Old Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Partially sliced lemon meringue pie in a glass pie dish.

5 from 5 votes

Old Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Spring feels even sweeter with Old Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie on the table—soft peaks, cool lemon filling, and a buttery crust that’s ready for sunshine and longer afternoons.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Pastries, Pies & Tarts

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: slices

Calories: 514kcal

Author: Andrea

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
7 tbsp butter cold, cut into 1/4'' pieces
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract
2 1/2 tbsp ice cold water

For the Filling

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 cup water
3 lemons juiced
2 lemons zested
3 tbsp butter
6 egg yolks lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Meringue

1 tbsp cornstarch whisked with 1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg whites room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preparing the Crust

To prepare the dough, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, vanilla, and ice water. Slowly pour into the flour mixture, mixing until combined. Cut the butter into the mixture with a pastry blender until pea-size clumps form. Knead the dough into a ball, then pat it flat and wrap it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
After the dough has chilled, roll it out into a circle approximately ⅛" thick. Place into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim the dough so that it sticks up at least 1/2 inch above the rim, then fold over and crimp with your fingers or a fork. Using a fork, lightly prick the bottom of the crust, taking care not to go all the way through. Place a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper over the top and pour in pie weights (see NOTES if you don't have weights). Blind bake the crust by placing it in the oven and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes, remove the foil and weights, and bake for 5 more minutes or until pale golden brown. Allow to cool while preparing the filling.

Preparing the Filling

To make the filling, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in the milk, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes to a boil, then stir in the butter. Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot sugar mixture. Whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick.

Preparing the Meringue

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and vanilla for 1 minute on medium-high speed until frothy, then gradually beat in the cream of tartar and sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sugar is fully incorporated. Turn the speed up to medium-high, beating until the mixture forms soft peaks. Add the cornstarch mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, while the mixture is still beating. Continue to beat until stiff peaks, about 1–2 minutes.
Remove the filling from the heat, whisk in the vanilla extract, then pour into the baked pastry shell. Spread the meringue on top of the HOT filling, spreading all the way to the crust. You want to make sure it touches the crust so that it seals the pie and prevents weeping. Place in the oven and bake the pie until the meringue is lightly browned, about 15–20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool until room temperature.

Notes

*If you don’t have pie weights, you can use dried beans, uncooked rice, or even granulated sugar to weigh down the crust during blind baking. Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil first, then fill it completely to the top with your substitute to keep the crust from puffing up.

STORE the fully cooled Lemon Meringue Pie loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The meringue may soften slightly after the first day, but the flavor stays fresh and bright. To FREEZE, leave off the meringue, as whipped egg whites do not freeze well. Wrap the crust and lemon filling tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 1 month.

When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, add fresh meringue, and bake as directed. The pie is delicious served cold straight from the fridge.

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