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A close up of an Easy Lemon Meringue Pie recipe

Easy Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
This easy lemon meringue pie is a scrumptious balance of light and fluffy meringue with a tangy lemon punch! It's a standout dessert, and yet it's easy to pull together, even if you aren't a baker! You will LOVE it!

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

  • 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Lemon Filling

  • 5 large eggs yolks, reserve the egg whites
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cups water
  • ½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Meringue

  • 5 large egg whites
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions 

Graham Cracker Crust

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the crust ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix well. Lightly press it into an 8" pie pan, ensuring the edges and bottom are even. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
    6 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
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Lemon Filling

  • Separate the egg whites and yolks into two large mixing bowls. Set the egg whites aside. Briefly whisk the yolks.
    5 large eggs yolks
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  • Combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium-sized pot. Gradually add the water, whisking until it's smooth. Add the lemon juice and zest and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until it's thick and bubbly.
    ¾ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cups water, ½ cup lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest
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  • Slowly add one cup of the hot filling to the yolks, whisking to combine. (Make sure you go slow here, you don't want to scramble the eggs.) Add the yolks to the pot with the rest of the filling and cook, whisking for 2 more minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and mix in the butter.
    2 tablespoons butter
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Meringue

  • Once the egg whites come to room temperature (they should not be cold), add the cream of tartar and salt and beat them on medium speed with electric beaters until soft peaks form, about one minute. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until stiff glossy peaks form and the sugar has dissolved completely.
    5 large egg whites, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
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Assemble

  • Reheat the lemon filling and then pour it into the prepared graham cracker crust.
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  • Spread meringue evenly over the top of the hot filling. Add the meringue first to the edges of the pie and then work your way to the center. Make sure that the meringue comes all the way to the edges to prevent it from shrinking.
    image for recipe instruction
  • Bake the pie in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the top of the meringue is golden. Remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool completely.
    image for recipe instruction

Notes

This recipe has been adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. We've made the pie less sweet and more lemony, which is just how we like it. 
Serving: 1 slice (of 8), Calories: 334kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 92mg, Sodium: 273mg, Potassium: 87mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 40g, Vitamin A: 358IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg