BHA & BHT Free Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Few desserts hit the way a lemon meringue pie does — that sharp, silky citrus filling against a buttery, flaky crust, all crowned with a cloud of toasted meringue. Every component here is made entirely from scratch using straightforward pantry staples and fresh lemons, which means you know exactly what's going into it. That matters more than it might seem, because many store-bought pies and packaged baked goods quietly rely on synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life — none of which have any place in this recipe. The lemon filling gets its gorgeous, glossy body from cornstarch and egg yolks, tempered carefully so the texture is smooth and custardy rather than gluey. The meringue is an Italian-style version, made by streaming hot sugar syrup into whipped egg whites, which gives it incredible stability and that signature sheen. A kitchen torch or a quick pass under the broiler toasts the peaks to a deep, caramel-kissed gold. The result is a showstopper that's as clean and honest as baking gets.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
- 3–4 tbsp ice water
For the lemon filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3–4 lemons)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- 5 large egg yolks
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
For the Italian meringue
- 4 large pasteurized egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- 1
Make the crust: Whisk together the flour, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the chilled butter cubes and work them in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Drizzle in 3 tbsp ice water and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together; add the fourth tablespoon only if the dough is still crumbly. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, press into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Drape it over the rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing it gently into the bottom and sides. Trim the overhang to about 1 inch, fold it under, and crimp the edge. Prick the bottom all over with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
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