These zesty lemon meringue pie cookies are made with a soft lemon cookie filled with lemon curd and topped with toasted Swiss meringue.
These cookies are soft, buttery, and packed with a fresh lemon flavor that’s just the right mix of sweet and tangy. They are basically lemon meringue pie in cookie form!
They have the same sweet-tart flavor combo, but in a fun, bite-sized version. In the center of each cookie, there’s a spoonful of smooth lemon curd that adds a bright, citrusy punch.
On top, they get a fluffy swirl of Swiss meringue that’s lightly toasted with a kitchen torch for a gorgeous, golden finish.
They’re easy to put together, super pretty, and absolutely perfect for spring, summer, or anytime you’re craving something light and lemony.
For more lemon desserts, check out my lemon curd cake, lemon cream cheese bundt cake, lemon meringue tart, lemon meringue cheesecake, and lemon tiramisu.
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- Soft Lemon Base: The cookie dough is tender, buttery, and full of fresh citrus flavor thanks to fresh lemon zest.
- Burst of Citrus: Filling each cookie with a sweet and tangy lemon curd center adds an intense pop of flavor in every single bite.
- Toasted Swiss Meringue: The light, fluffy meringue on top gets beautifully caramelized with a kitchen torch, perfectly mimicking a classic pie.
- No-Chill Cookie Dough: The dough requires zero chilling time, meaning you can whip these up and get them in the oven fast.
- Pie in Cookie Form: You get all the nostalgic, gourmet layers of a classic lemon meringue pie in an easy-to-eat cookie version.
Ingredients
Before you start making this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the baking process goes smoothly and easily. Full measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
For the cookies
Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugars to create a thick cookie.
All-Purpose Flour: Provides the perfect structure for these tender cookies. Cake flour works beautifully as a swap too!
Baking Powder: Gives the cookies the perfect light spread. Always make sure your baking powder is fresh!
Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: A mix of granulated sugar (or caster sugar) for sweetness and a touch of brown sugar to keep the cookie centers perfectly soft and chewy.
Egg: One large egg at room temperature to bind the dough smoothly.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm depth of flavor. Vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract works great.
Fresh Lemon Juice & Zest: Always use fresh lemons! Grate the zest first, then juice them for a bright flavor that completely pops.
Kosher Salt: Just a half teaspoon to balance the sweet and tart notes.
For the Lemon Curd Filling
Eggs & Egg Yolks: Provide a rich, thick, and velvety base for the curd. Bring them to room temperature before starting.
Unsalted Butter: Stirred in at the very end to make the curd glossy, smooth, and decadent.
Lemon Juice, Sugar, & Salt: (Full measurements in the recipe card) Heated together with the eggs to create that signature sweet-tart flavor.
For the Swiss Meringue
Pinch of Salt: Helps stabilize the egg whites and enhances the overall flavor.
Egg Whites & Granulated Sugar: Whipped over a double boiler into a stable, glossy topping.
Once thickened, remove from heat and whisk in the unsalted butter until completely melted and glossy.
Pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl to catch any small lumps. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap (press it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming) and let it cool. Pop it in the fridge while you bake the cookies.
Make the Cookies
In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature butter, lemon zest, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
Add the egg and fresh lemon juice, mixing until completely combined.
Pour in the flour and baking powder. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix, or the cookies will turn out dense and dry.
Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roll into smooth balls with clean hands.
Dip a teaspoon or a tablespoon measuring spoon into a bit of flour, then press a deep indent into the center of each dough ball. Bake in a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 10–12 minutes until the edges are set.
If the cookies puffed up in the oven and lost their wells, immediately use the back of a small spoon to gently press the indents back down while they are still piping hot.
Then, use a large round glass or biscuit cutter to gently swirl around the warm cookies to form perfect circles. Let them cool completely.
Make the Swiss meringue
Combine the egg whites, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water).
Whisk constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture reaches 71°C (160°F), or feels completely smooth and non-grainy when rubbed between your fingers.
Remove from heat and transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for 5–7 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form, and the bowl feels cool to the touch.
Assembly
Spoon or pipe 1–2 teaspoons of chilled lemon curd into the center well of each cooled cookie. Pipe a generous swirl of Swiss meringue right on top of the curd, then toast beautifully with a kitchen torch right before serving.
Expert Tips
- Don't Overmix the Dough: Mix the dry ingredients just until combined. Overworking the dough develops gluten, which makes the cookies tough instead of melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Keep the Curd Moving: Whisk the lemon curd constantly while it cooks over medium-low heat. If you leave it untended, the eggs will scramble and ruin the texture!
- Create a Deep Well: Make a generous indentation in the raw dough balls using a floured spoon. The well will puff up slightly in the oven, so you want it deep enough to hold plenty of lemon curd.
- Underbake Slightly: Take the cookies out when the edges are just set but the centers still look a little soft. They will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet, staying perfectly tender.
- Ensure Your Meringue Bowl is Grease-Free: Even a single drop of fat or egg yolk will stop egg whites from whipping into stiff peaks. For insurance, wipe your mixing bowl and beaters down with a little lemon juice or white vinegar before starting.
- Cool Completely Before Filling: If you add the lemon curd to warm cookies, it will melt, become runny, and make the cookie base soggy.
FAQS and Troubleshooting
Cookie dough naturally puffs up as the baking powder activates. If your indents shrunk in the oven, simply take a spoon and gently press the wells back down immediately while the cookies are hot out of the oven.
