Gluten-Free Lemon Meringue Pie (Dairy-Free) (2024)

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When Life Gives Your Lemons…

The saying goes that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade (which I love by the way, with ginger and mint).

But when you spend as much time baking and cooking as I do, I prefer to say that when life gives you lemons, you make a variety of lemon desserts such as this creamy lemon curd, this easy lemon yogurt cake, citrusy lemon muffins, or this no-bake lemon cheesecake.

And for the icing on the top, I say, go for a rich, decadent lemon meringue pie befitting of all special occasions worth celebrating.

What is Lemon Meringue Pie?

Basically speaking, the name gives it away. Lemon meringue pie (or sometimes also called lemon pie) is literally a dessert pie made with a short crust pastry crust, filled with a rich and creamy citrus lemon curd, and then topped with airy, light meringue.

Originating in Philadelphia during the Victorian-era, lemon meringue pie was invented by Elizabeth Goodfellow, the owner of a pastry shop and America’s first cooking school for young ladies.

Since then, this lemon pie has become a super popular dessert that is perfect for the spring season, but honestly you can even enjoy it all-year-round. While it does require quite a few steps to make (and a bit of organization in the kitchen), I honestly think it’s one the best lemon desserts you could make to celebrate any special occasion (or any special someone).

Celebrate with Lemon Pie All Year Round

Mother’s day? Prepare this lemon pie for mom to show her how much she means to you. Easter? Bake this homemade lemon meringue pie and share it with family and friends. 4th of July? Hey more power to you if you show up to the party with this beautiful pie.

Thanksgiving? I assure you this gluten-free dairy-free lemon meringue pie will be as much as a star alongside our favorite crustless pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie and decadent pecan pie. Christmas? You bet Santa’s gonna be happy to see a large slice of lemon pie on the table together with this vibrant cranberry pie.

You get what I mean. This beautiful and amazingly delicious lemon dessert is one heck of a recipe that everyone will enjoy, no matter which season you’re in or what occasion you’re celebrating.

In my opinion it’s so good that you can hold a party just to celebrate eating it.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Simple Ingredients: The ingredients required for this recipe for lemon meringue pie are simple and easily accessible at the grocery store (nothing fancy required!)
• Flexible: I show you how to make your own gluten-free pie crust, but if you rather, you can simply use a store bought pie crust too!
• Totally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: Since this is a 100% dairy-free and gluten-free version of the traditional lemon meringue pie, it means that those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can still enjoy this lemon pie recipe without issues!

How to Make Gluten-Free Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe (Step by Step)

We’ll be making a gluten-free and dairy-free version of this pie, and you’ll need 3 main elements:

(1) Gluten-Free Pie Crust
(2) Lemon Curd Filling
(3) Meringue

Ingredients for the Crust

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required to make the gluten-free pie crust.

(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post).

Pie Crust Notes:

• Pie Crust:I’ve included instructions for how to make our favoritegluten-free and dairy-free pie crust, but you can use any pie crust recipe you prefer. For convenience, you can also use a store-bought pie crust (in that case, it make the whole process easier and quicker).
• All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour:I recommend using a good qualityall-purpose gluten-free flour blend that is made up of a mix of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, corn starch, tapioca starch) and that includes xanthan gum, which acts as a replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours). I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free blend that uses heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour as that will result in a denser final texture.
• Sugar:I usedlight brown sugar, but you may also useregular white sugar,dark brown sugar, or evencoconut sugarif you prefer. If you diabetic or insulin resistant, I highly recommend that you usegranulated monkfruit sweetenerinstead (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).
• Coconut Oil:I like usingrefined coconut oilwhich has a neutral taste (as opposed toextra virgin coconut oilwhich has a more pronounced coconut flavor and smell). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use butter in equal quantities instead.
• Egg:The egg helps to bind the pie crust ingredients together, so make sure you don’t leave it out!

How to Make the Pie Crust:

1. Preheat and Grease

Preheat the oven to 425F and grease apie pan with a removable bottom.

2. Prepare the Pie Crust Dough

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour and sugar until fully combined. Add chilled coconut oil and cut the coconut oil into the flour (either with a pastry cutter, two knives, or use the back of a fork to press the coconut oil into the flour).

You’ll get an off-white crumbly mixture with the texture of coarse sand. Add the beaten egg and mix well. The mixture will still be crumbly, but will be slightly pale yellow now. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a spoon until you get a dough that holds together (better to have a dough that’s a little too moist than too dry).

3. Roll out the Dough

Shape dough into a disc and then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until the dough is slightly larger than your pie tin.

