Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies
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Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies are soft, buttery sugar cookies filled with bright, tangy lemon curd and topped with fluffy toasted meringue. They have all the sunny flavor of classic lemon meringue pie, but in a fun, handheld form.
Table of Contents
- Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- In Photos: How To Make Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies
- More Recipes With Meringue
The cookie base is tender and chewy, with a small well in the center to hold the glossy lemon filling. Each cookie is topped with sweet meringue and toasted with a kitchen torch for a golden finish.
These cookies are great for spring parties, Easter dessert trays, showers, bake sales, or whenever you want something lemony and special.
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These cookies are such a fun, surprising twist on lemon meringue pie.
- You get the same creamy, tart, sweet, and toasty flavors, but without needing to roll out pie dough or slice a pie.
- They are soft and bright, with a bakery-style look that feels fancy but is easy to make at home.
- You can use either homemade or store-bought lemon curd, so this recipe can be made from scratch or simplified as needed.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
For the Cookies
- Unsalted butter: Gives the cookies a rich, buttery flavor and soft texture. Make sure it is softened so it creams easily with the sugar.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps create a light, tender texture.
- Egg: Adds structure and moisture to the dough.
- Egg yolk: Makes the cookies extra rich and chewy.
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste: Adds warmth and beautifully rounds out the lemon flavor.
- All-purpose flour: The base of the cookie dough. Measure carefully so the cookies stay soft and tender.
- Cornstarch: Helps keep the cookies soft, delicate, and bakery-style.
- Baking soda: Gives the cookies just enough lift.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Lemon curd: The bright, tangy filling. Homemade lemon curd is wonderful, but a good-quality store-bought lemon curd works too.
For the Meringue
- Egg whites: Whip into a light, fluffy meringue topping.
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste: Adds flavor and a little sweetness to the meringue.
- Cream of tartar: Helps stabilize the egg whites so the meringue whips up tall and holds its shape. A few drops of lemon juice can be used instead.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the meringue and helps create a glossy, stable texture.
- Cornstarch: Helps stabilize the meringue and gives it a smooth finish.
In Photos: How To Make Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and lining your baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, then beat until the mixture is very pale and fluffy. This usually takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the egg and beat until incorporated.
Next, stir in the egg yolk and vanilla.
Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula so everything mixes evenly.
Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, then stir until the dough comes together.
Step 2: Shape, Bake, and Fill
Use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough.
Roll the dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each one so they have room to spread.
Dip the back of a teaspoon into flour, then press a well into the center of each unbaked cookie.
This indentation is where the lemon curd will go after baking.
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, on the center rack of the oven for 6 to 10 minutes.
They are done when the edges are set and just barely beginning to turn golden.
Avoid over-baking so the cookies stay soft and chewy.
While they are still hot from the oven, gently reshape them if needed. You can also lightly redefine the centers if they puffed up too much.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet.
Once the cookies are cool, spoon about 1 tablespoon of lemon curd into the center of each cookie.
The curd should stay in the well without spilling over the sides.
Step 3: Make the Meringue
Place the egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl.
Whip on low speed until the mixture looks foamy.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch.
While continuing to whip the egg whites, add the sugar mixture in a slow, steady stream.
Once all the sugar has been added, turn the mixer to high speed and whip until the meringue is very stiff and glossy.
Step 4: Decorate and Toast
Spoon or pipe the meringue over the lemon curd.
Then use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue until lightly golden. This step gives the cookies the classic lemon meringue pie look and flavor.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Use softened butter, not melted. It should be soft enough to press but still hold its shape.
- Cream the butter and sugar thoroughly. This helps create a soft, light cookie.
- Do not over-bake the cookies. Pull them from the oven when the edges are set and just barely starting to color.
- If the cookie wells puff up during baking, press them back down gently while the cookies are still warm.
- Let the cookies cool before adding the lemon curd so the filling stays thick and glossy.
- Whip the meringue until it is very stiff. This helps it hold its shape when piped or spooned onto the cookies.
- Toast the meringue carefully with a kitchen torch, as it browns quickly.
More Recipes With Meringue
- Meringue Cookies
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Pumpkin Meringue Tarts
- Raspberry Meringue Sandwiches
- Pomegranate Meringue Tart
Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg, large
- 1 egg yolk, large
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces lemon curd, (approx.), I used homemade lemon curd but storebought would work too
For the Meringue
- 2 egg whites, large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (or ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
- 1 pinch cream of tartar, (a few drops of lemon juice can be substituted)
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
To Make the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium-high speed until very pale and fluffy (about 3 to 5 minutes).
- Add the egg, and beat on medium-high speed until incorporated.
- Stir in the egg yolk and vanilla until combined.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir together until incorporated.
- Use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion and roll the cookie dough into balls, placing them on the prepared baking sheets and allowing two inches in between for spreading.
- Dip the back of a teaspoon into flour and press a well into the center of each unbaked cookie.
- Bake the cookies (one sheet at a time) in the center rack of the oven for 6 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and just barely beginning to turn golden. (Take care not to over-bake, or the cookies will not be as soft.)
- Gently shape the cookies as needed, while hot from the oven.
- Cool on the baking sheet, then top each cookie with about 1 tablespoon of lemon curd.
- Decorate with meringue and brulee with a torch to brown.
To Make the Meringue
- Place the egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt in a large bowl and whip on low speed until foamy.
- Stir the sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then (while continuing to whip) add it to the egg whites in a slow, steady stream.
- When all the sugar has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and whip until very stiff.
Notes
For more info on the filling, click here: Lemon Curd Recipe.
