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This easy lemon meringue pie has a bright, creamy lemon filling and a cloud-like toasted meringue topping — all nestled inside a buttery crust. It looks impressive, tastes incredible, and is surprisingly simple to make at home. And to make things even easier? You can use a store-bought pie crust instead of homemade.
For more crowd-pleasing classic pie recipes, try my Coconut Cream Pie or this summery Peach Pie.
Why you’ll love this lemon meringue pie recipe!
Everyone has their favorite pie. For some, it’s a classic apple pie, while others might prefer pumpkin pie or cherry pie. But for me, lemon meringue is the ultimate pie and definitely up there as one of my personal favorites!
Why is it so good? There are a few reasons: the zesty lemon flavor, the fluffy meringue topping, and the buttery crust. If you’ve never tried lemon meringue pie before, homemade is definitely the way to go!
- Bright and citrusy: Fresh lemon juice and zest give the filling bold, sunny flavor.
- Perfect balance of sweet and tart: The fluffy meringue softens the tangy lemon filling beautifully.
- Light yet rich: Creamy filling and airy topping make every bite irresistible.
- Shortcut-friendly: Use a store-bought crust to save time.
- Make-ahead friendly: Chill in advance for easy entertaining.
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Pie crust – Use store-bought, or you’ll need flour, salt, sugar, butter, and ice water to make it from scratch.
- Cornstarch – This is essential for thickening the filling.
- Granulated sugar – To balance the tart lemon.
- Lemon – You’ll need the juice and the zest.
- Egg yolks – Reserve the egg whites for the meringue.
- Unsalted butter – Cut this butter into cubes, too.
- Meringue – For this, you’ll need egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar, vanilla, and kosher salt.
How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie Filling
- Prepare the crust: Use a store-bought shell or pie crust dough, or make it from scratch.
- Start the lemon mixture: Whisk together cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the water and the lemon juice and bring to a boil until the mixture thickens. Put the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Add the sugar mixture slowly while stirring constantly with a whisk. Put the tempered yolks back in the saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer while constantly stirring with a rubber spatula. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in butter and lemon zest until the butter has melted and is fully incorporated.
- Finish the filling: Pour the filling into the pie crust and cover with plastic wrap, making sure to press the wrap directly onto the surface of the filling. Refrigerate.
- Make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Place the bowl over a double boiler. Continue whisking until the sugar is dissolved. Put the bowl into the mixer with a whisk attachment. Add the vanilla and whisk on medium-high until you have stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Put the bowl into the mixer with a whisk attachment. Add the vanilla and whisk on medium-high until you have stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and, using a spatula, mound the meringue onto the filling. Make sure to cover it so that it goes all the way to the edges of the crust. Use swirls and peaks to make it look pretty. Toast it with a kitchen torch or by using your oven’s broiler until it is golden brown. Let it cool for about 4 hours in your fridge.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store loosely covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze this pie for up to 3 months, but the meringue texture may become watery or slightly rubbery once thawed. For best results, freeze without the meringue and add fresh meringue before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
It tastes a little bit like lemon curd topped fluffy, cloud-like meringue. Between the pastry crust and the filling, it also has a nice, buttery flavor.
Yes, you should put lemon meringue pie in the fridge—in fact, you have to! Lemon meringue pie is meant to be served chilled and should not be stored at room temperature.
Your lemon meringue pie will need to be refrigerated for at least 4 hours before you dig in. The waiting is hard, I know!
Yes, you can freeze lemon meringue pie for up to 3 months. However, freezing can change the texture of the meringue, making it watery after thawing. For best results, freeze the pie without the meringue and add freshly whipped meringue before serving.
More Desserts for Lemon Lovers
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Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter chilled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 6 tbsp ice water
Filling
- 5 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 5 egg yolks reserve egg whites for meringue
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter diced
Meringue
- 5 egg whites
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
Pie Crust
- Add half of the flour to a medium mixing bowl with salt and sugar and stir to combine.
- Add butter cubes to the flour mix and stir with a fork to coat the butter.
- Cut the butter into the flour with a fork or pastry blender working until you have a sandy texture similar to breadcrumbs.
- Add remaining flour and continue to cut in butter until flour is evenly distributed and looks like pea-sized crumbs.
- Sprinkle ice water little by little while using a spatula to press the dough into itself. If you pinch the dough and it stays together, it’s ready. It’s important not to overwork the dough.
- Cut dough in half and wrap each half in plastic. Refrigerate both until ready to use.
- When ready to use, remove one half and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into a 12-inch round at ⅛-inch thick.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Gently place the pie crust into the pie tin pressing evenly on the bottom and sides. Trim and pinch the edges to crimp. Let chil for 2 hours.
- Dock the crust with a fork and lay a sheet of parchment paper over. Fill with pie weights or uncooked rice or beans and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment and pie weights. Bake again for 10-12 minutes or until the edges and crust are golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
Filling
- Whisk together cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add 1 ½ cups of water and the lemon juice and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat until very thick.
- Add the egg yolks to a medium sized mixing bowl. Temper the yolks by slowly adding the sugar mixture and stirring constantly with a whisk. Add the tempered yolks back to the saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer while constantly stirring with a rubber spatula.
- Remove from the heat and stir in butter and lemon zest until the butter is fully melted and incorporated. Pour the filling into the pie crust and cover with plastic wrap being sure to push the plastic directly onto the surface of the filling. Refrigerate.
Meringue
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt and whisk to combine. Over a double-boiler, continue to whisk until the sugar is dissolved and feels warm to the touch. Be sure the water is not touching the bowl.
- Place the bowl into the mixer with a whisk attachment fitted. Add the vanilla and whisk on medium-high until you form stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.
To Finish
- Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and, using a spatula, mound the meringue onto the pie making sure to cover the entirety all the way to the edges of the crust. Using the spatula, make swirls and peaks in the meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen torch or by using the broiler on your oven until toasted and golden brown. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 4 hours.
Notes
- Spread meringue over warm filling for better adhesion.
- Seal meringue to the crust edges to prevent shrinking.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the brightest flavor.
- Chill completely before slicing for clean cuts.
- Wipe your knife clean between slices for neat presentation.