4. Press Dough into Pie Tin or Pie Plate

Remove the top parchment paper and then place your hand below the bottom piece of parchment to flip the dough onto a tart pan, pie tin or pie plate, then slowly peel off the remaining parchment paper as you press the dough into the tin.

Note that the dough may break, but don’t worry as you can easily press the dough back into place (it will still look beautiful once baked).

5. Par-Bake the Crust

Brush the exposed edges with egg wash, and then bake crust for 20 minutes at 425F until the crust is firm and the edges are golden brown. Once done, remove from the oven and let cool.

(Tip: To prevent the crust from rising up, you can place pie weights on the crust before par-baking it.)

Ingredients for the Lemon Curd

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required to make the lemon pie filling.

(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post).

Lemon Curd Notes:

• Sugar:I usedregular white sugar, but you may also uselight brown sugar. If you diabetic or insulin resistant, I highly recommend that you usegranulated monkfruit sweetenerinstead (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).
• Eggs:While some lemon curd recipes only use egg yolks, this one uses whole eggs, so there’s no need to separate whites from yolks.
• Coconut Oil:I like usingrefined coconut oilwhich has a neutral taste (as opposed toextra virgin coconut oilwhich has a more pronounced coconut flavor and smell). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use regular melted butter in equal quantities instead.
• Strain the Curd:While straining the lemon curd through afine-mesh strainerrequires a small extra step, it is definitely a step that will ensure you get a smooth and creamy curd without any extra bits of lemon zest.

2. Strain the Curd

Strain the tangy lemon curd through afine-mesh strainerto filter out any lemon rind and ensure that it becomes as smooth and silky as possible. Let the curd cool for at least 10 minutes.

Ingredients/Notes for the Italian Meringue:

• You’ll need just 3 simple ingredients for the meringue: sugar, water and egg whites.
• The meringue recipe I’ve included makes an Italian meringue, which includes more steps than the more commonly used French meringue (which only requires you to beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form, but is much less stable) because you have to make a syrup, but will ensure you get a firmer and more durable meringue that doesn’t weep or lose its shape after one day.

How to Make Italian Meringue

1. Make the Syrup

Combine sugar and water in a medium pot, stirring over low heat until sugar is totally dissolved. Once dissolved, turn heat on to high until the syrup comes to a boil.

2. Whisk the Egg Whites

Meanwhile, place egg whites in a heat-proof bowl and whip egg whites with ahand mixer until you get firm peaks (about a few minutes). Let syrup boil until it reaches 240F, before pouring the hot syrup into the whipped egg whites, mixing continuously until incorporated and the bottom of the bowl has cooled and the meringue has reached room temperature.

Assembling the Pie

1. Preheat Oven

Preheat oven to 350F and arrange rack to lower-third position.

2. Fill the Crust

Fill the par-baked cooled crust with the cooled lemon filling.

3. Spread Meringue Over Lemon Curd

Scoop the meringue over the lemon curd and gently spread it evenly all over with a rubber spatula. Use the back of a large spoon to make decorate peaks.

4. Bake

Bake the gluten-free lemon pie for 25 to 30 minutes until the peaks of the meringue are brown. If the meringue is browning too much, tent the pie gently with aluminium foil.

5. Cool Completely

Once the gluten-free dairy-free lemon meringue pie is baked, remove it from the oven let it cool on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour until it comes to room temperature. Chill the gluten-free lemon meringue pie for at least 4 hours (or better yet, overnight) before slicing and serving.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks

• Use Pre-Made Crust for Convenience: If you want to shorten the process, simply use a store-bought gluten-free pie crust instead of making the crust from scratch.
• Prepare the Crust and Curd Ahead of Time: You can prepare the crust and the curd ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator for a few days. When you want to make the pie, simply make the meringue and then assemble and bake according to the recipe below.

Recipe FAQs:

Other Lemon Recipes You’ll Love:

• No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Lemon Blueberry Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Easy Lemon Curd (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Easy Lemon Yogurt Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option)
• Lemon Cornmeal Cake (Gluten-Free)
• Honey Lemon Shortbread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Lemon Crinkle Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Lemon Muffins (Gluten-Free)

Other Gluten-Free Holiday Pie Recipes:

• Crustless Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Sweet Potato Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Pecan Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Cranberry Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Pear Custard Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Dessert Recipes to Indulge In:

Recipes you might also like

• Easy Gluten-free Lemon Muffins (Dairy-Free)
• Amazing Lemon Poppy Seed Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Microwave Lemon Curd (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Easy Lemon Yogurt Cake (Gluten-Free)