Description
These Best Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies combine a soft, buttery cookie base infused with fresh lemon zest and curd, topped with cloud-like Swiss meringue that’s torched to a golden perfection. This delightful cookie captures all the classic flavors of a lemon meringue pie in a portable, bite-sized treat that’s perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 150 g light brown sugar (about 3/4 cup)
- Zest from 2 lemons
- 90 g unsalted butter, softened (approximately 6 1/3 tablespoons)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 160 g all-purpose flour (around 1 1/3 cups)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Lemon Curd
- 28 g unsalted butter, cut into cubes (2 tablespoons)
- 65 g white sugar (about 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 40 g fresh lemon juice (roughly 3 tablespoons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Swiss Meringue
- 2 egg whites
- 100 g white sugar (equivalent to 1/2 cup)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Instructions
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: Begin by combining brown sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl, rubbing the zest into the sugar to release its oils. Add softened butter and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla essence until incorporated. Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt using a rubber spatula until just combined with no flour streaks. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Lemon Curd: Place cubed butter in a small mixing bowl and set a fine mesh sieve on top. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together white sugar, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, egg yolks, and salt until the mixture thickens and reaches 170°F (76°C). Remove from heat and strain the curd through the sieve over the butter. Stir until the butter melts and the curd is smooth. Chill in the fridge until ready to use.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the sheet, spacing cookies to allow for spreading. Bake for 10–12 minutes until edges are golden and tops look slightly wet. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Swiss Meringue: In a small saucepan, whisk egg whites and sugar over medium heat until the mixture reaches 170°F (76°C), whisking constantly. Transfer to a mixer bowl and add salt, cornstarch, and vanilla essence. Beat with a whisk attachment on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Assemble and Torch the Cookies: Once cookies are fully cooled, spoon about 2 tablespoons of Swiss meringue onto each cookie. Swirl some chilled lemon curd into the meringue on top, leaving some meringue peaks visible. Using a culinary torch, carefully toast the meringue until golden and slightly caramelized. Serve immediately and enjoy these luscious lemon meringue pie cookies.
Notes
- Keep the cookie dough chilled to prevent spreading during baking.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best citrus flavor in the lemon curd.
- Make sure the meringue mixture reaches 170°F to ensure it is safe and achieves the right texture.
- If you don’t have a culinary torch, briefly place the assembled cookies under a broiler, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Store assembled cookies in a cool place and consume the same day for optimal meringue texture.