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Enjoy the classic flavors of lemon meringue pie in this perfectly portioned Mini Lemon Meringue Pie recipe. Featuring a tangy lemon filling, a buttery graham cracker crust, and a fluffy meringue topping, this single serve dessert is simple to make and ideal for a no-fuss treat.
Looking for more delicious mini pie recipes perfectly sized for one or two? Try our tangy Key Lime Pie, rich Chess Pie, sweet Cherry Pie, creamy Coconut Cream Pie, or luscious Blueberry Pie. Explore these and more for your next dessert!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple to Make: Easy-to-follow instructions make this mini pie a hassle-free dessert.
- Perfectly Portioned: Designed for one serving, it’s the ideal treat without any leftovers.
- Classic Flavor: Enjoy the timeless combination of zesty lemon filling, buttery crust, and fluffy meringue in a single serving.
- Bright and Fresh: The tangy lemon filling delivers a refreshing balance of sweet and tart flavors.
- Beautiful Presentation: This small lemon meringue pie looks as impressive as it tastes, making it perfect for a personal indulgence or a small celebration.
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Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this mini lemon meringue pie recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: These sweet, whole wheat cookie crumbs form the base of the pie crust. If you don’t have graham crackers, try ginger snaps, vanilla wafers, digestive biscuits in the UK, or Arnott’s Granita biscuits in Australia. Leftover graham crackers are great for recipes like Strawberry Icebox Cake, Peanut Butter Pie, or a No-Bake Cheesecake.
- Butter: Salted butter adds flavor, but unsalted works well.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is used in the crust, lemon filling, and meringue topping, adding sweetness throughout.
- Cornstarch and Water: Cornstarch thickens the lemon curd filling. It’s mixed with sugar and water in a saucepan to create a smooth, glossy texture.
- Egg: Use the yolk for the lemon filling and the white for the meringue topping.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice delivers the best flavor, but bottled juice works in a pinch. For extra zest, add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest to the filling. You can even try other citrus juices like lime or grapefruit. Use leftover lemon juice in a mini Lemon Cake.
- Cream of Tartar: This stabilizes the egg whites in the meringue, ensuring tall, fluffy peaks.
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Recipe Variations
Get creative with this small lemon meringue pie recipe by trying these flavorful variations!
- Lime Meringue Pie: Replace the lemon juice and zest with lime for a tangy, tropical flavor.
- Orange Meringue Pie: Use orange juice and zest for a sweeter, milder citrus pie with a fragrant twist.
- Chocolate Base Lemon Pie: Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate over the crust before adding the lemon filling for a rich, decadent contrast.
- Coconut Lemon Meringue Pie: Mix shredded coconut into the lemon filling for added texture and a touch of tropical sweetness.
- Ginger Lemon Meringue Pie: Add finely grated ginger to the lemon filling for a warm, zesty kick that complements the citrus.
How To Make A Lemon Meringue Pie
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a mini lemon meringue pie. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Prepare the Pie Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Crush 2 sheets of graham crackers into fine crumbs (about ¼ cup). Use a ziplock bag and rolling pin or a food processor to make the crumbs.
- Combine Crust Ingredients: In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter until combined.
- Form the Crust: Transfer the crumb mixture to a 10-ounce ramekin. Press it firmly into the bottom using your fingers or the back of a spoon to form the crust.
- Bake the Crust: Place the ramekin in the oven and bake the crust for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Make the Filling: Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and set it aside.
- Cook the Filling Base: In a 1-quart saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add water, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and starts to boil. Reduce the heat to low once it thickens.
- Temper the Egg Yolk: Slowly add 1 to 2 spoonfuls of the hot mixture to the whisked egg yolk while stirring to temper it. Gradually whisk the tempered yolk back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest.
Note on Tempering: Tempering is the process of slowly warming the egg yolk to prevent it from scrambling when mixed with a hot liquid.
- Add Filling to Crust: Pour the prepared lemon filling over the baked crust in the ramekin.
- Prepare the Meringue: In a medium bowl, beat the egg white and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy (about 2 minutes). Gradually add sugar, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat until the meringue forms stiff, glossy peaks. Avoid overbeating, as this can make the meringue grainy.
- Top Pie with Meringue: Spoon the meringue over the lemon filling, spreading it evenly to seal the edges completely. Use the back of a spoon to create decorative peaks.
Note on Shrinking: Shrinking occurs when the meringue pulls away from the edges of the ramekin. To prevent this, spread the meringue evenly over the filling, making sure it reaches all the way to the edges of the ramekin. This seals the meringue and helps it stay in place during baking.
- Bake the Pie: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown.
- Cool the Pie: Place the ramekin on a wire rack and let the pie cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate: Once cooled, cover the pie and refrigerate until ready to serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
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Expert Tips
- Clean Equipment: Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry. Any grease or residue can prevent the egg whites from forming peaks.
- Room-Temperature Egg Whites: Let the egg whites come to room temperature before whipping for better volume and quicker results.
- Separate Carefully: When separating the egg, ensure no yolk gets into the whites, as even a small amount can prevent them from whipping properly.
- Add Sugar Slowly: Gradually add sugar while whipping to help it dissolve fully and create a smooth, glossy meringue.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 10-ounce ramekin is ideal for this recipe. Look for one that’s about 4 inches in diameter and 1 ¾ inches tall to perfectly fit the single serving pie.
Let the pie cool completely, then cover and refrigerate any leftovers. It’s best enjoyed within 2 days, but it can safely remain at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
Freezing isn’t recommended, as it affects the texture of the lemon filling and meringue, making them less enjoyable.
