These lemon meringue pie cookies are like mini meringue pies - in cookie form! They have a buttery lemon shortbread cookie base, a tangy and creamy lemon bar filling, and a light as clouds toasted dollop of meringue. It's the ultimate elevated lemon cookie that any lemon lover would love! They're buttery, tangy, and zesty - with so many incredible textures just in one cookie.
These cookies were inspired by my pumpkin pie cookies recipe. For more lemon cookies, check out my lemon curd cookies and my lemon brownies!
Jump to:
- 🍋 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- 📝 Key ingredients
- 👩🍳 How to make lemon meringue cookies
- Shortbread cookie dough step by step
- Lemon filling step by step
- Swiss meringue step by step
- ✔️ Expert lemon meringue cookie tips
- 🥄 Make ahead and storage
- ❔ Why make swiss meringue?
- 🍋 Why I love to rub lemon zest and sugar together for lemon desserts
- 📖 Recipe FAQs
- 🍪 More related recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
🍋 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Mini lemon meringue pies: They're like individual pies - but cookies!
- Tangy, zesty, and smooth lemon filling: Essentially a lemon bar filling, the filling is smooth and sturdy enough for a cookie filling.
- Toasted meringue: Each cookie has a dollop of light and fluffy swiss meringue - like a lemon meringue pie!
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
- Lemons: You're going to need about 2 lemons for this recipe. I recommend using regular lemons because they will give you a super tangy filling that will balance the sweetness perfectly! Meyer lemons were delicious, but the cookies turned out very sweet.
- Eggs: This recipe uses yolks for the cookies and whites for the meringue. I recommend using very bright yellow yolks for a bright yellow lemon cookie filling.
- Butter: Good quality, unsalted butter makes all of the difference in this recipe! I recommend using real butter for the same consistency and a buttery, delicious cookie.
- All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
Make my popular gooey lemon butter cake with any leftover lemons you may have! Or for a quick and easy option - my homemade lemon curd is delectable.
👩🍳 How to make lemon meringue cookies
Shortbread cookie dough step by step
Step 1: Add the sugar into a large bowl or stand mixer. Add the grated zest of one lemon. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and moist.
Step 2: Add softened butter into the lemon sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy.
Add egg yolk and vanilla extract. Beat well to combine, don't forget to scrape down the bowl!
Step 3: Add the salt and sift the flour right into the same bowl. Mix and fold with a spatula to create a soft, buttery dough.
Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough. Roll the portioned cookie dough into smooth balls between your palms. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Step 4: Use your thumb to make an indent in the middle of a ball of cookie dough. Press the inside down and pinch the edge of the cookie up to create a shallow tart shape. Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough balls.
Place the baking sheet(s) with the shaped cookie dough in the freezer to chill while you work on the filling.
Lemon filling step by step
Step 1: In a medium or large bowl, add granulated sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until the sugar is fragrant and moistened.
Add flour and mix well to break apart any lumps.
Step 2: Add yolks and lemon juice, then whisk well to combine.
Remove the shaped cookie dough from the freezer. Arrange the cookie dough on a parchment lined or non-stick cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
Step 4: Pour about 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon filling into the centers of each cookie.
Bake cookies at 355°F (180°C) for 12-14 minutes until bottoms lightly golden and lemon centers are set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack or plate to cool the rest of the way.
Swiss meringue step by step
Step 1: Find a medium saucepan and a heat safe bowl that fits on top of it, without touching the bottom. Add 1-2 inches of water into the bottom of the saucepan and place on the store to simmer.
Step 2: Wipe the inside of the bowl with a bit of white vinegar- this helps remove any greasy fingerprints or residue that can prevent the egg whites from whipping up properly.
Step 3: Add egg whites (make sure there are no pieces of egg yolk!), sugar, salt, and cream of tartar into the clean bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step 4: Place the bowl on top of the saucepan with simmering water. Stir with a whisk occasionally until all of the sugar dissolves and it feels very warm to the touch - 175°F (79°C).
Step 5: Turn off the heat and using oven mitts, carefully remove the bowl from on top of the saucepan.
Add vanilla extract into the egg white and sugar mixture. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. If you lift up the whisk, the meringue should hold its shape well.
Step 6: Transfer meringue into a piping bag with a 4 B piping tip, or any large open star piping tip. Pipe a large dollop of meringue onto each cookie. Use a kitchen torch to lightly brown the meringue.
These cookies are best served the same day that you make and pipe the meringue on top. Store them in the fridge because of the meringue topping.
✔️ Expert lemon meringue cookie tips
- Rub together lemon zest and sugar: This releases all of those beautiful lemon oils, giving the cookies an extra pop of zesty, lemon flavor.
- Use room temperature ingredients: This will make it much easier to combine the ingredients, creating a smooth and even cookie dough that bakes up perfectly. Room temperature butter and eggs are key!
- Mix the cookie dough well - but don't overmix! If the cookie dough isn't mixed well enough where everything is combined evenly, then the cookie walls will collapse in the oven, leaking the filling. I recommend mixing well until everything is combined. But don't overmix because that will create a tough cookie.
