Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie

5 from 2 votes

Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie is a simple, old fashioned recipe that features fresh lemon juice. This recipe is a lemon pie without cornstarch instead using regular flour as a thickener. It's the perfect balance between sweet and tart, and the rustic appearance makes it a favorite among amateur bakers.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Pie, Lemon pie with fresh lemons, Real Lemon Pie

Servings:

Calories: 266kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

Lemon Filling

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups hot water
2/3 cup lemon juice about 3 lemons

Meringue

3 egg whites
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Prepared Pie Crust

Instructions

Prepare pie crust as directed on the package. For the store bought, this typically means pricking with a fork and baking at 400 degrees F for 11 to 14 minutes.
In a small saucepan, add sugar, flour, egg yolks, salt, water and lemon juice. Heat over medium low until thick.
Pour into baked pie crust.
Beat egg whites and 2 tablespoons of sugar until the egg whites are stiff and stand up.
Spread onto lemon filling mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes until the meringue is brown. Keep a close eye as ovens vary.

Notes

Grandma's Lemon Pie uses fresh lemons. This gives a more authentic lemon flavor. Buy 3 lemons just to be safe to get the right amount of lemon juice.
The trick to great lemon flavor is to get the lemon pulp in with the lemon juice. Avoid the seeds!
Use hot water from the facet.
You can use a homemade pie crust or a store bought; just be sure to pre-bake it. For the store bought, this typically means pricking with a fork and baking at 400 degrees F for 11 to 14 minutes.
While making the lemon filling, be sure to stir constantly to prevent it from burning.
The real lemon filling will go from watery to thick in the blink of an eye right about the time the mixture comes to a boil.
When separating the egg yolks from the whites, be sure not to get any yolks in the white part. This will mess up the meringue.
If you want a bigger meringue for this fresh lemon pie, add more whites.
The lemon base is truly a lemon pudding. Try skipping the crust and meringue and just eating the pudding.
When you put it in the oven for the meringue to brown, there is no magic timing. 15-20 minutes is an estimate so keep an eye on it.
Once you've browned the meringue, let it cool on a rack away from the stove top. The heat from the oven or stove top could cause the meringue to weep.
Another way to prevent weeping of the meringue is to make sure you spread the meringue all the way to the crust all the way around the pie.
Use the back of a spoon or a offset spatula to make decorative peaks and valleys in the meringue.
Try some of our other favorite pie recipes: Grandma's Pumpkin Chiffon Pie and Impossible Pumpkin Pie.
Please note carb counts, calorie counts and nutritional information can vary greatly depending on the products you use. The nutritional information below is auto-calculated and should NOT be used for specific dietary needs.

Nutrition