Lemon Meringue Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

slice of lemon meringue pie featured image

Lemon Meringue Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Lemon Meringue Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust is delicious, easy, and summer in every bite. With a toasted airy meringue topping everyone will want this every get together!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Cooling Time 2

Total Time 2 45

Servings

Calories 301kcal

Author Lisa

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

12 graham crackers 2 cups crushed
6 tbs butter melted
2 tbs sugar
Pinch of salt

Lemon Filling

5 large egg yolks use the whites in the meringue recipe below
1 ¼ cups water
⅓ cup cornstarch
1 ¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup lemon juice
1 tbs lemon zest
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

Meringue

5 large egg whites best if at room temperature
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup plus 2 tbs granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch of salt

Instructions

Crust

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Mix thoroughly. (12 graham crackers crushed, 6 tbs unsalted butter, 2 tbs sugar, pinch of salt)
Press graham cracker mixture into a 9 in pie dish, packing it in firmly and coming up over the sides.
Bake crust in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Once crust is done baking remove from oven and turn heat down to 325°F.

Filling

Whisk egg yolks in a bowl and set aside. (5 egg yolks)
In a medium saucepan whisk together water, cornstarch, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. Let the mixture simmer, whisking continuously, until thickened- 4-6 minutes then remove from heat. (1 ¼ cups water, ⅓ cup corn starch, 1 ¼ cups sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup lemon juice, 1 tbs lemon zest)
Slowly stream, while whisking, 4-5 large spoonfuls of the lemon mixture into the whisked egg yolks (1 spoonful at a time) until completely mixed together- this is tempering the eggs. Then slow pour, while whisking, that tempered egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining lemon mixture.
Whisk in the butter. Set aside and make your meringue. (2 tbs butter)

Meringue

In a stand mixer (or with a hand-held mixer) with the whisk attachment whisk the egg whites and the cream of tartar until soft peaks form*- takes about 2 minutes. (5 egg whites, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar)
Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt, whisk on low for a minute (to dissolve sugar) and then whisk on high until stiff peaks form*- takes about 4 minutes. (½ cup plus 2 tbs sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla, pinch of salt)

Assembly and Baking

Pour warm lemon filling into the prebaked graham cracker crust. If the filling isn’t warm make sure to reheat it on the stove before adding it to the crust.
Spread the meringue over the filling making sure to spread all the way to the crust (have the meringue touch the crust helps prevent it from shrinking while baking). You can make nice decorative peaks with a large spoon or spatula.
Bake pie in preheated oven (at 325°F) for 15-20 minutes. Meringue will be lightly browned on top. I recommend checking at the 15-minute mark and then every minute there after- the pie can brown quickly. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature then once at room temperature refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
Once cool slice and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Tips and Tricks:

Best eaten the same day as making.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator but be prepared for leftovers to have the meringue wilt and separate a little.
Soft Peaks mean when the whisk is removed from the egg whites, the egg whites on the whisk is just starting to hold their shape (easy to see if you turn whisk upside down), but the peak fold over on itself.
Stiff peaks mean when you remove the whisk from the egg whites, the mixture will stan strand up into a nice pointy peak without folding over.

Nutrition