These bright and tart little lemon meringues are a modern twist on an old favorite! Who doesn't love a burst of lemon on a hot summer day? Top these bite-sized thumbprint meringues with tangy lemon curd, lemon zest and a dusting of powdered sugar for a dessert that will have everyone smiling!
If lemon desserts are your jam, you will also love my Old Fashioned Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake, Cheesecake Muffins with Lemon & Blueberry or Easy Lemon Meringue Pie. Check them out!
Jump to:
- why this recipe works
- ingredients for little lemon meringues
- how to make little lemon meringues (lemon curd cookies)
- how to temper egg yolks
- how to make a perfect meringue
- How to make lemon curd cookies ahead of time
- how to make dairy free lemon curd
- Recipe
- how to make a perfect meringue
- want to make ahead? no problem!
- how to make dairy free lemon curd
- More sweet desserts to love!
- Comments
why this recipe works
Just imagine a little bite of sunshine. That pretty much sums up this recipe! Tiny little meringue drops filled with lemon curd, need I say more? It's the perfect combination of sweet and tart that will have you begging for seconds.
ingredients for little lemon meringues
- lemons | Fresh lemons are delicious in this recipe, but it's okay to use bottled if you need to. Because we are using the zest, wash the lemons before using.
- eggs | Set your eggs on the counter about thirty minutes before starting this recipe.
- sugar| This recipe requires plain white granulated sugar, nothing fancy!
- arrowroot powder | If you don't have arrowroot powder, you can substitute corn starch, no problem.
- water | Room temperature, filtered water works best.
- butter | Room temperature butter, but you can also substitute margarine for a dairy free option.
- vanilla | My favorite vanilla is homemade Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract.
- cream of tartar | Make sure not to skip this ingredient! Cream of tartar stabilizes the tiny bubbles in the egg whites and makes a stable, glossy meringue!
how to make little lemon meringues (lemon curd cookies)
making lemon curd
- Gently roll the lemon along the counter, massaging it against the counter to help loosen the juice. Zest the lemon peel (just the yellow peel, not the white layer below) & squeeze the juice. Separate the eggs whites from the yolks and place the whites in a stand mixer.
- To make the lemon curd, whisk ½ cup of sugar and arrowroot powder in a saucepan. Stir in 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest, lemon juice, and water. Keep whisking! Gradually temper the yolks by adding a bit of the thickened mixture. See the note below for more details about this process. Whisk the tempered yolks and lemon mixture and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped butter. The butter will create a glossier lemon curd! Pop it in the fridge for an hour.
making meringues
- Going back to the egg whites in the stand mixer, it's time to make the meringue! Time to beat the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tarter! Watch for stiff peaks to form. Add the sugar very slowly. The sugar will almost fully dissolve and stiff peaks will return. Fold in the remaining lemon zest.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. I use a scoop to get even sized meringues. The cookie scoop will create a rounded meringue, which is what I used.
- Bake in a 300 degree preheated oven for thirty-five minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the meringues to gradually cool in a dry oven for one hour. Remove the meringues from the oven and gently peel off the parchment paper.
- Spoon the lemon curd onto the meringues and add a bit more zest & (optional) whipped topping.
how to temper egg yolks
Tempering eggs is a process that allows the room temperature egg to be combined with a simmering sauce gradually, which allows the egg to fully incorporate into the mixture. To do this, simple spoon a bit of the sauce into the egg yolks and stir. Repeat.
how to make a perfect meringue
Meringues MUST (yes, I am using the obnoxious capital letters) be made in a clean glass or stainless steel bowl. If there is even a hint of oil in the pan, the meringue will not fluff up properly. The first time I made a lemon meringue pie, my sweet mother in law gave me this tip.
How to make lemon curd cookies ahead of time
Unfilled meringues can be stored in an airtight container and kept at room temperature a day ahead OR frozen for up to two weeks.
Store leftover lemon curd in an airtight bowl in the refrigerator for up to one week. Lemon curd is delicious by itself, with granola, drizzled over fruit or in greek yogurt.
how to make dairy free lemon curd
Lemon curd is a delicious dessert that can easily be adapted to a dairy free diet. Instead of added the ¼ cup of butter to the lemon curd to make it glossy and smooth, use a dairy free margarine substitute.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Recipe
little lemon meringues
Ingredients
- 1 lemon + zest
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ C sugar divided
- 1 Tbsp. arrowroot or cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp. water
- ¼ C butter cut to ½ inch pieces
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
- optional whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Gently roll the lemon along the counter, massaging it against the counter to help loosen the juice. Zest the lemon peel & squeeze the juice. Separate the eggs whites from the yolks and place the whites in a stand mixer.
- To make the lemon curd, whisk ½ cup of sugar and arrowroot powder in a saucepan. Stir in 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest, lemon juice, and water. Whisk over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Gradually temper the yolks by adding a bit of the thickened mixture.
- Whisk the tempered yolks and lemon mixture and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped butter. The butter will create a glossier lemon curd! Chill at least one hour.
- Going back to the egg whites in the stand mixer, it's time to make the meringue! Beat the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tarter until stiff peaks form. Add the remaining 1 cup of sugar slowly, one tablespoon at a time while continuing to whisk at a high speed. The sugar will almost fully dissolve and stiff peaks will return. Fold in the remaining lemon zest.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Either trace a drinking glass on the parchment to create 12 uniform circles, or use a 2oz cookie scoop. The cookie scoop will create a rounded meringue, which is what I used. Piping the meringue into the circles will create more of a cloud-like texture, but can be a bit trickier to pull off.
- Bake in a 300 degree preheated oven for thirty-five minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the meringues to gradually cool in a dry oven for one hour. Remove the meringues from the oven and gently peel off the parchment paper.
- Spoon the lemon curd onto the meringues and add a bit more zest &; (optional) whipped topping. To keep for later, wait to add the curd to the meringues until just before serving.
Notes
how to make a perfect meringue
Meringues MUST (yes, I am using the shouting capital letters) be made in a clean glass or stainless steel bowl. If there is even a hint of oil in the pan, the meringue will not fluff up properly. The first time I made a lemon meringue pie, my sweet mother in law gave me this tip.want to make ahead? no problem!
Unfilled meringues can be stored in an airtight container and kept at room temperature a day ahead OR frozen for up to two weeks. Store leftover lemon curd in an airtight bowl in the refrigerator for up to one week. Lemon curd is delicious by itself, with granola, drizzled over fruit or in greek yogurt.how to make dairy free lemon curd
Lemon curd is a delicious dessert that can easily be adapted to a dairy free diet. Instead of added the ¼ cup of butter to the lemon curd to make it glossy and smooth, use a dairy free margarine substitute.Nutrition
More sweet desserts to love!
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