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Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Desserts are a delicious way to spoil mom anytime of year, but on Mother’s Day, the act means a little more. Food is its own form of love, and a slice of something sweet is always a perfect way to celebrate.
If you want to try a recipe the Allrecipes community returns to again and again, look no further than our most-saved Mother’s Day recipe: Grandma’s Lemon Meringue Pie. In fact, the Allrecipes community regards it as one of the best pie recipes they’ve ever tried. With over 2,500 five-star ratings and an average score of 4.8 stars, the dessert is worthy enough to serve to your mom.
Dianne
How to Make Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie
Many reviewers rave about how easy the pie is to make. The whole dessert comes together in under an hour, thanks to help from a prepared pie crust, which shortens the baking process.
Many reviewers say the key to this recipe lies in using fresh citrus, so always try to use juice and zest from fresh lemons. In addition to the pie crust and lemons, you'll need sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt, water, butter, and egg yolks to make the filling and the meringue topping.
Much of the work required to make the lemon filling happens on the stovetop. Whisk together the ingredients in a saucepan and bring everything to a boil, stirring frequently. Then add butter and whisk until combined and remove from the heat. Add the egg yolks to a small bowl and mix in 1/2 cup of the hot sugar mixture. Then, pour the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining lemon filling in the saucepan, bring to a boil, whisking constantly until thick—about one minute.
As for the meringue topping, beat the egg whites in a bowl with an electric mixer until foamy. Slowly add sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Finish the pie by pouring your lemon filling into the pre-baked pie crust, then top the recipe meringue. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is set.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Tips for Making Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie
- Make your own pie crust. If you want to throw in a little more effort for a truly homemade pie, make your own crust. The key to a flaky pie crust starts with cold ingredients, then the rest of the process flows smoothly. One reviewer chose to try this pie with a graham cracker crust, and they loved the results.
- Use Meyer lemons. Meyer lemons are great to use for dessert recipes because they are sweeter and less acidic than traditional varieties like Eureka or Lisbon lemons. This smaller citrus fruit, originally from China, tastes a little like a cross between a lemon and a mandarin.
- Make your meringue before the pie filling. That way, when you pour your hot lemon filling into the pie crust, you can add the meringue on top right away, filling the entire top of the pie so no portion of the lemon filling is left exposed. Then the pie can go straight into the oven and the meringue will be done at the same time as the filling.
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Praise From The Allrecipes Community
Find out what the Allrecipes community loves most about this recipe:
- "I have made this pie so many times and it comes out perfectly every time," says reviewer Angela. "This recipe is SO EASY compared to others on this site. No double boiler, no stirring for 20 minutes. This sets up nice and fast, and tastes wonderful. Light, not too sweet. With the Meyer lemons in my back yard, I needed something to use them up. This is certainly the most delicious way!"
- "Made this pie over the weekend and it got rave reviews," says Allrecipes member MandM. "This was the first time I made a lemon meringue pie from scratch. This recipe was very easy to follow, used simple ingredients and yielded a delicious pie."
- "It was hands down one of the very best lemon meringue pies I have ever eaten," says reviewer Janis Talbott. "And my grandmother made what I thought was the best. But this rivals it hands down!! Don't tweak it, just follow the recipe."
Get the recipe: Grandma’s Lemon Meringue Pie
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