Ann Landers' Lemon Meringue Pie
This classic pie has been enjoyed for decades! With its smooth and velvety filling and foolproof meringue, it's a bright, citrusy treat that comes out perfectly every time.
Ingredients
For the lemon layer:
- 1 baked 9-inch pie shell
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 3 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups water
- 1½ teaspoons lemon extract
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons butter
For the meringue:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ cup hot water
- 3 egg whites
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
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Instructions
For the foolproof meringue (part 1):
- In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water. Add ½ cup hot water and cook, stirring until the mixture is thickened. Let cool completely. I put it in the fridge to speed it up.
For the lemon layer:
- In a large saucepan, whisk together ⅓ cup lemon juice and 3 egg yolks. Whisk in 1¼ cups sugar, 6 tablespoons cornstarch, and 2 cups water.
- Place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until thick, about 6–8 minutes. Whisk the mixture often so the egg yolks don’t scramble.
- Stir in the 1½ teaspoons lemon extract, 2 teaspoons white vinegar, and 3 tablespoons butter.
- Pour into 1 baked 9-inch pie shell, and make the meringue right away—you want the filling to be a little warm still so the layers don’t separate when you slice it.
For the foolproof meringue (part 2):
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Beat 3 egg whites until soft peaks form (peaks that droop over when you lift the beater). Add 6 tablespoons sugar, and then beat until stiff peaks form (peaks that stand up without drooping when you lift the beater).
- Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, then add the cooled cornstarch mixture. Beat on high until combined.
- Gently spread over the lemon pie filling and use a knife or spatula to create swirls in the meringue. Bake for 10–14 minutes or until the top is lightly brown in spots.
- Let cool before serving. If you’d like to serve it chilled, let it cool completely, then transfer it to the refrigerator.
Notes
For the baked pie shell, you can use store-bought (follow the instructions on the box for baking it) or homemade. I did store-bought in the photos above, but I really love this never fail pie crust if you're going the homemade route.
Make sure there are NO yolks in the egg whites for the meringue. It may not whip to stiff peaks if there are yolks in there.
Ann's original recipe called for cooking the lemon mixture in a double boiler. I switched this to a regular saucepan. You'll need to whisk it frequently to prevent the eggs from curdling, but it'll go much faster. If you think any of the eggs might have curdled (like if you walked away to forgot to whisk for a few minutes), strain the mixture into a fine mesh sieve before putting it in the pie crust.
Ann's recipe also calls for cooling the lemon filling completely before adding the meringue. In my experience, this increases the likelihood that the meringue will slip right off when the slices are cut! So, this recipe reflects the instructions to add the meringue while the lemon filling is still a bit warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 114mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 1gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 229IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
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