Martha Stewart’s Lemon Meringue Pie

This lemon meringue pie is the kind of classic dessert that feels instantly celebratory: crisp, buttery pastry, a silky lemon filling that lands right between tart and sweet, and a cloud of glossy meringue toasted to golden peaks. It is a moderate bake with a few key techniques (blind baking, tempering yolks, and whipping meringue), but every step is very doable with a little patience. Plan on about 3 hours 30 minutes total, including cooling time, so you get clean slices and a perfectly set filling.

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 250g plain flour
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 170g unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
• 4–6 tbsp ice-cold water

For the lemon filling

• 300g caster sugar
• 45g cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 480ml water
• 5 large egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue)
• 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
• 180ml fresh lemon juice (about 4–5 lemons)
• 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter

For the meringue

• 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 200g caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional, helps stability)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the pie cooks evenly and the topping colours nicely.
• Get your tin ready: You will need a 23cm pie dish. Keep it close by and clear space in the fridge for chilling the pastry.

• Make the pastry: In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Rub in the cold butter until you have a mixture that looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
• Add water and bring it together: Drizzle in 4 tablespoons of ice-cold water and gently mix with a fork. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough holds when you squeeze a little in your hand.
• Chill: Tip the dough onto the counter, press into a disc (do not knead), wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

• Roll and line the dish: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a circle about 3–4mm thick. Lift into the pie dish, ease it into the corners without stretching, and trim the edge (leave a small overhang if you like, then crimp).
• Chill again: Prick the base all over with a fork and chill the lined dish for 15 minutes. This helps prevent shrinkage.
• Blind bake: Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and bake for 10–12 minutes more, until the base looks dry and lightly golden.

• Start the lemon filling: In a medium saucepan (off the heat), whisk together the sugar, cornflour, and salt. Gradually whisk in the water until smooth.
• Cook until thick: Set the pan over medium heat and whisk constantly. Once it starts bubbling, keep whisking for 1–2 minutes until thick, glossy, and translucent.
• Temper the yolks: In a bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks. Slowly whisk in a ladleful of the hot mixture to warm the yolks, then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan while whisking.
• Finish the filling: Cook for 1 minute more, whisking. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
• Fill the crust: Pour the hot filling into the warm pie crust and smooth the top. Keep going straight to the meringue while the filling is hot.

• Lower the oven for the meringue: Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C or 160°C fan.
• Whip the whites: In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites (and cream of tartar, if using) to soft peaks.
• Add sugar gradually: With the mixer running, add the caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well between additions. Continue beating until the meringue is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla.
• Top the pie: Spoon the meringue onto the hot filling and spread it right to the crust, sealing the edges. Create peaks with the back of a spoon.
• Bake: Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the peaks are lightly golden.

• Cool properly: Cool the pie on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours so the filling slices neatly.
• Slice cleanly: Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between slices for the tidiest wedges.

Tips

How do I stop the meringue from weeping?

Make sure the filling is hot when you spread on the meringue, and spread it right to the crust so it seals. Weeping is often caused by undercooked meringue or sugar that has not dissolved, so add the sugar slowly and beat until the meringue feels smooth, not gritty, when rubbed between your fingers.

Why is my lemon filling runny?

The filling needs to fully boil to activate the cornflour. Keep whisking until you see slow, thick bubbles and the mixture turns glossy, then cook for a full minute after adding the yolks back in. Also, give the pie enough chill time before slicing.

How do I keep the crust crisp instead of soggy?

Blind bake until the base looks dry and lightly golden, not pale. Pour the filling into a warm crust (not a cold one), and avoid letting the baked shell sit around uncovered in a humid kitchen.

Why did my meringue shrink away from the edge?

This happens when the meringue is not sealed to the crust. Spread it so it touches the pastry all the way around, then bake just until the tips are golden.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve chilled for the cleanest slices, or slightly cool for a softer, creamier filling.
• Add a few fresh raspberries or blueberries on the side to balance the sweetness.
• Finish plates with a little extra finely grated lemon zest right before serving.

Storage

Room temperature

This pie is best kept cool. If your kitchen is not warm, you can leave it out for up to 6 hours, loosely covered, but it is at its best when chilled.

Refrigerator

Store loosely covered in the fridge for 2–3 days. A pie box or an overturned bowl helps protect the meringue without squashing the peaks. The meringue may bead slightly over time, but the flavour will still be lovely.

Freezing

Freezing an assembled lemon meringue pie is not recommended because the filling can weep and the meringue texture turns spongy after thawing. If you want to get ahead, freeze the baked pie crust (well wrapped) for up to 2 months, then thaw and crisp it in the oven for 5–8 minutes at 180°C before filling.

Nutrition

• Calories: 430 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 63g
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 18g
• Saturated fat: 10g
• Sodium: 210mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary based on ingredients and portion size.

FAQs

Lemon Meringue Pie

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Moderate

Servings

8

slices

Prep time

35

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Total time

210

minutes

Calories

430

kcal

1

hour 

25

minutes

Crisp homemade pastry filled with a bright, silky lemon custard and finished with a tall, toasted meringue topping.

Ingredients

• For the pastry

• 250g plain flour

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 1/2 tsp fine salt

• 170g unsalted butter, very cold and cubed

• 4–6 tbsp ice-cold water

• For the lemon filling

• 300g caster sugar

• 45g cornflour (cornstarch)

• 1/4 tsp fine salt

• 480ml water

• 5 large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)

• 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

• 180ml fresh lemon juice (about 4–5 lemons)

• 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter

• For the meringue

• 5 large egg whites, at room temperature

• 200g caster sugar

• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional but helpful)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• Make the pastry, chill briefly, then roll and line a 23cm pie dish. Dock the base and chill again.
• Blind bake at 200°C (180°C fan) with baking beans, then bake again until the base is pale golden.
• Cook sugar, cornflour, salt, and water until thick and glossy. Temper in yolks, then cook 1 minute.
• Stir in butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour hot filling into warm crust.
• Whip egg whites with cream of tartar, add sugar gradually to stiff glossy peaks, then beat in vanilla.
• Spread meringue over hot filling, sealing to the crust. Bake at 180°C (160°C fan) until peaks are golden.
• Cool completely, then chill to set before slicing with a clean, warm knife.

Notes

• Seal the meringue all the way to the crust to help prevent shrinking.
• Pour the filling in hot and top immediately so the meringue ‘cooks’ onto the filling and is less likely to weep.
• For the cleanest slices, chill the pie for at least 3 hours before cutting.