This citrusy orange meringue pie recipe starts with a buttery homemade pie crust. Then, I add a sweet orange filling, and finish it off with a fluffy meringue topping for a showstopping dessert everyone loves!
I have to give credit to my husband for this recipe! After tasting the orange glaze on my orange blossom angel food cake, he suggested that I turn my lemon meringue pie into an orange dessert as well.
The result was incredible, and I might like this recipe even better than the original!
Why you’ll love this pie
Here are a few reasons why it was an instant family favorite:
- Texture – With a cloud-like topping, a silky smooth filling, and a crisp crust, every bite is pure perfection, offering everything you could want and then some!
- Flavor – The filling is bright and fruity without being overly sweet, and the buttery crust adds a little savoriness that balances the dessert nicely.
- Perfect for a crowd – One pie makes enough for up to 8 servings, meaning this recipe is great for backyard barbecues and holiday parties.
Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never made a meringue pie before. I’ve tried and tested this recipe countless times, ensuring it always turns out well. I’ll share all my secret tips and tricks!
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Pin ItKey Ingredient Notes
- Pie crust – I use my homemade all-butter pie crust, but you can use graham cracker crust or any homemade or pre-made crust you like best.
Filling
- Sugar – Granulated sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the orange. I don’t recommend substituting any other types of sugar for the filling.
- Cornstarch – This acts as a thickening agent and prevents the filling from beading by absorbing excess moisture.
- Orange – We’re using both orange juice and orange zest for a bright, citrusy filling that’s free from artificial flavorings.
- Egg Yolks – These are my secret for creating a thick, luscious consistency. Be sure to temper them so that they don’t curdle.
- Butter – I always recommend using unsalted butter for desserts!
Meringue
- Egg whites – Separate the egg whites while they’re cold. I’ve tested this recipe with both fresh and carton egg whites. I find that fresh is better, because not all brands of carton egg whites work for meringue.
- Sugar – For this recipe, we’re using granulated sugar, NOT powdered sugar, to sweeten the filling.
Avoid bitterness
Zest your orange before juicing, and be careful not to get any of the white pith. Otherwise, your filling may be a little bitter.
How to make orange meringue pie
Before you begin, preheat the oven to 350°F.
1. Prepare the Pie Crust
- Follow my recipe for making buttery pie crust.
- Roll the dough into a 10-inch circle on a floured surface.
- Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan, fold the edges, and pierce holes all over with a fork.
- Blind-bake the crust to prevent it from puffing up. To do that, cover the crust with a foil, and pour raw rice or beans on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil with rice/beans, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
2. Make the Swiss Meringue
- Boil water in a small saucepan, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Whisk the egg whites and sugar in a heat-proof bowl, and place it over the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t actually touch the water. You can also just use a double boiler if you have one on hand!
- Cook the mixture until the sugar melts completely, and it reaches 160°F. I always use my Thermapen thermometer to eliminate any guesswork!
- Remove the bowl from the heat, and whisk on medium speed for one minute.
- Slowly increase the speed to medium-high, and continue to beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is cool to the touch. This takes about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, but may take a little longer with a hand mixer!
3. Prep the Filling
- Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan.
- Slowly, stir in the orange juice.
- Heat the mixture over medium-high heat, cooking and stirring until it is thick and bubbly.
- Reduce the heat, and cook for an additional minute.
- Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl. Then, temper the yolks by stirring in ½ cup of the hot sugar mixture. Make sure to whisk constantly so that you don’t end up with scrambled eggs!
- Transfer the tempered yolks mixture back to the remaining hot sugar mixture, and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Assemble the pie
- Add the butter and orange zest.
- Pour the hot orange curd into the pre-baked pie crust.
- Whip the meringue one more time for 30 seconds or so.
- Spread it evenly over the filling, ensuring it reaches the edges and creates a seal.
- Use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the meringue until it’s nice and golden brown. If you don’t have a torch, you can also bake the pie for just a few minutes. Just be super careful not to let it burn!
- Cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature, and enjoy!
How to prevent weeping meringue
Weeping meringue is one of the most common problems bakers encounter with homemade orange meringue pie. Here are my top 3 tips to prevent this issue:
- Don’t over-whip the meringue! Due to lower sugar content, this meringue is easy to overwhip. So keep a close eye on it!
- Cornstarch stabilizes the meringue, preventing it from weeping even on a hot day.
- Cover the pie with meringue while the orange filling is piping hot. That way, the piping hot filling cooks the meringue from the bottom, preventing the meringue from breaking down.
Tips for Success
- Make sure your tools are super clean! When making meringue, it’s crucial to avoid any oil/fat residue in the bowl and whisk. Or, your egg whites might not whip into stiff, fluffy meringue.
- Be careful when separating egg whites and yolks. You don’t want any broken yolks in your egg whites. Egg yolk is a fat, and it’ll compromise the meringue structure.
- Use room temperature egg whites. They whip faster and achieve a better volume. Let them sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to warm slightly before whipping.
- Be careful not to over-whip the meringue. Stop as soon as it holds a peak when you lift the mixer.
- Assemble the pie while the filling is piping hot. Spread the meringue over the piping hot lemon filling. The filling will cook the meringue from the bottom, preventing it from breaking down.
- Avoid overcooking the filling. Cornstarch acts as a thickening agent in the filling. It activates at boiling temperature but loses its thickening ability when it’s boiled for too long or at too high a temperature. Be sure not to overcook the mixture, or it will run all over the place.
- Prevent shrinking. Shrinking is when a meringue topping shrinks at the edges and exposes the filling. To prevent this issue, spread the meringue over the crust, ensuring the edges are sealed all around.
- Avoid beading. Beading is when small droplets of water appear on the surface of the pie. Personally, I don’t find it to be much of an issue because it happens due to moisture. However, to minimize this, we are adding cornstarch to the meringue to absorb excess water. Also, avoid overbaking the pie and don’t put a warm pie into the fridge.
- Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing, and don’t refrigerate the pie before it’s completely cooled.
- Create clean cuts when slicing. Use a serrated knife to gently score a line where you want to cut, using a small back-and-forth motion. Then, cut all the way down, wiping the knife with a moist towel after each slice to remove any crumbs.
Make-Ahead Tips
Prepare the pie dough up to 3 days in advance, and store it covered in the fridge. Or, freeze it for up to 3 months! I always have a crust or two on hand for easy desserts like this orange meringue pie or my cherry pie when a craving hits or a special occasion occurs.
Storing Tips
This recipe is best served right away, because the meringue topping doesn’t hold up well for very long. However, you can store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to one day.
I don’t recommend freezing orange meringue pie! The texture and filling will change, and the meringue will become gummy and chewy. It’s not super appetizing.
FAQs
Cream pies like my homemade banana cream pie are made with a custard base that uses milk or cream and egg yolks. Meanwhile, meringue pies feature a filling made with egg yolks, cornstarch, and butter, which creates a silky curd, like this lemon curd, rather than a thick cream.
I typically serve this pie at room temperature, but it’s just as tasty cold. Just be sure not to serve it hot, or it’s likely to become soggy.
The secret to preventing your pie from becoming soggy is to add the meringue topping while it’s still nice and hot! The steam from the filling will rise up and pass through the meringue, cooking it from the bottom, which prevents moisture from pooling underneath.
More Pie Recipes
Orange Meringue Pie
Ingredients
For Orange Curd Filling:
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) orange juice
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
For Meringue:
- 4 large egg whites
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
To prepare the pie crust:
- Roll the pie crust into a 10-inch circle on a floured surface.
- Then transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan, fold the edges, and pierce holes all over with a fork.
- First, we need to blind-bake the crust to prevent it from puffing up. To do that, cover the crust with a foil and pour raw rice or beans on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil with rice/beans and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
To make the Swiss meringue:
- In a small saucepan, bring a small amount of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- In a medium, heat-proof bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar, then place it over a saucepan with simmering water. (This is a makeshift double boiler. Make sure the bottom of the top bowl doesn't touch the water.)
- Cook the egg white mixture until sugar is completely melted and it reaches 160°F (70°C), stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. (This is my favorite thermometer!)
- Now, remove the bowl with the egg white mixture from the heat. Then whisk it on medium speed for a minute, then slowly increase the speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is cool to the touch, about 10 minutes. (It may take longer with a hand mixer.) Set aside.
To make the filling:
- In a small saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, and slowly stir in the orange juice.
- Heat the mixture over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Reduce the heat down and cook for an additional minute.
- In a small bowl, beat egg yolks.
- To temper the egg yolks, stir in ½ cup of hot sugar mixture, while whisking constantly to prevent scrambling the egg yolks.
- Transfer the tempered egg yolk mixture back to the remaining hot sugar mixture. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add butter and orange zest.
- Pour the hot orange curd into the pre-baked pie crust.
- Immediately spread the meringue over the filling, ensuring that you seal the edges.
- Using a kitchen torch, lightly toast the meringue until nice and golden brown.
- Cool completely on a wire rack at room temperaturefor 1-2 hours, before serving.
⭐️ Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a review and let us know how you liked it!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on January 4, 2013.
Your directions worked perfectly–thank you! The pie turned out well, with nicely set up curd and a different citrus flavor than the usual. 🙂
Yay, so happy you enjoyed this twist on lemon meringue pie. Thank you for your feedback, Jessica!
In your lemon meringue recipe you say you add flour to the filling to prevent it from becoming soupy, why isn’t it in this recipe for the same reason?
Thank you!
Wow! Amazing recipe! Thanks for adding the recipe for the crust in there!
I really look forward to trying it.. i might try it soon!
Hi, A! Glad you like the recipe. 🙂
I just made this beautiful pie! Thanks so much for the recipe. I thought I was the only one who thought orange meringue pie should exist in the world, lol! I made a homemade graham cracker crust too. Came out awesome! Yay!
Kathy, so glad you enjoyed this pie as much as we do. The graham cracker crust sounds like a great twist. Thanks for your feedback.
can you make butterscotch meringue pie?
Hi, Abigail! I’ve never made butterscotch meringue pie, but that sounds amazing! I’ll share a recipe, if I make a good one.
I lked your blog, very much. Thanks for all recipes
Thank you for visiting my blog, Enhuush! 🙂
Mongoloor joroo oruulj bolhu? beginner bolohoor zarim ortsiig n medehgui bn pls
Za neg zavandaa orchuulaad tavii. 🙂