Skip to content
Pinch of Mint
Search recipes

Lemon meringue pie

Lemon meringue pie, photographed for Pinch of Mint

By Tom · Updated

Jump to recipe
  • About 1 hour 50 min
  • Takes a bit of care

When I think about classic desserts, I think about delicate pastries, fillings and toppings that look far too good to eat. That's why, in this post, I show you how to make classic lemon meringue pie from scratch.

Loads from YouTube only once you press play.

The recipe

Lemon meringue pie

When I think about classic desserts, I think about delicate pastries, fillings and toppings that look far too good to eat.

  • 20 min prep
  • 1 hour cooking
  • 30 min hands-off
  • Takes a bit of care

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Quantities
Measurements

Ingredients

For the pastry

For the lemon curd filling

For the meringue topping

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

  1. Step 1

    For the pastry, add all ingredients apart from the egg (1) into a bowl and rub them between your fingertips until they resemble fine breadcrumbs.

  2. Step 2

    Next, beat the egg (1) and gradually add it to the pastry mix until it binds together to form a pastry. You will not need all of the egg for this. Wrap the pastry in greaseproof paper and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Preheat the oven to 180°C - 356°F.

  4. Step 4

    Now, roll out the pastry between two sheets of greaseproof paper until 3mm thick. Rolling between the paper helps to roll it out nice and thin without it breaking. Place the pastry over the tart tin and firmly press into the edges.

  5. Step 5

    Next doc the pastry by using a fork and pricking it all over the bottom. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 35 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    To make the filling, add the sugar, cornflour (3 tbsp) and 1 quarter of the water into a bowl and mix together.

  7. Step 7

    Next, zest the lemons (4) into a pan and add the remaining water. Place over medium heat.

  8. Step 8

    Juice the lemons (4) and add to the pan followed by the cornflour (3 tbsp) mixture.

  9. Step 9

    Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens and then add in the egg yolks (4 yolks) followed by the unsalted butter (90 g). Keep whisking until fully incorporated.

  10. Step 10

    Add the filling into the baked pastry case and allow it to cool.

  11. Step 11

    For the meringue, whisk the egg whites (4 white) in a clean bowl until they reach stiff peaks. Then, gradually add in the sugar, one spoon at a time until you have a thick, glossy meringue mixture.

  12. Step 12

    Place the meringue on top of the cool lemon (4) tart and spread it out. Use a spatular to create nice high peaks that will crisp up in the oven. Bake for a further 25 minutes or until golden.

Stay in the loop

Get new recipes in your inbox

Occasional emails with new recipes, cooking tips and what’s new at Pinch of Mint.

See our Privacy Policy for information about how your personal data is used.

More eggs puddings and bakes

Also in Proper puddings.

Questions people ask

How long does lemon meringue pie take?

About 1 hour 50 min from start to finish: 20 min of prep, 1 hour of cooking, and 30 min hands-off while it waits. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does this make?

The original recipe did not state a yield, so nothing has been invented for it. The scale control on the recipe card multiplies the quantities instead, which is the honest version of the same thing.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.

Is it vegetarian?

Yes, as written. If you are cooking for a strict vegetarian, the one to check is the cheese: several hard cheeses are made with animal rennet.