This easy lemon meringue pie recipe has become a tradition for my husband’s birthday celebration (yes, we’re one of those families who don’t necessarily celebrate with the traditional cake and ice cream). He has a thing for citrus flavors, and I have a thing for gluten-free recipes.
I love his choice in pie. It’s sweet for sure, but it’s also fairly light. There’s baaarely enough thickener in the filling to make it set up, which made it super hard to photograph, but it also gives it a delightfully silky mouth feel.
I usually use bottled lemon juice in baking, but since we recently froze a bunch of fresh lemon juice, I was able to use that instead, and wow! What a flavor difference. I couldn’t believe just how different it was. Totoally worth squeezing fresh lemons for!
But just as importantly as how it tickles the taste buds, this pie is also incredibly easy to make.
Start with the crust. This time around, I used the quick and easy version of gluten free piecrust, which always turns out beautifully, and then stirred the filling together while it was baking. Just sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and water, making this one of the easiest pie fillings ever!
Easy Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Gluten-free pie crust recipe
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 T. cornstarch
- ¼ t. salt
- 3 cups water
- 2/3 cup lemon juice
- 4 T. Butter
- 3 egg yolks.
Instructions
- Prepare pie crust in a 9” pie plate, and bake at 350º until the edges begin to turn golden.
- Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.
- Stir in water and lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened and translucent.
- Dot with butter.
- Let cool for ten minutes.
- Beat in egg yolks.
- Pour into baked pie shell.
For the meringue
- 3 egg whites
- 3 T. granulated sugar
- Beat eggs whites with a mixer on medium-low speed until frothy.
- Increase speed, and beat until soft peaks form.
- Begin gradually adding sugar.
- Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Spread evenly over top of the pie and broil until meringue is golden brown.
- For my part, I’ve learned to sit by the broiler the entire time it’s cooking. Otherwise, I burn it. Every time. Seriously, it’s juuuust barely starting to brown one second, and black the next.
For best results, let pie completely, and refrigerate for several hours before cutting and serving.
Enjoy the best easy lemon meringue pie recipe ever!
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Hi Elise, I love this recipe. I wish I had some for breakfast!
Mmm, pie for breakfast!
Oh my goodness. I LOVE lemon meringue pie. I haven’t had one since going gluten-free. I’m going to have to try this – your crust looks super easy, too! 🙂
This pie looks so good! I totally get you with burning everything under the broiler, I do the same with my toaster. I seriously can NOT make a good piece of toast. EVER. My husband thinks it’s the funniest thing because I can cook and bake all kinds of great things, just not toast. lol
Sounds yummy.
This looks amazing and my mouth is literally watering looking at it! I can almost taste it. BTW, I agree, fresh lemons is the only way to go!
I had a bowl of egg yolks from making GF pizzas on a snow day last week and couldn’t decide what to do with it. I ended up making GF challah, but next time, I’m making THIS! YUM!!!!
~jules
Wow I am totally drooling. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a lemon meringue pie. I love that you got the meringue just right. I often over cook my meringue 🙂
Oh believe me, I turn out charcoal more often than I do pretty meringues! Ive started having to force myself to sit by the broiler while they’re cooking. 😛
When do you put the filling into the pie crust and do you bake it? The last thing in the recipe is to add the egg yolks and set aside. Did I miss a step
Excellent! I love lemon but not the topping. Without the topping, it is delicious.
★★★★★