Lemon Meringue Pie

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Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade lemon pie, homemade pie, lemon meringue pie, lemon meringue pie recipe, lemon pie

Servings:

Calories: 365kcal

Equipment

Fork
Medium Sauce Pan
Whisk
Mixing Bowl
Pie Pan 10-inch
Stand Mixer
Spoon or Spatula

Ingredients

Pie Filling

1⅓ Cup Water
¾ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Corn Starch
2 Lemons Juice and Zest
8 Egg Yolks
4 Tablespoons Butter Salted

Meringue

8 Egg whites
½ Cup Sugar
½ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

Pie Crust

1 Pie Crust Premade or homemade- 10 inch

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pie Crust:

Using a fork, prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust throughout and then partially bake the pie crust according to the directions on the package or based on the homemade pie crust recipe that you are using. The crust should still be a little warm when you add in the pie filling in the next steps, so if you have pre-made the pie crust, stick it back in the oven for a few minutes to warm it up, before adding the pie filling.

Pie Filling:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, whisk the water, sugar, corn starch, and salt together.
Once combined, add the lemon juice and lemon zest and stir for about 5 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. Turn the heat down to low.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until well combined.
Add 3 tablespoons of the hot lemon pie filling to the whisked egg yolks and continue to whisk until well combined. The pie filling will temper the egg yolks so that when you add them to the rest of the hot pie filling the egg yolks won't scramble.
Slowly pour the egg yolk mixture into the pie filling and whisk continuously. Turn the heat back up to medium. Continue to whisk the mixture together for about 5 minutes. Once the mixture has thickened and is bubbling or starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat.
Add the butter and whisk in the butter.
Pour the hot lemon mixture into the prepared pie crust and set aside.

Meringue Topping:

Using an electric mixer or stand mixer and the whisk attachment, pour the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat the egg whites until they start to get very bubbly and almost start to form soft peaks. I usually start on medium speed and then turn it up to high speed after about a minute.
Pour in the sugar and add the cream of tartar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Scoop out the meringue and top the warm pie filling with the meringue. It's going to look like you have too much meringue, but you don't. Add all of the meringue. Be sure to seel the edges of the pie with the meringue so that it is touching the crust and you cannot see the filling. Form a bit of dome with the meringue so that it is deeper in the middle than it is on the sides of the pie.
Using the tines of a fork or the back of a spoon, gently touch the meringue and pull upwards to form lots of little peaks in the meringue. All of these little peaks will get extra color when it gets baked.
Bake the pie at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until the meringue is starting to turn golden brown. If the meringue is getting too dark, cover it loosely with foil and continue to bake.
Refrigerate the pie for several hours before serving. If you serve right away, the filling will not be set and you will have a runny pie. To prevent the meringue from sticking to foil or plastic wrap, you can stick toothpicks in the meringue topping and have the foil or plastic touch the toothpicks instead of the meringue.

Video

Notes

What is lemon meringue pie filling made of?

Lemon meringue pie filling is very similar to lemon curd. The thick lemon filling is made by combining water, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest, and butter together. The filling is similar to that of jelly. While there is no dairy in the pie filling, it does take on an almost creamy texture.

Should I refrigerate a lemon meringue pie?

Yes. Refrigerating lemon meringue pie will help it keep the right consistency. The filling will stay thicker and the meringue will keep it's shape more.

How do you keep lemon meringue pie from getting watery?

To prevent lemon meringue pie from weeping or becoming watery, fill the pie and add the meringue while the pie shell and filling are still warm. Doing so creates a bond or seal between the different parts of the pie and helps to reduce the weeping. Be sure to fully cook the filling and bake the meringue long enough.

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