Blueberry Lemon Meringue Pie
intro
Bright, tangy blueberry-lemon filling in a buttery flaky crust, topped with light, toasted meringue. This balanced, fruity summer dessert is a crowd-pleasing twist on a classic pie.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and blind bake crust
In a large bowl, mix 180g all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated sugar, and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt. Cut in 113g (8 tbsp) cold cubed unsalted butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter chunks. Drizzle in 3-4 tbsp ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Form into a 10cm (4-inch) disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Roll chilled dough to a 30cm (12-inch) circle on a floured surface, press into a 23cm (9-inch) pie dish, trim edges to a 2cm (0.75-inch) overhang, and crimp decoratively. Line the crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, then bake for another 5 minutes until the crust base is pale golden. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Cook the fruit filling
In a medium saucepan over medium heat (stovetop setting 5 out of 9), combine 450g fresh blueberries, 120ml fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 150g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar, 3 tbsp cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt. Stir constantly with a silicone spatula as the mixture comes to a gentle simmer, about 6-8 minutes. Once blueberries burst and the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency that coats the back of a spatula, remove from heat. Whisk in the 3 large egg yolks one at a time, mixing fully after each addition to prevent curdling, then stir in 28g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter until fully melted. Let the filling cool for 10 minutes, then pour evenly into the cooled pre-baked pie crust. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Whip the meringue
Ensure your mixing bowl and whisk attachment are completely grease-free (wipe with a paper towel dipped in white vinegar first to prevent meringue deflation). Add 4 room-temperature large egg whites, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, and the remaining 1/4 tsp fine sea salt to the bowl. Beat on medium-low speed (speed 3 on a stand mixer) for 2 minutes until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high (speed 7), and gradually add the remaining 52.5g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar 1 tbsp at a time, waiting 30 seconds between each addition. Continue beating for 4-5 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form (when you lift the whisk, the peak stands straight up without flopping over). Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract on low speed for 10 seconds to combine.
Seal and top meringue
Spoon the whipped meringue directly onto the warm (not hot, not fully cold) blueberry lemon filling, starting at the edges where the filling meets the crust first—this creates a tight seal to prevent meringue weeping later. Pile the remaining meringue into the center of the pie, then use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly across the entire surface, making sure it touches the crimped crust edge all the way around. Create decorative peaks by lifting the spoon straight up from the meringue surface across the top of the pie.
Bake to toast meringue
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Place the assembled pie on the middle oven rack, and bake for 12-15 minutes, watching closely after the 10-minute mark, until the meringue peaks are light golden brown and the meringue is set to the touch (no sticky residue on your finger when you tap it lightly). Do not overbake, as this can cause the meringue to crack or release excess moisture.
Cool and set the pie
Remove the pie from the oven and transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Let it cool completely at room temperature for 2 full hours, then chill in the refrigerator for an additional 1 hour before slicing. Do not cut the pie early, as the filling needs time to fully set to hold its shape when sliced. Serve chilled, with an optional dollop of unsweetened whipped cream if desired.
Tips
2.Always spread meringue all the way to the crust edge while the filling is still warm; this creates a tight seal that prevents meringue shrinkage, sliding, and 'weeping' (clear liquid pooling between the meringue and filling).
3.Do not skip the full 2-hour room temperature cool and 1-hour chill before slicing: cutting the pie too early will cause the blueberry lemon filling to run, leading to soggy crust and misshapen slices.
OMG this blueberry lemon meringue pie was the star of our Fourth of July cookout! I was nervous the meringue would weep since I’ve messed that up before, but I followed the tip about letting the filling cool completely before piling it on and it turned out perfect. My kids fought over the last slice, even my pickiest eater who swears he ‘hates fruit in dessert’ went back for seconds. SO good, already planning to make it again for my mom’s birthday next month!
Okay as someone who can barely bake boxed brownies without burning them, I was intimidated by the medium difficulty rating and 4.5 hour total time, but I took it slow and it actually came out! My meringue peaks were a little softer than the photo, but the flavor was unreal. The only heads up is don’t skip the chilling step — I tried to rush it the first time I tested a bite and the filling was totally runny, oops.
Made this after a long weekend of blueberry picking up in the mountains, and it was the perfect way to use up our haul! I added a tiny bit of extra lemon zest because I love that bright, zingy kick, and it paired so well with the sweet wild blueberries. 10/10, will be a summer staple from now on.
Wait has anyone tried making this with frozen blueberries? Fresh are so expensive right now at my grocery store and I don’t wanna drop $12 on berries for a pie if it’s gonna turn out mushy. The flavor combo sounds insane, just trying to save a little cash this week!
I’ve been making lemon meringue pie for 60 years, so I was skeptical about adding blueberries, but let me tell you — this recipe is a keeper! The blueberry layer adds such a nice juicy pop that plain lemon pie is missing. I brought it to my church potluck last Sunday and the ladies in my bible study all asked for the recipe. My only tweak was using my own homemade pie crust recipe instead of the store-bought option listed, but that’s just personal preference!
Made this for my wife’s birthday dinner and she said it’s better than the meringue pie we got at that fancy French bakery downtown for our anniversary. Win for me! The balance of tart lemon, sweet blueberry, and fluffy meringue is chef’s kiss. Don’t let the long cook time scare you — most of it is just waiting for it to chill, so you can watch the game or run errands while it sets.
Help! I made this last night and my meringue shrank away from the crust and got all sticky on top after I put it in the fridge. Did I do something wrong? The parts I tasted were amazing, but it looked so sad I was too embarrassed to serve it to my roommates.
Wait, does anyone know the nutrition info for this? I’m tracking my macros right now but this looks too good to pass up for our weekly family Sunday dinner. I don’t mind a treat, just wanna log it accurately!
Game. Changer. I’ve made a lot of pies in my day, but the combination of blueberry and lemon with that fluffy, toasted meringue? I will never make regular lemon meringue again. My twin toddlers kept smushing meringue all over their high chairs and asking for ‘more pie’ so I’d call that a rave review.
I made this for my book club meeting and everyone went back for seconds! The lemon curd layer is so silky and smooth, and the blueberry compote has just the right amount of sweetness without being overpowering. I topped mine with a few extra fresh blueberries and a little lemon zest for garnish and it looked like it came straight from a bakery. Worth every minute of prep!
Fun little tweak if you wanna fancy it up: I added a tablespoon of bourbon to the blueberry filling when I was cooking it down, and it added such a nice warm depth that paired so well with the lemon and berries. Don’t worry, the alcohol cooks out so it’s totally kid friendly too! 10/10 recipe, will be making this all summer.
I’m hosting my first ever dinner party next weekend and this is on my menu! Does this hold up well if I make it a day ahead? I don’t wanna be stuck in the kitchen for hours when my guests are over, but I also don’t want it to get soggy.
I made this with a gluten free almond flour crust for my sister who has celiac, and it worked perfectly! The nuttiness of the almond crust paired so well with the lemon and blueberry flavors, no one even realized it was gluten free. Thank you for such a versatile, delicious recipe!
I’m not even a big pie guy, but my partner begged me to make this for our backyard BBQ and I was shocked how much I loved it. The meringue is so light and fluffy, not that weird rubbery stuff you get at grocery store bakeries, and the blueberry lemon combo is so refreshing on a 90 degree day. Absolute home run, no notes.