Xanthan Gum Free Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Few desserts hit the way a classic lemon meringue pie does — that sharp, silky citrus filling, the buttery shatter of a homemade crust, and a cloud of toasted meringue that somehow makes the whole thing feel celebratory. The good news is that every component here is naturally free of xanthan gum, which often sneaks into store-bought pie shells, pre-made fillings, and even some meringue mixes as a stabilizer. The lemon filling gets its gorgeous, glossy thickness from cornstarch and egg yolks alone, so there's no need for any gum-based thickener whatsoever. The crust is a straightforward butter-and-flour pastry that holds together beautifully with just a splash of ice water and a proper chill in the fridge. Italian meringue — made by streaming hot sugar syrup into whipped egg whites — is naturally stable and incredibly glossy without any additives, and it toasts up into those dramatic golden peaks with a kitchen torch or a quick run under the broiler. Fresh lemon juice and zest do all the heavy lifting on flavor, so the result is bright, tangy, and deeply satisfying in a way that no boxed mix can touch. This is the kind of pie that earns serious compliments at the table and happens to sidestep a common additive without any compromise at all.
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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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