Lemon Meringue Pie

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Chill Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes

Slice of lemon meringue pie on a white dessert plate.

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Classic Lemon Meringue Pie is the dessert of your dreams. With a tart lemon filling and sweet clouds of meringue, this pie is guaranteed to impress anyone lucky enough to get a slice.

Ingredients

1 pie crust (homemade or refrigerated)

For the Filling:

1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
½ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest

For the Meringue:

4 egg whites
⅓ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

Pre-bake pie crust: Cover with parchment paper and pie weights or beans so crust does not puff up. (use my homemade pie crust recipe if you prefer!)
Bake at 400° for 10 - 12 minutes, or according to directions on package. Remove pie weights and parchment and continue to bake until bottom of crust is starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Turn oven down to 325°.
Meanwhile, separate the egg yolks from the whites. Be sure to not let any yolk get in with the whites, or the meringue will not form properly. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl whisk condensed milk with egg yolks. Then slowly stir in lemon juice and zest, until well combined. Pour lemon filling into pie crust and set aside.
Make the meringue, using a water bath: Bring about 1 cup, or ½”, water to simmer in a pot large enough to hold mixing bowl on top of it. Once simmering, turn to Low heat.
In a clean mixing bowl, whisk egg whites and sugar just until frothy. Then place the bowl on top of the simmering pot. Whisk gently, until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is warm to touch, about 2 to 3 minutes. This will help stabilize the meringue.
Remove bowl from heat and use a stand mixer or hand-held beater with whisk attachment to whisk in cream of tartar and cornstarch. Beat on medium-high speed until thick, stiff peaks start to form. This will take about 4 to 5 minutes.
Spread the meringue over the lemon filling, making sure to spread it all the way to the edge of the crust, to seal in the lemon layer. Use the back of a spoon to make swirls and peaks in the meringue.
Bake at 325° for about 20 minutes, or until the meringue is browning. Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature for an hour, before placing in fridge for at least 3 hours to chill.

Notes

Partially “blind baking” the crust (baking the empty crust) in the beginning helps prevent a soggy crust in the end.
It is easier to separate the eggs while they are still cold from the fridge. It is crucial to the meringue that no yolk at all finds it’s way into the egg whites.
Be sure to whisk the egg yolks with the condensed milk first, before adding the lemon juice. This will allow the lemon custard layer to set up properly. If you don’t do it in this order, your filling may end up a soupy mess!
The water bath step in making the meringue helps the granulated sugar to dissolve, ensuring a more stable meringue.
When spreading the meringue layer on the pie, make sure it goes all the way to the edge of the crust and seals in the lemon layer, so no steam will escape. This helps prevent “weeping” of the meringue, that undesirable watery layer that can form between the meringue and lemon layers.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 131mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 5g

*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.