Desserts & Bakery · Free recipe
Lemon Meringue Pie
A tangy, silky lemon custard piled high with billowy toasted meringue in a crisp pastry shell, a showstopping classic.
Step 1
Have your blind-baked pie crust ready and cooled in a 9-inch pie plate. Heat the oven to 350 F.
Step 2
Make the filling: in a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 1/3 cups sugar, the cornstarch, and salt. Slowly whisk in the water until smooth.
Step 3
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil, about 5 to 7 minutes. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Step 4
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the yolks while whisking hard; this warms the yolks so they do not scramble. Then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
Step 5
Cook, whisking, for 2 more minutes until very thick and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, zest, and butter until the butter melts.
Step 6
Pour the hot filling into the baked crust and smooth the top. Keep it warm; adding meringue to warm filling helps prevent weeping.
Step 7
Make the meringue: in a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium until foamy.
Step 8
With the mixer running, add the 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat on high until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, meaning the peaks stand straight up when the beater is lifted. Underbeaten meringue is soupy; overbeaten looks dry and grainy.
Step 9
Spoon the meringue over the warm filling, spreading it so it touches the crust edges all the way around. Sealing to the crust stops it from shrinking.
Step 10
Use the back of the spoon to pull up decorative peaks across the surface.
Step 11
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the meringue peaks are golden brown. Watch closely so they do not burn.
Step 12
Cool the pie on a wire rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 4 hours until fully set before slicing. Slicing warm gives a runny filling.
Step 13
Cut with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices for clean pieces.
Tips from the test kitchen
- Make sure no yolk gets into the whites or the meringue will not whip up.
- Spread the meringue while the filling is hot to lock the two layers together.
