• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Biscuits & Cookies
    • Bread & Scones
      • Scones
      • Savoury bread
      • Sweet bread
    • Cake
      • Loaf Cakes
      • Swiss Roll
    • Cheesecake
    • Christmas
    • Cupcakes
      • Muffins
    • Desserts
      • Donuts
      • Fudge
      • Meringue
      • Pancakes
      • Truffles
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Savoury
    • Sweet Tarts & Pies
    • Traybakes
      • Blondies
      • Brownies
      • Millionaire's Shortbread
      • Rocky Road
    • Valentine's Day
    • Vegan
  • Leftovers
    • Black Treacle
    • Christmas Leftovers
    • Egg Yolks
    • Jam
    • Marzipan
    • Ripe Bananas
    • Semolina
    • Stem Ginger
    • Wholemeal Flour
    • Zested Citrus Fruit
  • Conversions
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
The Baking Explorer
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Conversions
  • Leftover Ingredients
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Lemon Meringue Pie

    10/04/2016 by thebakingexplorer 16 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Lemon Meringue Pie is such a classic bake and it's a great one to have in your repertoire! It combines lots of baking skills so it's great for learning different techniques too. This Lemon Meringue Pie starts with a sweet shortcrust pastry base, it's filled with a thick and super zingy lemon curd, and on top is beautiful pillow soft italian meringue. I much prefer italian meringue on top of a lemon meringue pie, it's got such a fabulous texture plus it's a great excuse to get the kitchen blowtorch out! If you are not confident with pastry then you can of course use shop bought for the base - I won't judge! You could even cheat more by filling it with shop bought lemon curd (please get the best quality one you can find though!) so all that's left to do is make the meringue topping.

    This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Lemon Meringue Pie

    Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

    • I used unsalted butter for the pastry, you can also use a baking spread like Stork.
    • You can use shop bought pastry, or even a pre-baked pie shell, if you need to save time.
    • If you can't get hold of cream of tartar, you can use 1 tsp lemon juice or 1 tsp white vinegar instead.
    • Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
    • For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

    For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

    How to make Lemon Meringue Pie

    To start, make the pastry. Using your fingers, rub butter into a mix of plain flour and caster sugar until it resembles breadcrumbs. Then add milk and bring it together into a dough.

    Roll out the pastry on a silicone mat using a rolling pin dusted with a little flour, then line a 9" tart tin tin with the pastry and trimmed the edges. Chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

    Scrunch up some baking paper and line the pastry, then add baking beans. Bake it for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans, then bake for another 10 minutes.

    To make the lemon filling, melt the butter in a pan on a low heat along with the lemon juice, lemon zest and caster sugar. In a mixing bowl, whisked together the cornflour, eggs and egg yolks. Once the lemon juice and butter mixture is melted together, pour it into the egg mixture, then pour everything back into the pan.

    Heat the mixture on a medium heat, and stir it continuously until it thickens. Then sieve it into a jug, whisk in the double cream and pour it into the pastry base.

    Then put the tart back in the oven for 8 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature, then put it in the fridge.

    To make the italian meringue, start with the sugar syrup. Put caster sugar and water in a pan and let it come to the boil. In a stand mixer, whisk up the egg whites and cream of tartar until they reach soft peak stage.

    Once it reaches soft ball stage, pour the sugar syrup into a jug, and keeping the mixer running, pour the sugar syrup into the meringue. Keep the food mixer running until the bowl feels cool and the meringue has a fluffy texture and is white and shiny. Then dollop the meringue on top of the pie using a spoon and flick it around to give it texture. Use a kitchen blowtorch to brown the meringue all over.

    For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

    Click on the image to order your copy!
    Lemon Meringue Pie

    Can you use shop bought pastry for Lemon Meringue Pie?

    Yes! You can either buy a block of shortcrust pastry and roll it out, or a ready rolled out sheet. Then follow the same steps to baking it (a process called blind baking). Or you can even buy a ready baked tart shell, just make sure it is 9" in diameter as that is the tart size this recipe is designed for.

    How should you store Lemon Meringue Pie and how long does it last?

    The lemon meringue pie is best eaten the day it's made. Or you can make and assemble the pastry and lemon filling, then make the meringue fresh the next day. Store leftovers in the fridge and eat within 2 days. I do not recommend freezing it.

    Can you make this recipe with french meringue?

    Yes! Instead of using a sugar syrup to cook the egg whites, french meringue is cooked in the oven and has a crispy outer shell and a chewy centre. To do this you will need to whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form, then add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time while the mixer is still running. Once the sugar is all added, keep whisking until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Dollop it on top of the lemon filling and place in the oven for around 15-20 minutes on 160C Fan.

