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Lemon Meringue Pie Bars

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 16 bars

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

  • 1 cup Butter softened
  • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt

Lemon Filling

  • 3 Large Lemons
  • 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 3 tbsps All Purpose Flour
  • 1 tbsp Corn Starch

Meringue

  • 3 Large Egg Whites room temperature
  • 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
  • 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar

Instructions

Make the Crust

  • Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch square pan with two small pieces of parchment paper and put aside.
  • Cream the butter in a large bowl with a mixer until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar, then add the flour and salt. The crust should be crumbly like a cookie dough or shortbread.
  • Press the dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of the parchment-lined pan, and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges start to brown slightly.

Make the Filling

  • While the crust is baking, make the lemon filling. Zest the lemons into a large mixing bowl, then juice them. Put the juice aside. Add the sugar to the large bowl, and rub it together with the zest until fragrant.
  • Add the eggs, then beat the mixture with a whisk. Add the flour, cornstarch, and reserved lemon juice, and continue beating until combined and smooth.
  • Pour the lemon filling over the baked crust and bake for another 20 minutes or until the lemon filling has set. Cool the bars completely on a wire rack. (NOTE: If you are going to bake the meringue to toast it, I recommend adding the meringue on top while the bars are still warm and before you slice them. Then bake the bars for 5 minutes.)

Make the Meringue

  • Once the bars have cooled, make the meringue topping. Wipe down a large mixing bowl with lemon juice or vinegar to make sure there is no grease. Grease will keep a meringue from getting stiff.
  • Use a mixer to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Then gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat for at least 30 seconds at medium speed each time you add another tablespoon of sugar. You want to make sure that the sugar has dissolved completely to avoid a meringue that beads or weeps. Rub a small bit of meringue between your fingers to feel for any granules of sugar, and keep beating until it feels smooth and the meringue is stiff.
  • Cut the bars into 16 square pieces. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag, and cut off the tip to form a ½ inch hole. Pipe the meringue on top of the bars, then use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue.
  • Serve at room temperature, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.