Not Bars Or Pound Cake: This Is The Best Classic Lemon Dessert By Far

Lemon desserts are tricky. Lemon bars, fore example, can be silky and tart with a perfect crust-to-filling ratio, but they can also be cloyingly sweet without enough bright lemon flavor or have a thick, dense crust that leaves you begging for more punchy lemon filling. Similarly, lemon pound cake can either be light, moist, and vibrant, or the dessert can be stodgy, dense, and topped with a dry, cracked, lackluster icing. But not all lemon-centric desserts are such risky choices. In our ranking of 12 classic lemon desserts, our reviewer gave the top spot to lemon meringue pie for its intense lemony flavor and pleasing variety of textures.

A lemon meringue pie contains the best of several sweets in one gorgeous package: a buttery, golden crust; a tart, silky lemon curd; and a smooth, creamy meringue that's kissed with a touch of char on the outside. The contrasting elements of a fluffy marshmallow-like topping against a crispy crust make for an ideal eating experience, which is important in a dessert. Variation in textures, colors, and flavors is essential for both our eyes and our mouths to fully enjoy a sweet treat. The torching of the edges of the meringue on top gives certain bites of the dessert a slightly savory note, which rounds out the sweetness and the tartness found elsewhere in the pie. 

I have to agree with our reviewer's positive ranking, as lemon meringue pie is not only my favorite lemon dessert, but one of my top desserts of all time. Foodies online agree, too. One Redditor said the pie was within their "top three favorite desserts," while another commenter shared, "I had it once and immediately I understood the hype."

Another aspect that gives lemon meringue pie top marks in our ranking of lemon desserts is the skill level that's required to make a quality pie. First the baker must laminate and bake off an all-butter pie crust until perfectly golden brown and flaky, then they must make a lemon curd or citrusy cream filling that requires tempering eggs without curdling them. Lastly, the maker must flawlessly execute a meringue, which is notoriously difficult to make and requires skill, technique, and patience. There are so many areas where things could go wrong when preparing a lemon meringue pie, but thankfully we have advice on how to fix those infuriating mistakes.

Although it may feel like a perfect dessert for the summertime (which it absolutely is), it can be made any time of year thanks to the wonders of the modern supermarket. Lemon meringue pie can be even better in the colder months, when citrus is in peak season. During the winter, you should experiment with including different varieties of lemons, like Meyer lemon or even Buddha's hand if you can find it. If the bakeries in your area just aren't up to snuff or you're looking to tackle a baking project at home, try your hand with our classic lemon meringue pie recipe. To make our recipe even more punchy with lemon flavor, add the zest of a lemon into the pie filling for an added layer of brightness in, what we'd call, the world's best lemon dessert by far.