Name: Mini Lemon Meringue Tartlets
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 40g (⅓ cup) powdered sugar; 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour; ¼ teaspoon salt; 113g (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed; 1 large egg; 3 large egg yolks; 1 large whole egg; 150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar; 120g (½ cup) fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoon lemon zest; ¼ teaspoon salt; 86g (6 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cubed; 3 large egg whites; 150g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract; Pinch of salt

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Mini lemon meringue tartlets are the perfect dessert for a crowd. They’re bite-sized mini pies, delicate to eat and so easy to make. Your guests will love them!

little lemon meringue pies on cake stand.

They’re a classic lemon meringue pie but made as bite-sized desserts. These little pies use a delicate sweet pastry dough (Pâte Sablée). This buttery crust is like a shortbread cookie in texture and flavor.

The lemon filling is a tangy homemade curd (though by all means, use store-bought jar of lemon curd if you’re short on time.) Then the mini tartlets are topped with a billowy Swiss meringue topping. The great thing is that most of the components can be made in advance too!

For more lemon desserts, check out these lemon pie bars, lemon meringue pie, or lemon chess pie!

Ingredients

Here is a rundown of the basic ingredients for these mini lemon meringue pies. For the full list and amounts, check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Pâte sablée – All-purpose flour, powdered sugar, butter and egg.
Fresh lemons – The base of the homemade lemon curd filling.
Egg yolks & whole eggs – This will thicken the curd.
Sugar – Balances the tartness.
Butter – Enriches the tangy lemon curd.
Egg whites & granulated sugar – The basics of the homemade meringue.

Equipment

A muffin tin for making the pastry cases
Stand mixer for mixing the egg whites
Microwave for making super quick lemon curd.
Kitchen torch (optional) for browning the meringue. You can also use a broiler.

Method

Pâte Sablée

In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and cut it in using a pastry cutter until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Crack an egg into the middle of the mixture and give it a quick whisk.

Use a fork to combine it into a crumbly mixture, then switch to using your hands and press it together until it makes a smooth dough.

It will be dry initially but don’t add water, as this will make the pastry tough.

Once you’ve made a soft dough, place the pastry between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out until it’s about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick.

Let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour.

The tangy lemon curd filling

Here are the instructions to make microwave lemon curd. See the Lemon curd recipe post for stove-top instructions. In a microwave-proof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, and salt until well combined.

Whisk in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.

lemon curd in a bowl next to a microwave.

Check that the curd is thick enough by stirring it with a metal spoon. The curd should be thickened and easily coat the back of a spoon.

Stir the cold cubed butter through the hot curd and stir until smooth. Pour the finished curd through a sieve into clean jars. It will thicken as it cools. Once cooled, store it in the fridge.

Baking the tart shells

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and use a circle cookie cutter a bit wider than your muffin pan. Cut dough circles and prick the middle of each a few times with a fork.

Dust the bottom of the circle with a bit of flour. Press it carefully into a muffin hole, using your fingers to press it into the edges (though not too hard that the pastry squashes.)

birds eye of unbaked tart shells in muffin pan.

Repeat with the remaining circles. If you only have one muffin pan, they will be baked in batches.

Bake the cases for 15-18 minutes until they turn golden brown. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Repeat with the remaining tart cases.

Swiss meringue

Combine room-temperature egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place it over a saucepan with simmering water (double boiler method) making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.

Whisk the mixture constantly until the sugar dissolves or until the mixture reaches 160°F/71°C on a food thermometer.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Add the vanilla extract and salt and place the bowl in your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at high speed until stiff glossy peaks form. They should be thick and glossy with just a bit of a bend.

Assembling

Use a spoon to fill each tartlet base with the lemon mixture. Scoop the Swiss meringue into a large piping bag and pipe meringue on top of each tart.

Use a kitchen blow torch to brown the meringue tops gently. Alternatively, pop the tarts under a hot broiler for a minute or two to brown the meringue.

Storage and making in advance

Store leftover mini lemon tarts in an airtight container to ensure freshness. They can last for 2-3 days in the fridge.

The pastry cases and the lemon curd can be made up to 4 days in advance. Store the lemon curd in the refrigerator and the pastry cases in a sealed container at room temperature.

The Swiss meringue is best made on the day of serving.

Variations

Play with other citrus fruits or berries to introduce new flavors to your tartlets. You could fill your tartlets with: