Lemon Meringue Pie

by Lily Ernst on Nov 29, 2020 (updated Jun 2, 2025)

This easy homemade lemon meringue pie is delightfully tart and sweet. It’s vibrant, bursting with a lovely fresh lemon flavor, and topped with a billowy cloud of toasted meringue.

A slice of mile-high lemon meringue pie on a black plate with the rest of the pie behind it.

Table of Contents

Why this lemon meringue pie recipe is so great:

Made from scratch – All 3 components of this pie are made from scratch, but with minimal ingredients and effort.
Simple flaky pie crust – The pie crust is only 4 ingredients. It’s all made by hand and there is no chilling required. You just mix, roll, and bake!
Easy lemony filling – There is no tempering of the eggs with this recipe, which makes it a whole lot easier to prepare. You simply cook everything over the stovetop until thickened.
Mile-high meringue topping – The meringue is also only 4 ingredients and makes enough for a mile-high and impressive meringue pie. Then it’s baked in the oven until golden to ensure the egg whites are heated through for safety.

A lemon meringue pie on a wooden board surrounded by flowers and lemons.

How to make lemon meringue pie:

(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)

Preparing the crust

two pictures showing how to blind bake a pie

Start by placing a large piece of aluminum foil in a 9″ pie plate. Shape the foil to the pie plate so that once you have your pie crust in the plate, you can easily place the foil on top without having to press it down and potentially tearing your crust. Remove the foil and set aside.
Prepare the crust as instructed and fit it into the pie plate.
Place the aluminum foil on top and fill it 2/3 of the way with pie weights, dried beans, uncooked rice, or coins.
Bake at 425F for about 10-15 minutes until the edges start to brown. Grab the foil by all 4 corners, lift and remove. Poke the bottom of the crust haphazardly with the tines of a fork. Place back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until the bottom looks dry. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Making the lemon filling

a picture collage of lemon pie filling in a saucepan and in a pie

In a large saucepan, toss together the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the water, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle boil over the stovetop while stirring constantly with the whisk. Continue to cook for another minute until thick and translucent.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest.
Pour the hot filling into your partially baked pie crust. Set aside somewhere to keep the pie filling warm. Keeping it warm will help prevent the meringue from separating from the layer of filling. I usually place it on top of my stove (with the stove off) because the top of my stove stays warm after the oven has been on.

Making the meringue

A picture of a stiff peak meringue on a whisk and on top of a pie

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on low speed until soft peaks form.
Add in the vanilla and increase the speed to medium. Slowly add in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating just until glossy and stiff peaks form.
Spoon the meringue on top of the filling and spread to the edges, making sure to touch the crust. This will help prevent the meringue from shrinking. Spread and mound the rest of the meringue in the center to create a dome. Use the back of a spoon to create some dramatic swirls if desired.
Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then chill in the fridge uncovered for 2 hours to firm up. Serve immediately or carefully cover until ready to serve.
Lemon meringue pie is best enjoyed the same day.

How to store:

Place in a large cake container with a lid or insert a couple of toothpicks into the meringue and drape a large piece of plastic wrap over the top (try to avoid touching the meringue) and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Please note that the meringue will start to weep and separate over time.

FAQ:

Do you need cream of tartar for meringue?

No, you can make meringue without cream of tartar, but it significantly helps stabilize stiffly beaten egg whites. Without it, the meringue will be much more likely to collapse. If you don’t have cream of tartar on hand, you can substitute it with double the amount of lemon juice or white vinegar.

Should I refrigerate a lemon meringue pie?

Yes, lemon meringue pie needs to be refrigerated and should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

How do you keep lemon meringue pie from getting watery?

Lemon meringue pie can become watery when the meringue starts to break down, causing a layer of water in between the meringue and lemon filling. There are a few ways to prevent this:

Don’t overbeat the meringue past the point of stiff peaks.
Make sure the filling is hot when you add the meringue on top. The hot filling helps cook the meringue more evenly.
Do not overcook the meringue. As soon as it turns light brown, remove it from the oven.
Let the pie cool completely in a dry place before putting it in the fridge and try not to store it in the fridge for more than 6 hours.
Lastly, try to avoid making lemon meringue pies on humid days because the extra moisture in the air can also affect the meringue.

The flavor of this lemon meringue pie is bold, zesty, tangy, and sweet. The addition of vanilla to the meringue adds a marshmallowy candy-like taste to it. The texture of the meringue is soft and airy. The lemon filling is smooth and luscious. The pie is all held together by a tender and flaky crust.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Why this lemon meringue pie recipe is so great: