Golden Mary Berry’s Lemon Meringue Pie

Making a lemon meringue pie from scratch can feel pretty intimidating, especially when you’re staring at all those steps and wondering if your meringue will actually hold up. I get it – between getting the curd just right, making sure the pastry doesn’t get soggy, and praying the meringue doesn’t weep, there’s a lot that can go wrong.

But here’s the thing: Mary Berry’s lemon meringue pie recipe takes all the guesswork out of it. Her method is straightforward and forgiving, with clear steps that actually make sense, plus her little tricks help you avoid those common pitfalls that usually make people want to give up and buy one from the store instead.

What Kind of Lemons Should I Use?

For Mary Berry’s lemon meringue pie, you’ll want to use fresh lemons rather than bottled lemon juice for the best flavor. Look for lemons that feel heavy for their size and have bright, unblemished skin – these will give you the most juice and the best zest. Meyer lemons are a great choice if you can find them since they’re sweeter and less acidic than regular lemons, but standard supermarket lemons work perfectly fine too. When zesting, make sure to only get the yellow part of the peel and avoid the white pith underneath, which can make your filling bitter.

Options for Substitutions

While this classic lemon meringue pie has some ingredients you really shouldn’t mess with, there are a few swaps you can make:

• Plain flour: You can substitute with all-purpose flour if you’re in the US – it’s essentially the same thing. Avoid using self-raising flour as it will affect the pastry texture.
• Butter: Cold margarine or vegetable shortening can work in place of butter for the pastry, though you’ll lose some of that rich, buttery flavor.
• Icing sugar: Powdered sugar is the same thing if you’re shopping in the US. You can also make your own by blending regular caster sugar in a food processor until fine.
• Lemons: Fresh lemons are really best here – bottled lemon juice just won’t give you the same bright, fresh taste. If you must use bottled, you’ll need about 150ml/5fl oz of juice.
• Caster sugar: This is superfine sugar in the US. You can make your own by pulsing regular granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds, but don’t substitute with regular sugar as it won’t dissolve properly in the meringue.
• Cornflour: This is cornstarch in the US – same ingredient, different name. Don’t skip this as it’s essential for thickening both the filling and stabilizing the meringue.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making lemon meringue pie is adding the lemon filling while it’s still hot, which will cause your meringue to weep and create that dreaded soggy layer underneath – always let your curd cool to room temperature first.

Another common error is not cooking the lemon curd long enough, so make sure it coats the back of a spoon and has thickened properly before removing from heat, otherwise you’ll end up with a runny filling that won’t set.

When making the meringue, ensure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and grease-free (even a tiny bit of egg yolk will prevent proper whipping), and gradually add the sugar while beating to create stable, glossy peaks.

Finally, bake the assembled pie immediately after adding the meringue and avoid opening the oven door during baking, as temperature fluctuations can cause the meringue to crack or collapse.

What to Serve With Lemon Meringue Pie?

This tangy, sweet pie is honestly perfect on its own, but a dollop of lightly whipped cream on the side never hurts if you want to balance out some of that bright lemon flavor. Since it’s such a rich dessert, I like to serve it after a lighter meal – maybe some grilled fish or a simple roast chicken dinner. A cup of black tea or coffee pairs beautifully with the citrusy filling and sweet meringue, especially if you’re serving it for an afternoon treat. Fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries make a nice garnish and add a pop of color to each slice.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Lemon meringue pie is best enjoyed the day it’s made, but you can store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or place it under a cake dome to protect the meringue. The meringue might weep a little after the first day, but it’ll still taste great!

Make Ahead: You can definitely get a head start on this pie! Bake the pastry case and make the lemon curd filling up to a day ahead, then store them separately in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, just whip up the meringue and assemble everything for the final bake.

Serve: This pie is meant to be served chilled, so take it straight from the fridge to the table. If you’ve stored it overnight, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before slicing – this makes it easier to cut clean pieces without the meringue cracking too much.

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	35-45 minutes
Total Time	65-90 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3900-4100
• Protein: 45-55 g
• Fat: 170-185 g
• Carbohydrates: 540-570 g

Ingredients

For the pastry base:

• 1 3/4 oz confectioners’ sugar
• 6 oz unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 8 oz all-purpose flour (or King Arthur for best results)

For the lemon layer:

• 2 1/4 oz cornstarch (sifted to remove lumps)
• 6 egg yolks (room temperature)
• Zest and juice from 6 lemons (fresh, about 3/4 cup juice)
• 9 oz superfine sugar
• 16 fl oz water

For the meringue:

• 8 oz superfine sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch (helps stabilize and prevent weeping)
• 4 egg whites (room temperature, for maximum volume)

Step 1: Make and Chill the Pastry Crust

• 8 oz all-purpose flour
• 6 oz unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 oz confectioners’ sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten

Combine flour and softened butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Add the confectioners’ sugar and beaten egg, then pulse again until the dough just comes together—don’t overwork it or the pastry will be tough.

Turn the dough onto a work surface, gently form it into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the other components.

This resting time allows the gluten to relax and helps prevent shrinkage during baking.

Step 2: Line and Blind Bake the Pie Shell

• pastry dough from Step 1

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

Roll out the chilled pastry dough to about 3mm thickness and line a 23cm flan tin, pressing gently into the corners and up the sides.

Trim any excess pastry with a knife.

Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with baking beans or dried beans to prevent puffing.

Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the beans and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes until the base is set but still pale.

Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 170°C (340°F) for the final baking of the assembled pie.

Step 3: Prepare the Lemon Filling Base

• Zest and juice from 6 lemons
• 2 1/4 oz cornstarch
• 16 fl oz water

While the pastry bakes, combine the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and sifted cornstarch in a bowl—the cornstarch will help thicken the filling and prevent it from becoming too runny.

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

Pour the lemon-cornstarch mixture into the boiling water while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.

Continue stirring until the mixture thickens noticeably, about 2-3 minutes.

The filling should have a glossy, custard-like consistency at this point.

Step 4: Enrich the Lemon Filling with Egg Yolks

• 9 oz superfine sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• lemon mixture from Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk together the superfine sugar and room-temperature egg yolks until pale and creamy—this takes about 2-3 minutes of vigorous whisking.

Reduce the heat under the lemon mixture to medium-low, then slowly pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot lemon filling while stirring constantly to temper the yolks and prevent scrambling.

Continue stirring gently over the heat for another 2-3 minutes until the filling is noticeably thicker and coats the back of a spoon.

I like to make sure the eggs are fully incorporated before moving forward, as this ensures a smooth, silky texture in the final pie.

Step 5: Assemble the Pie Base and Filling

• blind-baked pastry shell from Step 2
• lemon filling from Step 4

Pour the hot lemon filling directly into the warm, blind-baked pastry shell, spreading it evenly to the edges.

Set aside at room temperature while you prepare the meringue topping—the filling will continue to set as it cools.

Step 6: Make the Meringue Topping

• 4 egg whites
• 8 oz superfine sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Place the room-temperature egg whites in a very clean, dry mixing bowl (any traces of fat will prevent them from whipping properly).

Using an electric mixer or whisk by hand, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form—the peaks should curl slightly when you lift the whisk.

Gradually add the superfine sugar, one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat.

Once all the sugar is incorporated, add the cornstarch and beat for another 30 seconds until the meringue is stiff, glossy, and holds firm peaks.

I find that having the egg whites at room temperature helps them reach maximum volume, so don’t skip that step.

Step 7: Top, Bake, and Cool the Pie

• assembled pie from Step 5
• meringue from Step 6

Spoon the meringue onto the lemon filling, starting from the edges and working toward the center, making sure the meringue touches the pastry edges all around (this prevents it from shrinking away).

Create attractive peaks and swirls with the back of a spoon for that signature golden appearance.

Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 15 minutes until the meringue is set and lightly golden on top.

Remove from the oven and let the pie cool completely to room temperature before slicing—this allows the filling to set properly and makes for clean, neat slices.