This easy lemon meringue pie is a scrumptious balance of light, fluffy meringue and tangy lemon punch. It’s a standout dessert that’s easy to pull together, even if you aren’t a baker! You will LOVE it!
This lemon meringue pie is a dessert I’ve been making since I was a kid, and it holds a special place in my kitchen. It was the very first “fancy” dessert I ever tackled, pulled from my well-loved copy of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook , which I was given for my 10th birthday—and yes, I still have it. I made the original recipe once, but even then I found it far too sweet, so this version has been gently tweaked over the years to be brighter, tangier, and much more lemon-forward.
What I love most is how impressive it looks for how approachable it is. The silky lemon filling is smooth and vibrant, with plenty of fresh lemon juice and zest taking center stage, and just enough sugar to let that citrus really shine. Instead of a traditional pastry crust, I use a simple graham cracker crust made with crumbs, butter, and sugar—it comes together quickly and adds a toasty contrast to the sharp lemon.
The billowy meringue on top is the finishing touch and still feels a little magical to me. Whipped slowly with sugar and a pinch of cream of tartar, it bakes into soft peaks with lightly golden edges. It’s elegant, nostalgic, and light enough to keep you coming back for another forkful—a dessert I’ve loved since childhood and one I still make with the same excitement today.
Tips for even easier lemon meringue pie
- You can use a pre-made crust to save yourself a couple of steps.
- Eggs are easier to separate when they’re cold. Once you’ve separated your eggs, let the egg whites get to room temperature before you whip ’em up – you’ll get a lighter, more voluminous meringue this way.
- You can make the graham crust in advance of serving. This way, you won’t have as much to do on bake day.
Can you make lemon meringue pie in advance of serving?
You can make the pie crust in advance; however, it’s best to make the pie filling and meringue on the day you wish to serve/eat it.
Why is my pie watery?
To avoid “weeping” (when water builds between the pie filling and the meringue), add the meringue when the pie filling is hot.
Easy Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
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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
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
- Combine the sugar, 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
- 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
Meringue
- Once the egg whites come to room temperature (they should not be cold), add the cream of tartar 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
Assemble
- Reheat the lemon filling and then pour it into the prepared graham cracker crust.
- 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.
- Bake the pie in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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Favorite lemon dessert recipes
Lemon is such a wonderful, bright flavor to add to desserts which tend to be heavy in the butter and sugar departments. Lemon gives that delicious zing! Here are some other lemon desserts worth baking (and devouring):
Delicious Lemon Lime Loaf
Lemon Lavender Cake
Poppy Seed Lemon Banana Bread
Coconut Lemon Ice Cream
Easy Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
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
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
- Combine the sugar, 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
- 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
Meringue
- Once the egg whites come to room temperature (they should not be cold), add the cream of tartar 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
Assemble
- Reheat the lemon filling and then pour it into the prepared graham cracker crust.
- 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.
- Bake the pie in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit 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.
