Celery Free Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Few desserts hit the way a lemon meringue pie does — that sharp, custardy filling against a buttery, flaky crust, all crowned with billowy toasted meringue. The lemon filling here is built on fresh juice and zest, cornstarch, and egg yolks, giving you a glossy, intensely citrusy curd that sets up beautifully without any fuss. The Italian meringue technique — pouring hot sugar syrup into whipped egg whites — creates a topping that's far more stable and luscious than a standard meringue, with those gorgeous torched peaks that hold their shape when you slice. Every component in this recipe is naturally free of celery and celery derivatives, so there's nothing to second-guess in the ingredient list. The blind-baked crust gets properly golden and crisp, which means it won't go soggy under that thick, tangy filling. Whether you finish it under a broiler or with a kitchen torch, the result is a showstopper that tastes like it came from a serious bakery.
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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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