Breastfeeding Friendly Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Few desserts hit the way a proper lemon meringue pie does — that bright, custardy filling balanced against a cloud of toasted meringue and a buttery, flaky crust is just pure joy on a plate. When you're nursing, keeping an eye on what goes into your food matters, and making this from scratch means you know exactly what's in every layer. One detail worth calling out: the meringue here uses pasteurized egg whites, which is a genuinely smart swap since raw or undercooked egg whites are typically something to avoid during this season of life. The filling is cooked to a full bubble and the Italian meringue method pours hot sugar syrup directly into the whites, so nothing stays raw. Fresh lemon juice and zest bring real brightness, and the cornstarch-thickened curd sets up beautifully firm so every slice holds its shape. It's a bit of a project, but each step is straightforward, and the result — glossy peaks torched to golden, sitting over that sunshine-yellow filling — is absolutely worth clearing an afternoon for.
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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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