- Clean the meringue bowl well and ensure that there are no
🥄 Make ahead and storage
The baked cookies are best eaten fresh and need to be stored in the fridge because of the meringue topping. They will store well in the fridge for 1-2 days, but the meringue may start to seep a sugary syrup.
To make these lemon meringue pie cookies ahead of time, I recommend making and shaping the cookie dough and freezing them for 1-2 days until you're ready to make the filling and bake the cookies. The filling and meringue topping should be made when you're ready to bake the cookies.
❔ Why make swiss meringue?
I love making swiss meringue when I need to make a meringue topping. This is because swiss meringue is more stable and the egg whites aren't raw - unlike a regular meringue. It's far less likely to collapse and seep out moisture on you than regular meringue.
The process of making swiss meringue involves just one extra step from making regular meringue. It involves heating up the egg whites and sugar on top of a saucepan filled with simmering water. This brings the temperature up to 175°F (79°C), which cooks/pasteurizes the egg whites, making them safe to eat for immunocompromised individuals. If you don't own a food thermometer, you can carefully touch the egg white mixture with your fingers. It should feel smooth (not grainy), and very warm - almost hot - to the touch. Then you continue making the meringue like usual by whipping it up to stiff peaks.
🍋 Why I love to rub lemon zest and sugar together for lemon desserts
This is my favorite way to boost and elevate the natural lemon flavor in baked goods. By rubbing lemon zest and sugar together, you extract the fragrant lemon oils trapped in the lemon zest. This step is so satisfying to do and fills up your kitchen with a beautiful lemon sugar scent. It's the ultimate sensory play!
It really creates the ultimate lemon meringue cookies. I use this method in my lemon white chocolate cookies to create the ultimate zesty and chewy cookie.
📖 Recipe FAQs
I haven't tried it, but it should work for citrus like limes. You may need to use more limes to get the same amount of juice from them.
You can prevent this by mixing the dough evenly. This ensures the butter is evenly incorporated and that the cookie walls don't collapse. I also highly recommend weighing the flour to get the perfect cookie dough consistency.
I recommend swiss meringue for this recipe because it cooks the egg whites making them safe to eat. Regular meringue needs to be cooked in the oven and I don't recommend baking the cookies twice.
🍪 More related recipes
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📖 Recipe
Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Dough
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour 300g
Lemon Filling
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon zested
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed (about 1 ½ lemons)
Swiss Meringue
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Shortbread Cookie Dough
- Add the sugar into a large bowl or stand mixer. Add the grated zest of one lemon. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant and moist.¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 lemon
- Add softened butter into the lemon sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy.1 cup unsalted butter
- Add egg yolk and vanilla extract into the butter mixture. Beat well to combine, don't forget to scrape down the bowl!1 large egg yolk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the salt and sift the flour right into the same bowl. Mix and fold with a spatula to create a soft, buttery dough.½ teaspoon sea salt, 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough. Roll the portioned cookie dough into smooth balls between your palms. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Use your thumb to make an indent in the middle of a ball of cookie dough. Press the inside down and pinch the edge of the cookie up to create a shallow tart shape. Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough balls.
- Place the baking sheet(s) with the shaped cookie dough in the freezer to chill while you work on the filling.
Lemon Filling
- In a medium or large bowl, add granulated sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until the sugar is fragrant and moistened.½ cup granulated sugar, 1 lemon, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Add flour and mix well to break apart any lumps. Add yolks and lemon juice, then mix well to combine with a whisk.¼ cup all purpose flour, 3 large egg yolks, ½ cup lemon juice
- Remove the shaped cookie dough from the freezer. Arrange the cookie dough on a parchment lined or non-stick cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Pour about 1-2 teaspoons of lemon filling into the centers of each cookie.
- Bake cookies at 355°F (180°C) for 12-14 minutes until bottoms lightly golden and lemon centers are set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack or plate to cool the rest of the way,
Swiss Meringue
- Find a medium saucepan and a heat safe bowl that fits on top of it, without touching the bottom. Add 1-2 inches of water into the bottom of the saucepan and place on the store to simmer.
- Wipe the inside of the bowl with a bit of white vinegar- this helps remove any greasy fingerprints or residue that can prevent the egg whites from whipping up properly.
- Add egg whites (make sure there are no pieces of egg yolk!), sugar, salt, and cream of tartar into the clean bowl. Whisk to combine.3 large egg whites, ½ cup granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Place the bowl on top of the saucepan with simmering water. Stir with a whisk occasionally until all of the sugar dissolves and it feels very warm to the touch - 175°F (79°C).
- Turn off the heat and using oven mitts, carefully remove the bowl from on top of the saucepan.
- Add vanilla extract into the egg white and sugar mixture. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. If you lift up the whisk, the meringue should hold its shape well.¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Transfer meringue into a piping bag with a 4 B piping tip, or any large open star piping tip. Pipe a large dollop of meringue onto each cookie. Use a kitchen torch to lightly brown the meringue.
Olivia
I love this recipe! I made these for my dad’s birthday (as his favourite treat is lemon meringue pie). These are perfect for those who don’t like super sweet treats. Bonus points, his wife also loved them!!
I loved baking as a child and these recipes make me want to get back into it!
*as someone who isn’t a fan of lemon desserts, these are tangy, sweet, and delicious! (Take that as you will!)