This Easy Mini Lemon Meringue Pie is a small batch recipe that has a sweet and tart lemon filling made from scratch topped with creamy lightly browned meringue in a homemade crust.
This cute little delicious dessert serves 2. Plan ahead as this pie needs to cool completely before serving.
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How to make Mini Lemon Pie
For the homemade Pie Crust
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
Scatter the shortening over the flour mixture and use a fork to mash it in. The mixture will resemble coarse sand.
Add the chilled butter over the course flour mixture and use a fork to mash it in.
Sprinkle the ice water over the dough half a tablespoon at a time.
Press the dough together. Stop adding ice water once the dough has come together.
Flatten the dough and shape it into a disk. Wrap the dough disk tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Roll out the dough 1 inch larger than the pan and place it into a 6 inch pie pan.
Pinch the edges for a decorative look, if desired.
Prick the pie shell with a fork, lightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven, and let cool while you mix the filling.
Lower the oven heat to 325 degrees F.
For the Lemon Filling from scratch
Whisk the egg yolk in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a medium-sized saucepan, add the 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, ⅓ cup sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup water, and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil on medium heat, whisking constantly. Let simmer for a minute or two until the mixture begins to thicken, and then remove from the heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
Take a small spoonful of the cornstarch mixture and whisk it into the beaten egg yolk to temper the yolk. Continue to whisk in spoonfuls of the cornstarch mixture until you've used about half of the cornstarch mixture.
Then add the egg yolk mixture back to the pot with the cornstarch. Return to a boil, on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and butter.
Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie shell.
For the homemade Meringue
In a regular bowl or stand mixer bowl, add egg white. Beat with a mixer until soft peaks form.
Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form.
Pour the meringue on top of the pie filling. Spread it out to reach the crust on all sides.
Use a spatula or spoon and make peaks or swirls.
Bake in the 325-degree F oven, for about 20 minutes, or until the meringue peaks are a light brown and set.
Cool completely on a wire rack before serving or the filling may not be set. Click for a wire cooling rack.
You may also enjoy
- Mini Lemon Loaves
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Sour Cream
- Mile High Lemon Bars
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
Small Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust:
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon shortening
- 2 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
- 1 tablespoon to 1 ½ tablespoon ice water
For the Filling:
- 1 egg yolk (egg white used in meringue)
- 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup water
- ⅛ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon butter
For the Meringue:
- 1 egg white
- ⅛ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Pie Crust:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Scatter the shortening over the flour mixture and use a fork to mash it in. The mixture will resemble coarse sand.
- Add the chilled butter over the course flour mixture and use a fork to mash it in.
- Sprinkle the ice water over the dough half tablespoon at a time.
- Press the dough together. Stop adding ice water once the dough has come together.
- Flatten the dough and shape it into a disk. Wrap the dough disk tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
- Roll out the dough 1 inch larger than the pan and place it into a 6 inch pie pan.
- Pinch the edges for a decorative look, if desired.
- Prick the pie shell with fork, lightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden. Remove from oven, let cool while you mix the filling ingredients.
- Lower the oven heat to 325 degrees F (160 C).
For the Filling:
- Whisk the egg yolk in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, add the 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, ⅓ cup sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup water, and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil on medium heat, whisking constantly. Let simmer for a minute or two until the mixture begins to thicken, and then remove from the heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes.
- Take a small spoonful of the cornstarch mixture and whisk it into the beaten egg yolk to temper the yolk. Continue to whisk in spoonfuls of the cornstarch mixture until you've used about half of the cornstarch mixture.
- Then add the egg yolk mixture back to the pot with the cornstarch. Return to a boil, on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and butter.
- Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie shell.
For the Meringue:
- In a regular bowl or stand mixer bowl, add the egg white. Beat with mixer until soft peaks form.
- Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Pour the meringue on top of the pie filling. Spread it out to reach the crust on all sides.
- Use a spatula or spoon and make peaks or swirls.
- Bake in the 325 degree F (160 C) oven, about 20 minutes, or until the meringue peaks are a light brown and set.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before serving or the filling may not be set. Click for a wire cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- Plan ahead as this pie needs to cool completely before serving.
Nutrition
Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I have a passion for recipes. I share recipes, tips, tricks, and resources to help you cook for two. Eat, drink, and enjoy!
Sheryl
Wednesday 27th of November 2024
Absolutely delicious! I did double the filling and used most of it in my single serve pie pan. (my husband is eating the small amount leftover!) We love it! Thank you for sharing the recipe. Happy Holidays!
Donna
Saturday 26th of October 2024
Is there a substitute for shortening. I don’t use shortening. I really like your site.
Zona House
Sunday 27th of October 2024
Hi Donna, instead of 1 tablespoon of shortening and 2 tablespoons of cold butter you can just use 3 tablespoons of cold butter. Thanks for your question.
sylvia
Sunday 21st of May 2023
I made a double amount of the curd to be sufficient for this pie.
Dal
Wednesday 30th of November 2022
Hi Zona! This is my first attempt at Lemon Meringue Pie and your recipe is the one I'm going with! I did wonder after the "Fill the pre-baked pie shell" step, do I then bake the pie before adding the meringue? Or does the whole pie bake in 20 min @ 325 in the "For the Meringue" section.
Thanks
Zona
Wednesday 30th of November 2022
Hi Dal, the whole pie bakes for 20 minutes at 325F. Enjoy :)
Kay
Friday 5th of March 2021
You fail to mention when and where to add the lemon juice. I assume it is in the cornstarch mixture?
Zona
Friday 5th of March 2021
Hi Kay, it's in there in the section "For the Filling" step 5. It reads "Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and butter." I hope that helps and thanks for your comment :)