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Old-Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Old-Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie

A classic 9-inch lemon meringue pie made with fresh lemon juice, silky cooked lemon filling, flaky pastry, and a glossy toasted meringue topping.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 1 crust Unbaked 9-inch single-crust pastry shell, or fully baked and cooled 9-inch pie crust
  • As needed Parchment and pie weights, if baking the crust from raw
Lemon Filling
  • 1 1/4 cups Granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup Cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/2 cups Water
  • 4 large Large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup Fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Finely grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
Meringue
  • 4 large Large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cream of tartar
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Bake the pastry shell until lightly golden and cool it completely. If starting with raw pastry, line it with parchment and pie weights, bake at 425°F for about 15 minutes, remove the weights, then bake 5–10 minutes more.
  2. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in the water, cook over medium heat until boiling and thickened, then continue boiling for about 1 minute.
  3. Temper the egg yolks by slowly whisking about 1 cup of the hot sugar mixture into them. Return this mixture to the saucepan and cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick and glossy.
  4. Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter. Pour the hot lemon filling into the baked crust.
  5. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla, beating until glossy stiff peaks form.
  6. Spread the meringue over the hot filling, taking it all the way to the pastry edge to seal it. Bake at 350°F for about 12–15 minutes, until the peaks are lightly browned.
  7. Cool the pie at room temperature, then refrigerate until set for at least 2 hours. Chill overnight for the cleanest slices.

Notes

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, room-temperature egg whites, and a completely grease-free bowl and beaters. Always spread the meringue over hot filling and seal it against the crust edge to help prevent separation and weeping.