Pucker-up-things are about to get sweeter! Here's what you love about this classic dessert: A creamy lemon filling that's perfectly sweet and tart, bursting with fresh lemon flavor. We use a mixture of cream and milk in the filling to get that silky texture just right—no soggy pie filling here! Paired with a golden-brown meringue topping, it creates a perfect blend of textures for a melt-in-your-mouth experience you won't forget!
If you love lemons, you'll love us too lemon cake, Lemon filled donutsand us Lemon Poppyseed Muffins.
Why our recipe?
- Perfect creamy lemon filling that is sweet and tart and full of lemon flavor.
- A cloud-like layer of fluffy meringue baked to golden brown perfection.
Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest bring out all the vibrant lemon flavor this dessert needs. It's refreshingly bright without being too sour, and it smells amazing! The meringue is light, fluffy and bakes to golden-brown perfection. With a touch of cream of tartar to keep it nice and stable, the meringue reaches that dreamy peak without a hitch.
Material notes
- Prepare the pie crust: You can use homemade pie crust, store-bought pastry crust, or no-bake graham crust. Just make sure the crust is cooked and ready for filling.
- Lemon Zest: It is best to cover the lemon juice before consuming it.
- Lemon juice: Fresh is best but you can use bottled lemon juice if you prefer.
- Egg Yolk: This helps give the filling a velvety texture. Set your egg whites aside as you will need them in your meringue.
- Sugar: The granulated sugar balances the tartness of the lemon and gives the filling the best texture.
- Cornstarch: This thickens the filling.
- Heavy Cream: It is often called heavy whipping cream. Either will work well in this recipe.
Crust option
When making this pie, you'll want to use a ready-made pie crust, meaning it's fully baked and ready to go. You can go with a homemade one Pastry pie crust Or a no-bake Graham Cracker Crust. We believe a traditional pastry crust is ideal, as the graham cracker option can be a bit too sweet. Store-bought crusts are also a convenient choice—just be sure to bake and cool the crust before adding your filling.
Tempering egg yolks
Tempering the egg yolk is an important step in preparing the lemon filling. After all, nobody wants egg crumbs in their pie, right? The good news is, it's easier than you might think.
Before you start making the lemon filling, start by preparing your eggs. Once the filling starts to boil, pour a small amount (about 1/2 cup) into your bowl of eggs and whisk quickly. Then, pour the quickly beaten egg mixture back into the pan with the lemon curd, stirring constantly so the eggs don't cook too quickly and curdle.
Storage instructions
Keep in fridge Protect the remaining meringue from tearing by tenting the pie plate with aluminum foil or cover with plastic wrap. Meringue is best enjoyed within 24 hours.
