Easy Lemon Meringues Recipe: The Best Lemon Dessert with Fresh Lemons

I don’t know about you, but every time I buy a bag of fresh lemons, I start feeling all kinds of ambitious. I tell myself I’ll use them for something—maybe a fancy lemon lush dessert, a fresh lemon recipe for dinner, or some easy lemon desserts the kids will love. But more often than not, those bright little lemons just sit there on the counter, judging me, until I finally throw them in some ice water and call it a day.

So if you’re like me and constantly wondering what to make with lemons, let me help you out. This lemon meringue recipe is one of my all-time favorite lemon treats. It’s got that perfect mix of tart and sweet, it looks way fancier than it actually is, and best of all? It’s one of those easy dessert recipes that make you feel like a pro baker without all the stress.

Lemon desserts with fresh lemons just hit different, especially in the summer. So whether you’re searching for the best lemon desserts, looking for things to do with lemons before they go bad, or just craving something light and delicious, this recipe has got you covered. Let’s get baking before those lemons start giving us the side-eye again.

What You Need

For the Lemon Curd:

• 4 large egg yolks
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Meringue:

• 4 large egg whites
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Base (Optional):

• Mini tart shells, shortbread cookies, or just eat them with a spoon. No one’s judging here.

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How to Make Lemon Meringues

Step 1: Make the Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is basically sunshine in a spoon. It’s tart, sweet, creamy, and way too easy to eat straight from the jar. But let’s at least try to save some for the meringues.

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest.
2. Put it over medium heat and stir constantly—yes, constantly. This is not the time to check your phone. You don’t want scrambled eggs.
3. After about 5 minutes, the mixture will start to thicken. You’ll know it’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
4. Remove it from heat and stir in the butter until it’s completely melted and smooth.
5. If you want it extra silky, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. (Or don’t, if you’re fine with a little zest texture.)
6. Let it cool completely before using. You can pop it in the fridge to speed things up.

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Step 2: Make the Meringue

Alright, time for the fun part—the fluffy, cloud-like topping that makes these meringues feel so fancy.

1. In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. (Soft peaks = the mixture stands up but flops over like a tired toddler.)
2. Start adding the sugar, one spoonful at a time, while beating the mixture.
3. Keep beating until you get stiff peaks. Stiff peaks mean that when you lift the beaters, the meringue stands up like a little mountain and doesn’t collapse.
4. Add the vanilla and mix just until combined.

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Step 3: Assemble & Bake

Now comes the part where it all comes together.

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Fill your tart shells (or whatever base you’re using) with lemon curd.
3. Spoon or pipe the meringue on top. If you use a spoon, swirl it around to make those little peaks—those will get nice and toasty in the oven.
4. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. (If you have a kitchen torch, you can skip the oven and just toast them with that instead. Feels very professional.)
5. Let them cool for a few minutes before digging in. If you burn your tongue because you couldn’t wait, well, I warned you.

FAQs About Lemon Meringues

Lemon Meringue Recipe Card

And just like that, you’ve got yourself one of the best lemon desserts out there—light, fluffy, tangy, and just fancy enough to impress people (without actually being hard to make). Whether you’re looking for easy dessert recipes for a summer BBQ, trying to find things to do with lemons before they go bad, or just craving something sweet, this recipe checks all the boxes.

I love that this is one of those lemon desserts with fresh lemons that feels refreshing and bright, especially on warm days. It’s perfect for when you need easy lemon desserts that look like they took way more effort than they actually did. Plus, if you ever find yourself wondering what to make with lemons, you’ll never go wrong with a good lemon lush dessert.

So the next time you have extra lemons hanging around, don’t let them go to waste. Add this to your list of recipes to use up lemons and treat yourself to a batch of homemade lemon sweets. And if your kids are anything like mine, you might want to grab one for yourself first—because once they get their hands on these, they’ll be gone before you know it.