Yes, doubling the ingredients works well. Use a slightly larger dish, like a 5×5-inch or 4×6-inch baking dish, to accommodate the increased quantity.
A runny filling usually means the cornstarch wasn’t fully cooked. Ensure the mixture comes to a boil to activate the cornstarch’s thickening properties.
Yes! You can prepare the crust and filling ahead of time, but wait to make and bake the meringue until just before serving to keep it fresh.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: 15 Easy Single Serving Dessert Recipes
If you’ve tried this mini lemon meringue pie or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Mini Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust
- ¼ cup graham crackers (Use 2 sheets of graham crackers crushed into fine crumbs or substitute with packaged graham cracker crumbs for convenience.)
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon salted butter -melted
For the Filling
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ tablespoon salted butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
For the Meringue
- 1 large egg white
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Pie Crust
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). If you don’t have packaged graham cracker crumbs, crush 2 sheets of graham crackers into fine crumbs (about ¼ cup). Use a ziplock bag and rolling pin or a food processor for this step.
- In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and melted butter until combined.
- Transfer the crumb mixture to a 10-ounce ramekin. Press it firmly into the bottom using your fingers or the back of a spoon to form the crust.
- Bake the Crust: Place the ramekin in the oven and bake the crust for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the Pie Filling
- Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and set it aside.
- In a 1-quart saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add the water, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and starts to boil. Reduce the heat to low once it thickens.
- Slowly add 1 to 2 spoonfuls of the hot mixture to the whisked egg yolk while stirring to temper it. Gradually whisk the tempered yolk back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Pour the prepared lemon filling over the baked crust in the ramekin.
Make the Meringue
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg white and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy (about 2 minutes). Gradually add the sugar, ½ tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat until the meringue forms stiff, glossy peaks. Avoid overbeating, as this can make the meringue grainy.
- Top Pie with Meringue: Spoon the meringue over the lemon filling, spreading it evenly to seal the edges completely. Use the back of a spoon to create decorative peaks.Note: Shrinking occurs when the meringue pulls away from the edges of the ramekin. To prevent this, spread the meringue evenly over the filling, making sure it reaches all the way to the edges of the ramekin. This seals the meringue and helps it stay in place during baking.
- Bake the Pie: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown.
- Cool the Pie: Place the ramekin on a wire rack and let the pie cool to room temperature. This step is crucial to allow the filling to set properly.
- Refrigerate: Once cooled, cover the pie and refrigerate until ready to serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Clean Equipment: Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry. Any grease or residue can prevent the egg whites from forming peaks.
- Room-Temperature Egg Whites: Let the egg whites come to room temperature before whipping for better volume and quicker results.
- Separate Carefully: When separating the egg, ensure no yolk gets into the whites, as even a small amount can prevent them from whipping properly.
- Add Sugar Slowly: Gradually add sugar while whipping to help it dissolve fully and create a smooth, glossy meringue.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I have a 6 inch pie pan. Could that be used instead of the ramekin? If so do I need to double the recipe? I have been looking and keeping your recipes for some time now and I appreciate your hard work fixing all these different recipes.
Hi Rebecca, a 6-inch pie pan would be too large. You would need to double the ingredients to make a larger pie that would fit in a 6-inch pan.
My mother made the most beautiful lemon meringue pie, meringue to the sky and lightly browned. I being the family philistine and not a great fan of food as art at the time scraped this egg white sculpture on to my plate. I did this to get to the real prize-the golden, smooth, heavenly, delicious lemon curd and my mother’s perfect flakey crust. I still don’t like meringue at all (although I love meringue cookies. Go figure). I’ve never been able to duplicate her flakey melt in your mouth crust. But your easy to follow lemon curd recipe resulted in perfection. Thank you for taking me back to a delicious memory of my childhood.
Terrific recipe.
Lemon Merignue is my favorite pie. I made this one for one and used pie crust instead and prebaked the crust and it was delicious.
I have some spiced ginger cookies. Could they replace graham crackers?
I think they would make a delicious substitution.
Turned out beautifully. Thanks for a nice Mother’s Day gift! Took a photo but not sure where to send it!
Terrific recipe.
My 15 year old daughter has never tried lemon meringue pie before so I decided to make this (because I love lemon meringue). She was a little hesitant to try it but once she did – she ate half and I ate the other half. Yum! I would definitely make this again!
I made this 2 days ago, ate 1/2 the first night and the other 1/2 last night. The ONLY reason I did not eat the WHOLE thing in one setting was I just wanted to spread the enjoyment out! SO GOOD. So good in fact I’m making it again right now for another 2-day enjoyment. Thank you Joanie so much. I can now enjoy my favorite lemon dessert. In fact, I just love being able to have desserts I can eat up before they spoil!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the lemon meringue pie. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know.
One large egg white is approximately 2 tablespoons (30 ml). Another option would be to pour the egg whites you have into a measuring cup and use a quarter of the total volume (assuming you have the whites from 4 eggs).
How do you cut into this pie so that it looks pretty on a plate?
Since the pie is baked in a ramekin, it’s a little hard to cut it into wedges.
Can lemon curd be used?
Yes.
I made this for my 61st birthday pie! My husband and son wanted me to make a traditional chocolate cake but since it is my b-day, I get to do something unorthodox, and delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Happy Birthday!! I agree – you definitely should decide what to eat for your special day!! I’m so happy you enjoyed the pie. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.