French meringue for pies is simpler than you might think, and this recipe keeps it that way. Made with just egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and cream of tartar, it whips up quickly with no stovetop cooking required. The meringue bakes directly on top of your pie, creating fluffy peaks with a lightly golden finish and a soft, marshmallow-like texture inside. It’s an easy, dependable topping for your favorite cream pies.
This Is the Meringue I Use on Pies
Who knew making meringue from scratch could be so easy? This simple recipe uses egg whites, vanilla extract, white sugar, and cream of tartar to create a stabilized meringue to use for your favorite pie recipes.
My very Southern mother-in-law, put meringue on all of her pies, never whipped cream. Some desserts just need a little sweetness without the rich cream like her banana pudding.
This is her recipe which is actually a French meringue, which is a little different from Swiss meringue. French meringue involves whipping egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form, unlike Swiss meringue, which involves heating the egg whites and sugar mixture in a small saucepan. This method is easier and still produces sturdy results when baked in the oven because it’s stabilized by the cream of tartar.
Spread the meringue on top of the pie filling and bake everything in the oven until the peaks of the meringue are golden. The fluffy meringue on top of the pie adds a lovely marshmallow flavor, and compliments any pie flavor.
What Goes Into Meringue?
This is a brief list of what you’ll need to make meringue at home. Make sure to check the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
- Egg Whites: When you whip them, they become light and fluffy, forming those signature peaks.
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar is what keeps your meringue from weeping. It stabilizes the egg whites so they hold their shape and gives the meringue that smooth, perfect finish. You won’t taste it, but it’s key for texture.
Let’s Talk About Those Peaks
Step One: Prep the Egg Whites
Step Two: Add Vanilla and Cream of Tartar
Step Three: Add Sugar Slowly
Step Four: Spoon the Meringue onto the Pie
Step Five: Bake and Finish
Bake the pie in the oven until the meringue is golden brown, then let it cool before serving.
Tips for Foolproof Meringue
- Use a clean bowl and whisk: Any grease or residue can prevent your egg whites from whipping up properly. Make sure your mixing bowl and whisk are completely clean and free of any grease. Also, make sure no egg yolks get into the egg whites, or your meringue won’t whip properly.
- Room temperature egg whites: Egg whites whip up best when they’re at room temperature. So, take them out of the fridge ahead of time. If you’re in a rush, you can place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to speed up the process.
- Slowly pour the sugar in: Add the sugar slowly, little by little, as you’re whipping. This helps the sugar granules dissolve properly and results in a smooth, glossy meringue. If you dump it all in at once, the sugar can crystallize and make your meringue grainy.
- Stiff peaks: To get the right texture, you’ll want to whip your meringue to stiff peaks. This means when you lift the whisk, the peaks should stand up straight without drooping. If the meringue still falls over, keep whipping a bit longer.
- Don’t overbake: When baking, keep an eye on your meringue. Bake it just until it’s golden brown, then remove it from the oven. Overbaking will cause it to dry out and crack. You want that perfectly soft, chewy texture on the inside with a crisp golden top.
- Seal the edges: When spooning the meringue onto the pie, be sure to spread it all the way to the edges, sealing the meringue to the pie crust. This will prevent the meringue from shrinking during baking and keep it nice and stable.
Top Your Favorite Desserts
Storing Pie with Meringue
Meringue topped desserts will be fine at room temperature for a day or two, otherwise, keep your pie in the fridge.
Don’t Forget!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup white sugar
Instructions
- Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high for 1-2 minutes until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and vanilla, mix to combine. With the mixer on high, slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form and it is shiny, about 2 minutes.
- Spoon the meringue over the pie filling pushing it to the edges to seal. Bake in a 350º oven until the meringue is browned, 10-12 minutes.
Notes
- Watch the meringue in the oven, it can burn very quickly.
- You can use a kitchen torch instead of baking it.
Barbara,
Your photo does not appear to demonstrate sealing the filling to the edge with the meringue per your instructions…or is the photo correct and I don’t understand the term “sealing”?
I wanted you to be able to see the pie underneath the meringue in the photo. Otherwise, I would have taken the meringue out to the edge.
Gotcha Barbara…and thank you!