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Lemon Meringue Pie

Just in time for spring! This pie is delicious and looks a lot harder to make than it is. We’re skipping the pastry crust and using an easy graham cracker and coconut press-in crust. As always, we include options to make this pie gluten and dairy free.
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Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • ¾ cup shredded coconut
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
  • 4 large egg yolks reserve the whites for the meringue
  • 1 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk, minus 4 tablespoons, or 1 can of dairy free sweetened condensed coconut or oat milk
  • 1 teaspoon packed finely grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice squeezed from about 3 lemons
Meringue
  • 4 large egg whites
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

Equipment

  • Large Skillet or Crepe Pan

Method
 

Crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter; stir with a fork first, and then your hands until the mixture is well combined. Using your fingers or the bottom of a small glass, press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a deep dish pie pan.
  3. Bake for about 10 minutes, until just starting to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F.
Filling
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour into the warm crust.
Meringue
  1. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat over medium high speed until the egg whites hold soft peaks. Continue beating, gradually adding the sugar, until the egg whites form thick, glossy mostly firm peaks.
  2. Transfer the meringue onto the top of the lemon filling. Using a small spatula, spread it out and give it some nice decorative swirls. Make sure the meringue touches the sides of the pie all the way around. Double check this - without creating a seal the meringue can shrink and make your pie not so pretty looking.
  3. Make sure your oven is at 325F. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned on top. Let the pie cool completely on a rack before serving. If you prefer cool pie, chill it for a few hours or overnight. Enjoy!