Lemon Meringue Pie Bars

Tangy and sweet, these lemon meringue pie bars start with a homemade lemon curd topped with pillowy meringue. All the amazingness of lemon meringue pie, but in bar form. These pie bars are perfect for parties or the holidays!

Why this recipe works

You’ll get more servings out of these lemon meringue pie bars than you would with a traditional pie, making it great for larger get-togethers.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

CRUST – To make these pie bars quick and easy, we’re using a premade pie dough. You can certainly make your own pie dough or even a shortbread or graham cracker crust instead.

FILLING – The second layer is made up of sweet and tangy homemade lemon curd that holds up well thanks to the cornstarch allowing it to reach a nice thick consistency.

TOPPING – Don’t let meringue intimidate you, this meringue consists of just 3 ingredients and is easy to whip up with the consistency of marshmallow fluff. It should hold stiff peaks when held up on your beater. If you have a preferred method of making meringue, feel free to substitute with that.

How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie Bars

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Using an 8×8 inch pan, roll out the pie crust and cut to fit the bottom of the dish. Cut to be slightly bigger than the bottom since it will shrink as it cooks. Spray the 8×8 pan with non-stick spray and lay the pie crust dough into the bottom.
2. Into a 2 quart saucepan add the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Give a quick whisk. Whisk the warm water, lemon juice, and zest into the saucepan. Turn the burner on medium-low. Stir until the mixture begins to boil. Remove from the heat.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. One Tablespoon at a time, drizzle five Tablespoons of the cornstarch mixture into the egg yolks, whisking to avoid clumping.
4. Next, drizzle the warmed egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the cornstarch to fully temper. Return to heat and whisk until thick, without boiling, for about 10 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted.
5. Pour the mixture over the unbaked pie crust.
6. Next, make your meringue topping. In a large bowl or stand mixture, add the egg whites and pinch of salt. Beat on high speed until soft white peaks form.
7. Keeping the speed on high, slowly add in sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time until all sugar is incorporated. Keep beating until stiff white peaks have formed. This will look similar to the texture of marshmallow fluff, will be glossy, and pull from the bowl during beating in a ribbon-like form. Removing the beater from the bowl should show the meringue holding form in a stiff peak.
8. Spoon out the meringue topping onto the still warm filling.
9. Use the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to pat the meringue making the traditional peaks of a lemon meringue.
10. Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes on the center wrack. Remove from the oven when the meringue is set and browning on the tips.
11. Allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, refrigerate and allow to chill for 4-8 hours before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Yes, you can make these pie bars ahead of time. If you’d like to do so, we suggest making them one day in advance. Giving the pie this much time in the refrigerator works out well as it helps it to fully chill and be ready to slice and serve!

You can store your lemon meringue pie bars in an air tight container or baking dish with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Yes, these pie bars can be frozen. After fully cooled, store in an air tight container in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Serving Suggestions

Lemon meringue pie bars are a great dish to bring along to potlucks, BBQs, or for Easter and Thanksgiving gatherings. They’re also loved when served at bridal showers or baby showers! These pie bars are best served when chilled on individual plates or straight from the pan with a fork.

Citrusy sweet lemon curd piled with pillowy soft toasted meringue, these lemon meringue pie bars are a refreshing dessert for spring or summer parties!

More Dessert Recipes

• Blueberry Delight
• Lemon Icebox Cake
• Strawberry Pretzel Salad
• Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake
• Cream Puff Chocolate Eclair Cake
• Cream Puffs
• Lemon Cake
• Nanaimo Bars

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