Chestnut Free Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Few desserts hit quite like a lemon meringue pie — that contrast of buttery, flaky crust, silky-tart lemon curd, and a cloud of toasted meringue is genuinely hard to beat. Every component here is built from scratch, starting with a classic butter crust that gets blind-baked to a perfect golden finish before the filling ever touches it. The lemon filling is thickened with cornstarch and brightened with both fresh juice and zest, giving it that vivid, punchy citrus flavor that store-bought versions never quite nail. What really sets this recipe apart is the Italian meringue — hot sugar syrup is streamed into whipped egg whites, creating a topping that's glossy, stable, and far less prone to weeping than a standard meringue. Spreading it all the way to the crust edge is a smart little trick that keeps everything sealed and beautiful. Every single ingredient in this pie — flour, butter, lemons, eggs, sugar — is naturally free of tree nuts, including chestnuts, so there's no need to audit labels or worry about surprise additions. Torch those peaks to a gorgeous amber, let it chill, and you've got a showstopper that's as safe to serve as it is stunning.
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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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