Lumpy curd means the heat was too high and cooked pieces of egg. Always run your finished curd through a fine-mesh strainer to catch these bits. If it's watery, it simply didn't cook long enough on the stove. It needs to thickly coat the back of a spoon.
This happens if sugar granules didn't dissolve completely during the double-boiler phase, or if a speck of oil/egg yolk got into the egg whites.
Ensure the mixture feels completely smooth between your fingertips before transferring it to the mixer.
Swiss meringue is definitely the best choice. Because the egg whites and sugar are cooked together before whipping, it is incredibly stable, glossy, holds its shape perfectly for piping, and torches beautifully.
Storing
Because of the fresh egg whites in the meringue and the dairy in the curd, these assembled cookies must be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing
It is highly recommended to freeze these cookies before adding the lemon curd and meringue toppings, as toppings do not thaw well.
- To Freeze Cookie Dough: Scoop the dough into balls, place them on a tray until frozen solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding an extra 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
- To Freeze Baked Cookies: Freeze the plain, cooled baked cookies in a single layer for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes, then fill with fresh curd, top with meringue, torch, and serve!
Make it ahead of time
You can easily prep the components a day in advance! Bake the plain cookie bases and keep them in an airtight container on the counter. Make the lemon curd and store it in the fridge.
Assemble and torch the meringue just before serving for the absolute best look and texture.
Substitutions
Gluten-Free: Swap the all-purpose flour for a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend containing xanthan gum.
Dairy-Free: Replace the butter in both the cookie dough and the lemon curd with a high-quality dairy-free baking block.
Shortcut Option: If you are short on time, you can easily swap the homemade lemon curd for your favorite high-quality store-bought jarred lemon curd.
Variations
Berry Curd Center: Swap out the lemon curd for a vibrant raspberry, blackberry, or strawberry curd for a gorgeous color contrast.
Lemon Poppy Seed Base: Fold 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds into the cookie dough at the very end for an extra pop of color and texture.
Lime Meringue Cookies: Swap all the fresh lemon juice and zest for fresh lime juice and lime zest to give it a bright Key Lime Pie twist!
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowls & Whisk Set
- Saucepan (for cooking the curd)
- Citrus Juicer & Fine Zester
- Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 2-Tablespoon Cookie Scoop
- Baking Sheets & Parchment Paper
- Kitchen Torch
- Piping Bag & Tips
More cookie recipes
Almond Croissant Cookies- Soft, buttery cookies filled with a rich almond frangipane cream and topped with sliced almonds and powdered sugar.
Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting- Soft-baked carrot cake cookie bases topped with a velvety swirl of cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans.
Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies- Crispy on the edges, chewy in the center, and filled with a decadent pistachio cream.
Connect With Us
Review: Leave a rating and comment below if you enjoyed this recipe. Socials: Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Save: Pin this recipe to Pinterest for later.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies
Ingredients
For the lemon curd
- ⅓ cup Lemon juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest fresh
- 1 Egg
- 3 Egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- 2.8 oz Butter
For the cookies
- 1 cup Butter unsalted, room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- ½ cup Brown sugar light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Egg large
- 2 teaspoon Lemon zest
- ⅓ teaspoon Baking powder
- 2 ½ cups Flour
For the Swiss meringue
- 100 g Egg whites
- 90 g Granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Make the lemon curd
- Once thickened, remove from heat and whisk in the unsalted butter until completely melted and glossy.
- Pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl to catch any small lumps. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap (press it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming) and let it cool. Pop it in the fridge while you bake the cookies.
Make the cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature butter, lemon zest, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add the egg and fresh lemon juice, mixing until completely combined.
- Pour in the flour and baking powder. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix, or the cookies will turn out dense and dry.
- Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roll into smooth balls with clean hands.
- Dip a teaspoon or a tablespoon measuring spoon into a bit of flour, then press a deep indent into the center of each dough ball. Bake in a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 10–12 minutes until the edges are set.
- If the cookies puffed up in the oven and lost their wells, immediately use the back of a small spoon to gently press the indents back down while they are still piping hot.
- Then, use a large round glass or biscuit cutter to gently swirl around the warm cookies to form perfect circles. Let them cool completely.
Make the Swiss meringue
- Combine the egg whites, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water).
- Whisk constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture reaches 71°C (160°F), or feels completely smooth and non-grainy when rubbed between your fingers.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for 5–7 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form, and the bowl feels cool to the touch.
Assembly
- Spoon or pipe 1–2 teaspoons of chilled lemon curd into the center well of each cooled cookie. Pipe a generous swirl of Swiss meringue right on top of the curd, then toast beautifully with a kitchen torch right before serving.
Notes
- Don't Overmix the Dough: Mix the dry ingredients just until combined. Overworking the dough develops gluten, which makes the cookies tough instead of melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Keep the Curd Moving: Whisk the lemon curd constantly while it cooks over medium-low heat. If you leave it untended, the eggs will scramble and ruin the texture!
- Create a Deep Well: Make a generous indentation in the raw dough balls using a floured spoon. The well will puff up slightly in the oven, so you want it deep enough to hold plenty of lemon curd.
- Underbake Slightly: Take the cookies out when the edges are just set but the centers still look a little soft. They will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet, staying perfectly tender.
- Ensure Your Meringue Bowl is Grease-Free: Even a single drop of fat or egg yolk will stop egg whites from whipping into stiff peaks. For insurance, wipe your mixing bowl and beaters down with a little lemon juice or white vinegar before starting.
- Cool Completely Before Filling: If you add the lemon curd to warm cookies, it will melt, become runny, and make the cookie base soggy.
Dorris says
They’re perfect.