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Mini Lemon Pies

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Every spring I start to crave lemons. Maybe it’s the months living as a shut-in, or the lack of vitamin c-bearing fruits winter has to offer, but right now someone could practically put a decorative lemon in front of me and I’d eat it. Good thing I have this amazing recipe for Mini Lemon Pies instead. Not only do they taste better than decorative lemons, but they are also just about as cute as can be! Enjoy!

Mini Lemon Pies

What You Need To Make Mini Lemon Pies:

Base:

  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 sticks softened butter
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tablespoons buttermilk

Lemon Curd:

  • 3 lemons (meyers if you can find them)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice

Meringue:

  • 2 egg whites
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar

Mini Lemon Pies

How To Make Mini Lemon Pies:

For Base:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and set aside.

In a large bowl, blend the butter and sugar until well creamed. Next, beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients from your small bowl. Last, add in buttermilk one Tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft, but not wet.

Now, roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thick and using either a flour or circle cookie cutter (or the top of a mason jar) cut about 10 pieces. Place these in the muffin tins, pressing lightly along the bottom and sides so that they form a cup.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before gently twisting to remove from the pan. Place on a rack to cool completely.

Lemon Curd:

Remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith (you can use a carrot peeler if you don’t have a zester). Put the zest into a food processor or a blender and add the sugar. Pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.

In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar mixture (from above) and butter. Add the eggs one at a time, and lastly mix in the lemon juice and salt.

Pour mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (approximately 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees, or just below simmer. Remove from heat and cool or refrigerate.

Meringue: 

Whip egg whites in a mixer bowl until foamy (if you don’t have a mixer bowl, blend them with a mixer in a medium sized bowl). Add sugar one tablespoon at a time and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Assembly:

Spoon lemon curd into cups.

Drop or pipe one tablespoon of meringue on top of the curd in each cup.

Place cups on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and heat in oven under broiler until the tips of the meringue start to show color. Remove immediately. NOTE: Watch these very carefully. It usually takes less than 20 seconds for meringue to change color.

Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Pro Tip: If you are pressed for time (or need supervision when boiling water), you can use store bought sugar cookie dough for the base, and you can find lemon curd in either the peanut butter and jelly aisle, or sometimes the cooking aisle. You should still make the meringue from scratch. It’s really easy and only takes a couple of minutes. Enjoy!

Mini Lemon Pies

Mini Lemon Pies

These Mini Lemon Pies are delicious and so small you can hold them in your hand!
1 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Death By Dessert
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Jamie

Ingredients

Base:

  • 2 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 sticks softened butter
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tablespoons buttermilk

Lemon Curd:

  • 3 lemons meyers if you can find them
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter softened
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup lemon juice

Meringue:

  • 2 egg whites
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar

Instructions

For Base:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, blend the butter and sugar until well creamed. Next, beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients from your small bowl. Last, add in buttermilk one Tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft, but not wet.
  • Now, roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thick and using either a flour or circle cookie cutter (or the top of a mason jar) cut about 10 pieces. Place these in the muffin tins, pressing lightly along the bottom and sides so that they form a cup.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before gently twisting to remove from the pan. Place on a rack to cool completely.

Lemon Curd:

  • Remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith (you can use a carrot peeler if you don't have a zester). Put the zest into a food processor or a blender and add the sugar. Pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.
  • In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar mixture (from above) and butter. Add the eggs one at a time, and lastly mix in the lemon juice and salt.
  • Pour mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (approximately 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees, or just below simmer. Remove from heat and cool or refrigerate.

Meringue:

  • Whip egg whites in a mixer bowl until foamy (if you don't have a mixer bowl, blend them with a mixer in a medium sized bowl). Add sugar one tablespoon at a time and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Assembly:

  • Spoon lemon curd into cups.
  • Drop or pipe one tablespoon of meringue on top of the curd in each cup.
  • Place cups on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and heat in oven under broiler until the tips of the meringue start to show color. Remove immediately. NOTE: Watch these very carefully. It usually takes less than 20 seconds for meringue to change color.
  • Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Pro Tip: If you are pressed for time (or need supervision when boiling water), you can use store bought sugar cookie dough for the base, and you can find lemon curd in either the peanut butter and jelly aisle, or sometimes the cooking aisle. You should still make the meringue from scratch. It's really easy and only takes a couple of minutes. Enjoy!
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9 Comments

  1. 1 star
    Yeah, nope. I just tried and there are some issues with this recipe.

    I didn’t get to the lemons, but the sugar cookie crust…. there is no way it should be rolled out to 1/2 inch thick…. that is extremely thick…. also there is no way this should be mini muffin tray…. i got mini-sugar cookie muffins…. with my extra dough i tried regular a muffin tin and the dough still rose way to much and left no hole for anything…. more sugar cookie muffins.

  2. Oh I can’t wait to try this delicious pie recipe. Thank you for linking up to Thoughts of Home on Thursday. We really appreciate you! Have a wonderful weekend!

  3. I can tell you didn’t cut corners when making these gorgeous mini pies. I’m a huge lemon lover too, and can’t wait to try these. Pinned, and thanks, my dear! –Ginger

  4. Mini desserts are so cute! I bet these taste amazing!

  5. YUMMY!!!! You had me at lemon, Jamie! Your mini pies look divine, and I can’t wait to try your recipe!! Thank you so much for sharing at The Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! Pinning and sharing!!

  6. I love mini-desserts! Just enough to satisfy the sweet tooth. Stoppping over from The Inspiration Board

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