Classic Lemon Meringue Pie

Name: Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Prep time: 52 min
Cook time: 57 min
Total time: 1 h 49 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting; 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; 8 tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes; 4 tbsp (60 ml) ice water, ice removed before measuring; 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; ⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt; 1½ cups (360 ml) water, cold; 4 yolks (74 g) large egg yolks, lightly beaten in a bowl; 1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated, from about 2 lemons; ½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained, from about 3 large lemons; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces; 4 whites (120 g) large egg whites, at room temperature, with no trace of yolk; ¼ tsp (1 g) cream of tartar; ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; ½ tsp (2½ ml) pure vanilla extract

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A flaky all-butter crust holds a bright, silky lemon filling made with fresh juice and zest, topped with tall, glossy meringue baked until golden. Spreading the meringue over hot filling helps keep it from weeping or sliding.

Prep: 52 min
Cook: 57 min
Wait: 5 hr 20 min
Total: 7 hr 9 min
Makes: 1 (9-inch/23 cm) pie, 8 slices

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the crust
1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
8 tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
4 tbsp (60 ml) ice water, ice removed before measuring
For the lemon filling
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine salt
1½ cups (360 ml) water, cold
4 yolks (74 g) large egg yolks, lightly beaten in a bowl
1 tbsp (6 g) lemon zest, finely grated, from about 2 lemons
½ cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained, from about 3 large lemons
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
For the meringue
4 whites (120 g) large egg whites, at room temperature, with no trace of yolk
¼ tsp (1 g) cream of tartar
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp (2.5 ml) pure vanilla extract

Equipment (10)

9-inch (23 cm) glass or ceramic pie plate
Food processor, or large bowl and pastry cutter
Rolling pin
Parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans
Rimmed baking sheet
3-quart (3 L) non-reactive heavy saucepan
Whisk and heatproof spatula
Stand mixer with whisk attachment, or hand mixer and large bowl
Microplane or fine grater and citrus juicer
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Plan for about 7 hours start to finish, mostly hands-off: the dough chills 1 hour, and the finished pie needs 1 hour to cool and at least 3 hours in the fridge before slicing.
Separate the 4 eggs while cold (cleaner separation), then let the whites sit out 30 minutes to reach room temperature so they whip higher. Keep the yolks covered in the fridge until needed.
Make sure your mixer bowl and whisk are completely grease-free; any fat or yolk keeps whites from whipping.
Zest the lemons first, then juice them (about 3 large lemons). The filling moves fast once it is on the heat.
Have pie weights or about 2 cups (400 g) dried beans or rice ready for blind baking.

1
Make the dough
- In a food processor, pulse the flour, crust sugar and crust salt to combine.
- Add the cold butter cubes and pulse in 1-second bursts, about 8 to 10 times, until the butter pieces are the size of small peas.
- Drizzle in the ice water and pulse 5 or 6 more times.
- (By hand: rub the butter in with a pastry cutter, then stir in the water with a fork.) Squeeze a handful; it should hold together.
- If it is crumbly, add 1 more tablespoon of water.
- Press into a flat 5-inch (13 cm) disc and wrap tightly.
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Ready when: Dough clumps when squeezed, with visible flecks of butter and no dry flour
Tip: Do not process until smooth. Visible butter pieces create flaky layers.
2
Chill the dough
- Refrigerate the wrapped dough disc for at least 1 hour (up to 2 days) so the gluten relaxes and the butter firms up.
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Ready when: Dough is firm but bends slightly when pressed
3
Roll and shape crustOven 375°F / 190°C
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch (30 cm) round about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, turning it a quarter turn every few rolls.
- Drape it over the rolling pin and ease it into the 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate without stretching.
- Trim the overhang to 1 inch (2.5 cm), fold it under, and crimp the edge.
- Prick the bottom all over with a fork.
- Freeze for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 375°F (190°C).
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Ready when: Crust is firm and cold to the touch
Tip: Stretched dough shrinks in the oven, so let it settle into the corners rather than pulling it.
4
Blind bake with weightsOven 375°F / 190°C
- Line the frozen crust with a large piece of parchment, pressing it into the corners, and fill to the rim with pie weights or dried beans.
- Set the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: Edges are pale golden and the dough looks set, not wet
Tip: Make sure the weights reach up the sides, or the walls will slump.
5
Finish baking the crustOven 375°F / 190°C
- Lift out the parchment and weights by the corners.
- Return the crust to the 375°F (190°C) oven for 10 to 12 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry and the whole crust is deep golden.
- Remove and set aside, keeping it warm.
- Leave the oven on for now.
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Ready when: Bottom is dry and evenly golden brown, edges deep golden
Tip: A fully baked bottom keeps the wet filling from making the crust soggy.
6
Cook the filling base
- In a 3-quart (3 L) saucepan, whisk the filling sugar, cornstarch and filling salt until no lumps remain.
- Whisk in the cold water until smooth.
- Set over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly and scraping the corners, for 6 to 8 minutes until the mixture thickens and comes to a full bubbling boil.
- Boil for 1 minute while whisking, then remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Thick, glossy and translucent, with large bubbles breaking the surface while you keep whisking
Tip: Do not skip the full 1-minute boil; the cornstarch needs it to reach full thickening power.
7
Temper in the yolks
- Whisk the beaten egg yolks while slowly ladling in about 1 cup (240 ml) of the hot cornstarch mixture, a little at a time.
- Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan, whisking constantly.
- Return to medium-low heat and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes until it bubbles gently and an instant-read thermometer registers at least 175°F (80°C).
- Remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Very thick and smooth, reaching at least 175°F (80°C), with no streaks of yolk
Tip: Add the hot liquid slowly at first or the yolks will scramble.
8
Finish the filling
- Off the heat, whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and butter pieces until the butter melts and the filling is smooth and uniformly pale yellow.
- Immediately pour into the warm crust and spread level.
- Lower the oven to 350°F (175°C) and make the meringue right away, while the filling is still hot.
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Ready when: Filling is smooth, glossy and level
Tip: Hot filling is essential: it helps set the underside of the meringue and prevents weeping.
9
Whip the meringue
- In a clean, dry mixer bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed for about 1 minute until foamy.
- With the mixer running, add the meringue sugar 1 tablespoon at a time over about 2 minutes.
- Increase to high and beat 3 to 4 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Beat in the vanilla for the last few seconds.
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Ready when: Peaks stand straight up when the whisk is lifted, and a bit rubbed between your fingers feels smooth, not gritty
Tip: Adding sugar slowly dissolves it fully, which prevents gritty, weeping beads on the baked meringue.
10
Top and seal
- Pile the meringue onto the hot filling.
- Spread it so it touches the crust all the way around, sealing against the edge to prevent shrinking.
- Swirl and pull up peaks with the back of a spoon.
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Ready when: No gaps between the meringue and the crust
Tip: Work fast so the filling stays hot.
11
Bake the meringueOven 350°F / 175°C
- Set the pie on the rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) on the lower-middle rack for 12 to 14 minutes, until the peaks are deep golden brown.
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Ready when: Peaks are golden brown and the meringue looks dry on top
Tip: Check at 10 minutes; ovens vary and meringue goes from golden to dark quickly.
12
Cool and chill
- Cool the pie on a wire rack at room temperature for 1 hour, away from drafts.
- Then refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 3 hours until the filling is fully set.
- Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.
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Ready when: Pie is cold and the filling doesn't jiggle loosely when nudged
Tip: Cooling gradually avoids condensation, which causes weeping.

Good to know

Tips

Zest lemons before juicing; it is nearly impossible afterward.
Use a non-reactive saucepan (stainless steel or enameled). Aluminum can give the filling a metallic taste and grayish tint.
Avoid making meringue on a very humid day if you can; sugar draws in moisture and the meringue can turn sticky.
For neat slices, clean the knife blade with hot water between every cut.

Make ahead

The dough can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead, or frozen up to 1 month. The crust can be blind baked up to 1 day ahead and kept covered at room temperature. Assemble and bake the pie the day you serve it for the best meringue.

Storage & reheating

Best the day it is baked. Refrigerate loosely covered (tent with an inverted bowl so plastic doesn't touch the meringue) for up to 2 days; the meringue softens and may weep over time. Don't leave at room temperature beyond the 1-hour cooling, and don't freeze. Serve chilled, straight from the fridge.

Substitutions

all-purpose flour → 1 store-bought 9-inch (23 cm) refrigerated pie crust. Skip the dough steps; blind bake exactly as written.
cream of tartar → ½ teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice. Stabilizes the whites the same way.
fresh lemon juice → Meyer lemon juice. Sweeter and milder; reduce the filling sugar by 2 tablespoons (25 g) if you like it tart.
cornstarch → ¼ cup (35 g) all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Gives a slightly softer, more opaque set. Cook an extra minute.