven at 375 degrees on the lowest rack on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you notice the meringue is browning too fast, loosely cover the pie with aluminum foil (make sure that it does not touch the top of the pie).  
• Step 13 – Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Then place in the fridge to set completely for 4 hours. Then the pie is ready to slice, serve and enjoy!  

Recipe Tips

• Topping with Meringue – The filling needs to be warm when you add the meringue. This will help the 2 layers to seal properly. I like to cover the pie with foil to make sure it stays warm while I make the meringue. 
• Combining Lemon Curd – Heat the lemon curd ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. You want to stir the mixture together until desired thickness and to ensure everything is combined.
• Spreading Meringue on Pie – Make sure to spread the meringue all the way to the edge of the pie crust. This will help to prevent water from forming in between the filling and meringue that could make the pie watery. Use the back of the spoon to make peaks in the meringue. 
• Allow Pie to Cool – Before serving this pie, allow it to rest for about 1 hour at room temperature then chill in the fridge.

How to Keep Crust from Getting Soggy

If you have a problem with the crust getting soggy, it is best to create a barrier before pouring in the lemon filling.

We recommend to slightly beat an egg and brush it on the pie crust before pouring filling. This will create a seal resulting in the pie crust to be crisp and flaky.