Lemon Meringue Pie

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Lemon meringue pie is one of those recipes that feels like a classic few want to take on. While this looks gorgeous, and the thought of making meringue can sound intimidating, this recipe is far from complicated. With only six ingredients and fifteen minutes bake time, this pie is an extremely simple dessert.

Why You’ll Want This Recipe

It’s Impressive: Lemon meringue is just one of those desserts that looks impressive. In a world of cookies and brownies, opt to bring something a little different. Not that we aren’t big fans of cookies and brownies too.

It’s Simple: Meringue isn’t as hard as it seems. Follow directions carefully and most can make a great meringue in one try.

Not Overly Sweet: Lemon desserts are one of my favorites. The sharpness of the lemon combined with the buttery crust and sweetened milk makes for a phenomenal flavor combo.

Ingredients

Baked Pie Crust – Homemade pie crust is a must. With such a simple pie, you want the crust to be superb. Click here for a recipe for a homemade butter pie crust.

Lemons – Both the juice and the zest are needed, so opt for fresh lemons rather than lemon juice or extract.

Sweetened Condensed Milk – Did you know that Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk is made of only milk and sugar? If you avoid aluminum cans and don’t mind the extra time and effort, it’s pretty simple to make yourself.

Eggs – Separated

Cream of Tartar

Sugar

Tools You May Need

KitchenAid or Hand Mixer (a whisk if you want a really grueling workout…)

Pie Pan – 9 inch

Whisk

How to Make a Lemon Meringue Pie

Making the Lemon Filling

Step 1: Chill your baked pie crust in the fridge and preheat the oven at 325°F.

Step 2: Combine the lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium-sized bowl. Gradually whisk in the sweetened condensed milk.

Step 3: Separate your eggs and add the yolks into the lemon and milk mixture. Stir until it is well blended. Pour the contents of the bowl into your chilled pie crust.

Making the Meringue

Step 4: Place the egg whites in a stainless steel mixing bowl or your stand mixer and beat on a low speed (4 on the KitchenAid) until it is frothy like a bubble bath. Once it’s frothy, add in the cream of tartar. Next, increase the speed to medium (about 10 on the KitchenAid) and slowly add in the sugar.

Beat until you have stiff peaks. That means that you want the meringue to hold a peak on the whisk when lifted from the bowl (see picture). Be careful to watch the meringue closely throughout this transition. It moves from having stiff peaks to being over-beaten rather quickly.

Step 5: Spoon the meringue on top of the pie. It will hold the shape you give it, so make it as pretty as you like.

Step 6: Bake at 325°F for fifteen minutes. This pie is best served chilled.

Tips

• A homemade pie crust will really set this pie over the top.
• If you use a KitchenAid to whisk your egg whites, some models’ whisks will not reach only two egg whites. To remedy this, start with the flat beater and beat on speed 6 until frothy, then switch to the whisk attachment.

Storage

Fridge: You may cover your pie and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days, though it is recommended to eat it the day you make it (not that that will be an issue).

Freezer: Do not freeze lemon meringue. It will ruin the texture of the meringue topping.

More Recipes From Awaiting Acreage

• Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf
• Apple Pecan Bread
• Hot Honey Roasted Carrots

Cooking Through My Grandmother’s Recipe Box

These posts are dedicated to my grandmothers, Doris Watt (Grandmom) and Yvonne Wakefield (Toto). I am grateful to come from women who love to cook! From multiple metal recipe boxes stacked up in a cupboard to sticky note recipes messily lining the inner doors of kitchen cabinets, my grandmothers collected recipes from friends, magazines, books, and of course, their own creations. Sadly, some recipes have been lost through time and wear to the great sadness of older family members who still remember them.

All of this has inspired this series. I will be cooking through my grandmothers’ recipe box(es) and sharing these gems in order to keep tradition alive and save these recipes from being lost to time. Now, I will definitely be making my own modifications due to the heavy use of things such as Oleo or other items our family avoids in an attempt to eat more natural, whole foods, but I will always show the original recipe and explain what I have modified.

My hope is that in sharing these recipes, they’ll live on in new kitchens, with new memories. This is my way of continuing the tradition of cooking with love, simplicity, and just a little bit of flour on the counter.

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