Pistachio Free Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Few desserts hit the way a proper lemon meringue pie does — that sharp, silky citrus filling against a buttery homemade crust, all crowned with a cloud of glossy, torched meringue. The filling gets its gorgeous set from cornstarch and tempered egg yolks, while fresh lemon juice and zest keep every bite bright and tangy rather than cloying. The Italian meringue method — pouring hot sugar syrup into whipped egg whites — gives you those dramatic peaks that hold their shape and toast up beautifully without weeping. Tree nut concerns are completely off the table here, since every component is built from pantry staples, fresh citrus, eggs, and butter with zero nut-based ingredients in sight. That makes this a genuinely stress-free bake for anyone navigating nut allergies at a dinner party or holiday table. The technique has a few steps, but each one is straightforward, and the payoff — a clean, quivering slice with golden meringue tips — is absolutely worth it.
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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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