    Lemon Meringue Pie

    What if you don't have a blowtorch?

    You can still enjoy the meringue without browning it, it's perfectly edible as the hot sugar syrup cooks the egg whites. I don't recommend browning under the grill as it won't brown the meringue evenly.

    Can this recipe be made gluten free?

    Yes! For a gluten free version, use a gluten free flour blend for the pastry, you might also like to add 1 tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Please check the packets of everything you use in case of cross contamination warnings, and especially if you are serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

    Tips for making the Lemon Meringue Pie:

    • If you don't have baking beans for the blind baking process, you can use dry rice or any dried beans, then dispose of them afterwards.
    • If you can't find golden caster sugar for the lemon filling, you can use regular caster sugar.
    Lemon Meringue Pie

    Troubleshooting

    My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

    Recommended equipment & ingredients

    • 9" tart tin
    • Mixing bowls
    • Cooling rack
    • Kitchen scales
    • Baking beans
    • Rolling pin
    • Silicone mat
    • Kitchen blowtorch

    I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!

    Lemon Meringue Pie

    More lemon meringue recipes...

    • Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
      Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
    • Lemon Meringue Dessert Pots
      Lemon Meringue Dessert Pots
    Lemon Meringue Pie

    Lemon Meringue Pie

    The classic pie with sweet shortcrust pastry, a tangy lemon filling and piles of fluffy italian meringue
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Dessert
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Author: thebakingexplorer

    Ingredients

    Pastry

    • 100 g Butter
    • 200 g Plain flour
    • 50-60 ml Milk
    • 1 tbsp Caster sugar

    Filling

    • 165 ml Lemon juice
    • 1 Lemon zest only
    • 135 g Golden caster sugar (or regular caster sugar)
    • 2 Eggs large
    • 3 Egg yolks
    • 115 g Butter
    • 1 tbsp Cornflour
    • 30 ml Double cream

    Meringue

    • 3 Egg whites
    • 170 g Caster sugar
    • 95 ml Water
    • ½ tsp Cream of tartar
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • To make the pastry rub the butter into the plain flour and caster sugar using your fingers until it resembles bread crumbs, you could also do this in a food processor
    • Add the milk a little at a time (you may not need it all, or you may need a little bit more as all flours absorb differently) and bring the mixture together into a dough
    • Roll the pastry out on a work surface or silicone mat dusted with flour, and line a 9" loose bottomed tart tin with it, trim the edges and prick the bottom all over with a fork
    • Put the pastry in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes
    • Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 180C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 5
    • Scrunch up some baking paper, then flatten it out again and place it over the pastry, then add baking beans or some dry rice on top. Bake it for 15 minutes
    • Take the pastry out of the oven and remove the baking beans and paper. Bake the pastry again for 10 minutes on the same temperature, or until golden and it no longer looks raw on the base
    • To make the lemon filling place the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and golden caster sugar in a pan and melt them together on a low heat
    • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue) and the cornflour
    • Once the butter has melted into the lemon juice mixture, pour the mixture slowly into the egg mixture, whisking as you pour
    • Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and heat it on a medium heat for around 5 minutes until it thickens up, keep stirring it during this time
    • Once it is thick, sieve the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug, then stir in the double cream
    • Pour the lemon filling into the pastry case. Put it into the oven on 160C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 5-8 minutes, until it has a slight wobble to it. Then leave it to cool completely
    • To make the Italian meringue put the caster sugar and water in a pan, stir them together then bring to a boil. When the mixture reaches 112C (235F), take it off the heat and pour the sugar syrup into a jug
    • While the sugar water is coming to a boil, in a stand mixer or using an electric whisk, whisk up the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they reach soft peak stage (foamy and they are just starting to holding their shape on the whisk but not quite)
    • Then, keeping the mixer running on a medium speed, pour in the hot sugar syrup slowly. Be careful not to let the sugar syrup hit the side of the bowl. Turn the mixer speed up to high and mix until the meringue is white and shiny and holds its shape, and the bowl of the mixer feels cool
    • Dollop the meringue on top of the pie using a spoon and flick it around to give it texture. Finally use a kitchen blowtorch to brown the meringue all over
    • Serve immediately and store leftovers in the fridge for 2 days
    Made this recipe?Share on Instagram with me @TheBakingExplorer or tag #thebakingexplorer!

