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? Dust these bite-sized meringues with lemon zest and powdered sugar for a dessert that will have everyone smiling!

little lemon meringue on white platter with lemon slices

the best bite-sized lemon meringues

Whenever lemon meets meringue, it's gonna be a good day! This tender meringue melts on the tongue while the lemons add a summery pop of flavor. The tart lemon curd is silky smooth, leaving us begging for another.

ingredients for little lemon meringues

Before I'd made lemon meringue pie, I'd thought fluffy mile-high meringues were only for the most advanced bakers. There are a few tricks to a successful lemon meringue, but don't worry! I'm spilling all the details, and it starts with quality ingredients.

little lemon meringues with sliced lemons

LITTLE LEMON MERINGUES | the ingredients

This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, but I recommend adding a dollop of high-quality whipped cream for serving!

1 large lemon: No surprises here! You’ll need the juice and the zest to make these perfectly tart lemon meringues! The perfect zest comes from just the yellow flesh of the lemon. The white rind of the lemon should not be included!

3 eggs: Farm fresh eggs? Yes, please! Free range hens lay eggs that have a more yellow yolk and a firmer egg white. Translation: a puffier meringue and a lemon curd with a deeper yellow color. Oh, yeah. Glorious rich colors. One more thing, separate the yolks and whites while the eggs are cold, then set the whites aside for 10 to 15 minutes to bring them to room temperature. The whites will whip higher this way.

1 ½ cup sugar: Granulated sugar will sweeten the lemon curd and give the meringue its oh-so-sweet texture. You’ll also want some powdered sugar to dust the tops of these luscious little lemon meringues!

1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder: Substituting arrowroot powder for cornstarch is a small way to boost the nutritional value of foods. It thickens just like cornstarch, but is non GMO and doesn't have the toxins found on most corn products.

3 Tbsp. water: Temperature doesn't matter, this will be HOT before long! Always use filtered, chlorine-free water for baking. Chemicals in city water can change the ability of the ingredients to do their jobs.

¼ cup butter: You can’t have a glossy lemon curd without butter, baby! Use high quality buttery for the richest pudding possible.

½ tsp. vanilla: Good vanilla is pricey, but totally worth it. Using high quality vanilla will add a depth of flavor to baked goods that cannot be beat. My favorite vanillas for baked goods are Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon from Williams Sonoma or Simple Truth Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla from Dillon's.

¼ tsp. cream of tartar Adding a small amount of cream of tartar while beating egg whites speeds up the creation of foam and helps stabilize the structure of those miniscule air bubbles. I'm saying it makes the poofiest meringues EVER!

little lemon meringues on white background with lemon curd and sliced lemons

LITTLE LEMON MERINGUES | the instructions

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. Whisk over medium heat until thick and bubbly. 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! 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.

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 the process of adding and stirring until the yolks are heated. When egg yolks are added directly to a hot sauce, they will curdle without properly tempering first... which is NOT a pleasing texture. Think scrambled eggs mixed with pudding. Don't ask me how I know, 'kay?

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. She also said that meringue pies will 'weep' if the meringue isn't tightly sealed against the crust. This isn't a pie, but it's still a really handy tip to file away for later!

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. We actually ate a few almost a week later. The texture was crispy like a graham cracker and strangely satisfying!

Store leftover lemon curd in an airtight bowl in the refrigerator for up to one week. Good luck keeping everyone out of it, though! Lemon curd is delicious by itself, with granola, drizzled over fruit or in greek yogurt.

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