Foolproof Lemon Meringue Pie

Foolproof lemon meringue pie should have a tart lemon filling, a flaky crust, and a tall meringue that stays put instead of shrinking or weeping. This version uses cornstarch to stabilize the meringue and a few practical safeguards to help the layers hold together.

The meringue goes over the filling while it is still warm, then the pie bakes on the lowest oven rack and cools gradually before it goes into the refrigerator. Those details take a little planning, but they make this classic pie much more dependable.

If you love bright lemon desserts, try these lemon meringue tarts next. For something simpler, our shortbread lemon bars have plenty of tart lemon flavor without the meringue.

A Tart Lemon Filling and a Tall, Stabilized Meringue

This recipe started with the cornstarch-stabilized meringue concept from the classic Argo mile-high pie. I paired that dependable topping with a brighter lemon filling inspired by the Bon Appetit approach, but the focus is the pie itself: a sharp lemon flavor balanced by a lightly sweet, fluffy meringue.

If the tart lemon filling is your favorite part, try our homemade lemon curd. It has that same bright citrus flavor and is perfect for spreading on scones, toast, or pastries.

The cornstarch gives the basic meringue more structure and helps it absorb some of the moisture that can cause weeping. It is still a traditional meringue, so it is best eaten within one day. For a pie that needs to be made farther ahead, use the optional Italian meringue instead.

Ingredient Notes for Foolproof Lemon Meringue Pie

Fresh lemons: Fresh juice gives the filling a cleaner, brighter flavor, and rubbing the zest into the sugar releases the lemon oils before the filling is cooked.

Eggs: Six yolks give the lemon filling a rich, smooth texture and leave six whites for the tall meringue.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the lemon filling and is also cooked into the basic meringue to help it hold its shape. Any good-quality cornstarch will work; the original version used Argo.

Butter: Butter rounds out the tart filling and gives it a silky finish.

Pie pan: A metal pie pan helps the crust bake crisp and evenly. Use a nonreactive saucepan, such as stainless steel, for the lemon filling so the acidity does not react with the pan.

Lemon Meringue Pie FAQs

Make-Ahead and Storage

The cornstarch-stabilized meringue is best within one day. Refrigerate the cooled pie uncovered or loosely covered so the topping isn’t compressed.

For a make-ahead pie, bake the crust and prepare the lemon filling up to three days in advance. Cover and refrigerate, then add the Italian meringue shortly before serving. Italian meringue is more stable, making it a better choice if the pie needs to sit for several hours or travel.

I don’t recommend freezing the assembled pie because thawing changes the texture of the meringue.

This is the kind of lemon meringue pie that’s worth making from scratch: bright and tart, with a flaky crust and plenty of fluffy meringue. Follow the tips for keeping that mile-high topping stable, and you’ll have a classic pie that tastes as good as it looks.

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 55 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

4.92 from 23 votes

Lemon Meringue Pie

By Pat Nyswonger

This lemon meringue pie has a bright, tart lemon filling, flaky pastry crust, and a mile-high meringue stabilized with cornstarch to help prevent shrinking and weeping. For a gluten-free version, use our gluten-free pie crust.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1 recipe single pie crust, or a store-bought pie crust
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups water
• ▢ 6 egg yolks, save the whites for the meringue
• ▢ 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 3 tablespoons butter, cold

Meringue

• ▢ ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ▢ 6 egg whites
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions 

If You are Making a Homemade Crust:

• Roll the pie dough into a circle and transfer it to a pie dish. Trim the excess dough and crimp the edges.
• Prick holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork then stick the pie crust in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to get cold and firm. Preheat the oven to 400°F while the crust is chilling.
• Line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes then remove the pie weights and continue baking for another 10 to 20 more minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
• Transfer the pie shell to a cooling rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

For the Filling

• Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan until combined and the cornstarch is well distributed into the sugar. Add the lemon zest and use your fingers to rub the lemon zest between your fingers. This will release the oils in the zest and enhance the lemon flavors. 
• Add the water and whisk until well blended. Whisk in the egg yolks, and lemon juice. 
• Gently heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken. Take your time with this step, it should take about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. 
• Remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until completely melted. 
• Pour the hot filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Move the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 325°F.

Basic Meringue

• Place the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk to combine. 
• Add the egg whites and salt to a large mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until the whites get foamy. Slowly start adding the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue whipping until they reach stiff peaks. 
• Spread the meringue on top of the warm lemon filling (the warm filling helps seal the meringue to the pie). Make sure you spread it all the way to the edges and use the back of a spoon to add some swirls. 
• Bake on the lowest rack at 325°F for 20 to 25 minutes until the meringue reaches a light golden brown. 
• Let the pie cool on a rack for 1 hour then chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Notes

Separate the eggs carefully. Even a small amount of yolk can prevent the whites from whipping properly. Separate each egg into a small bowl before adding the white to the mixing bowl.

Rub the lemon zest into the sugar. This releases the oils in the zest and gives the filling a brighter lemon flavor.

Cook the filling gently. Keep the heat at medium and whisk constantly for a smooth filling without scrambled bits of egg.

Add the sugar gradually. Add it to the egg whites one tablespoon at a time so it has time to dissolve. Whip to stiff, glossy peaks, but don’t overbeat.

Top the filling while it’s warm. Spread the meringue all the way to the crust and seal it against the edges to help prevent shrinking.

Use the lowest oven rack. The lower position gives the tall meringue time to cook through without browning the top too quickly.

Cool the pie gradually. Cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Rapid temperature changes can encourage condensation and weeping.

For make-ahead pies: Prepare the crust and filling up to 3 days ahead, then use Italian meringue, which is more stable and can be spread over cold filling.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 343kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 97mg, Sodium: 219mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 48g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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