    Notes

    • I used unsalted butter for the pastry, you can also use a baking spread like Stork.
    • You can use shop bought pastry, or even a pre-baked pie shell, if you need to save time.
    • If you can't get hold of cream of tartar, you can use 1 tsp lemon juice or 1 tsp white vinegar instead.
    • Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
    • For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 599IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

    If you like this, check out more of my Sweet Tarts & Pies recipes!

    « Chocolate Fudge Cake
    Golden Oreo Blondies »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stuart Vettese

      April 10, 2016 at 8:52 pm

      5 stars
      Such a classic Kat, and it looks so mallowy on top, citrusy in the middle, just perfect!

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        May 02, 2016 at 9:52 am

        Thanks Stuart! It really was the perfect combination of textures and flavours!

        Reply
    2. ilkasblog

      April 12, 2016 at 11:56 am

      5 stars
      This is such a wonderful light and fluffy pie recipe.
      So perfect for the upcoming warmer season, too!
      Pinning, stumbleing and making it!:)

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        May 02, 2016 at 9:52 am

        I do hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    3. Kate Glutenfreealchemist

      April 13, 2016 at 10:10 am

      5 stars
      The old classic.... Lemon Meringue Pie. Always a stunner and one of those dishes i will never forget after cooking lessons at school! There is something so good about the combination of crisp, soft and melty textures against sweet and tart flavours..... Lovely!
      I have also made raspberry meringue pie which was absolutely divine (need to make it again as the photos are c..p on the blog..... like I need an excuse!) and rhubarb meringue pie (that was amazing too!)....

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        May 02, 2016 at 9:53 am

        I am loving the sound of both the raspberry and rhubarb versions! Yum!

        Reply
    4. Lucy Allen

      April 13, 2016 at 5:31 pm

      5 stars
      Wow this looks amazing Kat, the lemon filling has a great colour to it and your meringue looks divine! Thanks very much for joining in with #PerfectingPatisserie!

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        May 02, 2016 at 9:53 am

        Thanks Lucy! I am feeling quite proud of the Italian meringue 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sammie

      April 17, 2016 at 6:44 am

      5 stars
      Yummy! I haven't made lemon meringue pie in ages and now I am definitely inspired. It looks so beautiful and I love your pastry recipe. Great post!

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        May 02, 2016 at 9:56 am

        Hi Sammie, thank you! This pastry recipe never fails me 🙂

        Reply
    6. Brittany Allan

      April 24, 2016 at 10:17 am

      5 stars
      What a great looking lemon meringue pie! Looks Delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
      • Kat BakingExplorer

        May 02, 2016 at 9:57 am

        Thank you Brittany!

        Reply
    7. Elizabeth

      May 04, 2016 at 7:56 am

      5 stars
      Look at that gorgeous tower of meringue! The perfect way to use egg whites! Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge! 🙂

      Reply
    8. BakingExplorerSuperfan

      January 18, 2025 at 7:33 pm

      Is the cream of tarter necessary in the Italian 🇮🇹 meringue? Just wondering because i dont really know what it is and dont buy it

      Reply
      • thebakingexplorer

        January 18, 2025 at 7:50 pm

        Hi, it is a stabiliser for the meringue, if you don't have to buy it, instead use 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar for every 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar.

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Perfecting Patisserie May 2016 and April Roundup - BakingQueen74 says:
      06/06/2017 at 8:43 pm

      […] lemon meringue pie entry, what a coincidence, this one from Kat The Baking Explorer. The blowtorch effect on the […]

      Reply

    Leave a review & recipe rating Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Find a recipe

    Hi, I'm Kat! Welcome to The Baking Explorer! Here you will find my easy and delicious collection of recipes and how to guides, to satisfy all of your sweet cravings and baking queries. Everything you see is vegetarian, and there are vegan options too! Read More…

    Order my first book!

    FIND ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Recent Recipes

    • Chocolate & Pistachio Cookie Cups

      Chocolate & Pistachio Cookie Cups

      May 9, 2025
    • Oreo Baked Donuts

      Oreo Baked Donuts

      May 2, 2025
    • Vegetarian Quorn & Lentil Bolognese

      Vegetarian Quorn & Lentil Bolognese

      Apr 25, 2025
    • Bounty Chocolate & Coconut Cookies

      Apr 18, 2025
    • Pistachio Latte Marble Loaf Cake

      Pistachio Latte Marble Loaf Cake

      Apr 11, 2025
    • Easter Chocolate Bundt Cake

      Easter Chocolate Bundt Cake

      Apr 4, 2025

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Baking Heaven

    Copyright © 2012 - 2025 The Baking Explorer