Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 package refrigerated pie crust dough (or homemade pie crust)
- Flour (for dusting work surface)
For the Lemon Filling:
- 1 cup lemon curd (store-bought or homemade, recipe below)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (optional, for extra zing)
For the Meringue Topping:
- 3 large egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
Homemade Lemon Curd (Optional):
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Prepare your crust:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the pie crust dough until about 1/8 inch thick.
- Using a round cookie cutter or a glass about 2-3 inches in diameter, cut out circles from the dough.
- Press each circle gently into the cups of a mini muffin tin to form small crust shells.
- Prick the bottoms lightly with a fork to prevent bubbles.
- Bake the crusts:
- Place the mini muffin tin in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crusts are lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow the crusts to cool completely before filling.
- Make the lemon curd (if homemade):
- In a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon juice, and sugar.
- Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest until smooth.
- Allow the curd to cool before using.
- Fill the crusts:
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of lemon curd into each cooled pie crust cup.
- If desired, sprinkle a little fresh lemon zest over each for extra brightness.
- Prepare the meringue topping:
- In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until the meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form.
- Top the lemon filling with meringue:
- Spoon or pipe the meringue over the lemon curd in each crust cup, making sure to seal the edges to prevent shrinking.
- Brown the meringue:
- Use a kitchen torch to lightly brown the tops of the meringue until golden and toasted.
- Alternatively, place the muffin tin under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Chill and serve:
- Refrigerate the lemon meringue pie bites for at least 1 hour to allow the filling to set and flavors to meld.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Clean equipment matters: For the best meringue, ensure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and free of grease. Even a small amount of fat can prevent egg whites from whipping properly.
- Cream of tartar substitute: If you don’t have cream of tartar, a few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar will stabilize your meringue.
- Watch your sugar: Add sugar gradually while beating egg whites to ensure a stable, glossy meringue.
- Avoid overbaking crust: Keep a close eye while baking the crust. Overbaking can make the crust too hard and crumbly.
- Lemon curd shortcuts: Store-bought lemon curd is a great timesaver and tastes delicious, but homemade curd will give a fresher, more vibrant lemon flavor.
- No kitchen torch? Use your oven’s broiler, but don’t leave unattended. Browning happens fast.
- Piping alternative: If you don’t have a pastry bag, a zip-top plastic bag with a small corner snipped off works well to pipe meringue neatly.
- Safety note: This recipe uses raw egg whites. If you want to avoid raw eggs, use pasteurized egg whites available in cartons.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes