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If you’re looking for an easy, healthy pie for spring or summer (hello, Easter and Mother’s Day!), this keto lemon meringue pie is it. You’d never know it’s low carb! The sugar-free lemon meringue pie has layers of keto lemon curd (modified to be thicker for a pie filling) and meringue (like my keto meringue cookies) for a creamy and sweet dessert that is also a show-stopper with its browned edges.
Two key ingredients help this pie taste sweet and authentic (while keeping every bite low carb): Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend and Wholesome Yum Almond Flour. This sweetener dissolves seamlessly into the filling for a grit-free mouthfeel, while the finely-ground flour makes a deliciously buttery crust. You won’t miss the original if you use these ingredients!
Is Lemon Meringue Pie Keto?
No, traditional lemon meringue pies are not keto friendly, as they are made with lots of flour and sugar! So, I made this keto lemon pie without sugar, so that we can enjoy it, too.
Why You’ll Love This Keto Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
- Sweet, tart, and creamy flavor
- Smooth layers
- Made with simple, natural ingredients
- Just 15 minutes prep time
- Naturally gluten-free
- 3.3g net carbs per slice
Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for keto-friendly lemon meringue pie, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Pie Crust:
- Almond Flour Pie Crust – Follow the instructions for the sweet crust. If you need a nut-free option, use coconut flour pie crust instead.
Lemon Filling:
The filling in this low carb lemon meringue pie is a modified version of my keto lemon curd recipe, but made thicker to be suitable for a pie filling:
- Egg Yolks – A crucial component for lemon curd, they make it thick and creamy. Use large eggs, and save the whites for the meringue (below).
- Unflavored Gelatin Powder – Gelatin is a natural thickener.
- Hot Water – Blooms the gelatin.
- Xanthan Gum – Another component that helps thicken the filling.
- Lemons – You’ll need both lemon juice and lemon zest. However, you’ll need zest from about 3 lemons and juice from about 4-6 lemons, so you could just get 3 and supplement the remaining juice with the bottled kind for convenience if you like.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Like my sugar-free lemon curd, I only recommend Besti here because unlike other sugar alternatives (including erythritol and other brands of monk fruit sweetener), Besti dissolves completely and won’t crystallize. You can try other powdered sweeteners (check the sweeteners conversion chart), but most of them will crystallize and yield a gritty result.
- Sea Salt – Balances the sweetness.
- Butter – Adds flavor and also helps thicken. Make sure it’s unsalted.
- Keto Lemon Curd – The lemon layer of this keto meringue pie is both sweet and tart in the best way, and includes egg yolks, gelatin powder, xanthan gum, lemon juice and zest, butter, and sweetener.
Meringue:
- Egg whites – Save the egg whites from the lemon curd above, which utilizes the egg yolks.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – The same sweetener used in the filling above. This is my top choice for the same reasons as above.
How To Make Keto Lemon Meringue Pie
This section shows how to make lemon meringue keto pie, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Make crust. Follow the instructions for either almond flour pie crust or coconut flour pie crust. Bake the crust, and you can make the lemon curd layer in the meantime.
- Whisk egg yolks. Separate the eggs (you’ll need the yolks for the filling and the whites for the meringue.) Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and set aside.
- Bloom gelatin. In a separate bowl, whisk water, gelatin, and xanthan gum together and set aside.
- Simmer. Combine lemon juice, zest, Besti, salt, and egg yolks to a saucepan and heat to to a gentle boil.
- Add gelatin. Whisk in the gelatin mixture, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes to incorporate.
- Add butter. Add butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
- Pour and chill. Pour the lemon custard filling into crust and chill for at least 5-6 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Make meringue. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Add in Besti and continue mixing on high speed until it’s glossy and smooth.
- Top. Dollop the meringue over the lemon filling with a spoon. Smooth over the top, making swirls with back of the spoon.
- Broil. Place the keto lemon meringue pie under the broiler, until meringue is golden brown (or use a culinary torch).
- Chill. Cool completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Storage Instructions
Keep keto lemon meringue pie in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Freezing the pie is not recommended, as the freezing and thawing process will change meringue texture.
More Keto Pie Recipes
If you like this sugar-free lemon meringue pie recipe, you might also like these other keto pie recipes:
Tools To Make Sugar-Free Lemon Meringue Pie
- Pie Pan – This one is the perfect size for this recipe.
- Hand Mixer – Easily whip up the meringue layer with a hand mixer. You can also use a stand mixer instead if you prefer.
- Kitchen Torch – Optional, but this is the best way to get perfectly browned edges on the meringue.
Keto Lemon Meringue Pie
Keto Lemon Meringue Pie
Keto lemon meringue pie has layers of sweet flavor and just 3g net carbs! Learn how to make sugar-free lemon meringue pie with natural ingredients.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Pie Crust:
Lemon Filling:
Meringue:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Pie Crust:
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).
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Make the almond flour pie crust according to the instructions here. Set aside to cool completely.
Lemon Filling:
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In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and set aside. Save the egg whites for the meringue.
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In another small bowl whisk the water, gelatin, and xanthan gum. Set aside.
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In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, Besti Powdered, salt, and whisked egg yolks. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
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Slowly whisk in the gelatin mixture. Whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
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Add in the butter and stir until melted.
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Remove from heat and pour the lemon filling into the cooled pie crust. Place the pie in the fridge overnight or for at least 5-6 hours.
Keto Meringue:
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Preheat the oven to Broil.
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Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add Besti Powdered and continue mixing on high speed until the meringue is glossy and smooth.
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Place small dollops of the meringue on top of the lemon filling. Smooth over the top, making swirls with the back of a spoon.
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Place the keto lemon meringue pie under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown. Alternately, to achieve perfectly browned edges, you can use a blow torch.
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Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve cold.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/12th of entire pie
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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42 Comments
Shelby
0This lemon meringue pie hits the spot! It comes out with the perfect texture and sweet but not overdone. Love it!
Lara
0I was a little intimidated to make this at first, but it came out so good! Finally gave me an excuse to use the blow torch!
Sara
0Maya, this was SO GOOD. I used ground sunflower seed meal in place of almond flour (allergies), and it worked perfectly! We loved it!!
Lisa
0So good! No one even knew this pie was keto-friendly.
Gena
0This recipe sounds so amazing!
Michael Miller
0I’m trying to find out what went wrong with a meringue sponge yesterday. Realizing that a number of things can go wrong I would like to rule out Besti. We used 4 egg whites, cream of tartar, one cup powdered Besti and a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoons vanilla. Baked at 250 for an hour. It had a light brown color and didn’t crust over as usual as well as going flat. Any thoughts?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Michael, I don’t have a recipe for meringue sponge so I can’t say for sure what went wrong.
debbie
0Can I use beef gelatin from vital proteins in this recipe?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Debbie, Yes, that should work for you.
Evi
0This pie was delicious! I loved that its keto also, and its perfect for when I crave something sweet after dinner.
LaKita
0This lemon meringue pie is so perfect to make and share with those that need an alternative to the regular version!
Anna
0This recipe is a keeper! I tried it this weekend for a small gathering with friends, and everyone loved it! I couldn’t tell the difference between this lemon meringue pie and a classic/ traditional one!
Moop Brown
0Lemon flavored desserts are my favorite, so I’ll definitely be giving this recipe a try. Thanks
Katie Crenshaw
0This pie is DELICIOUS! The lemon filling is creamy and rich. I loved it.
Kristina
0I prefer sugar free recipes but had a hard time finding a great lemon meringue. This recipe was fantastic! You’d never know it was sugar free.
Enri Lemoine
0My favorite keto evangelist! This lemon meringue pie looks so yummy, authentic, and real! I’m going to give it a try!
Colleen
0Lemon meringue is my favorite but I’m trying to cut down on carbs so this recipe was perfect! And the whole family loved it too.
Bernice
0This pie was so delicious. Thank you for taking the time to develop a keto recipe for my favourite kind of pie!
Linda
0I love lemon meringue pie so your keto version allowed me to make a dessert to share with one of my best friends. It was easy to make, the filling came out thick and creamy and the taste was pretty close to my regular lemon meringue. Thanks for the save!
Dorothy Baker
0This turned out really well and I love the recipe! The only change I made was to hold on to the egg yolks until after adding the lemon and the thickeners. I added a small bit of hot liquid to the egg yolks before adding the yolks to the hot saucepan in order to prevent cooking the eggs. Otherwise, I didn’t change anything.
Cathy
0Just put the pie in the fridge to cool. What an arm work out but I don’t think I’ve got lumps so yay all that whisking payed off! Smells amazing!
Ashe
0This is my favorite lemon meringue pie recipe that I have tried! Thank you for sharing!
Eden
0This pie turned out so good! We all loved it and can’t wait to make it again! It’s creamy and I loved the lemon flavor too. Easy to make!!
Wilhelmina
0This is so dang good! I didn’t realize that Lemon Meringue pie could even be made keto, I am so happy I found this recipe!
Francy Moll
0Made this tonight. Everything was looking good until I added the Xanthan gum. I kept whisking but in the end the texture wasn’t creamy. Why did that happen? What did I do wrong? Again it was perfect until the Xanthan gum.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Francy, Xanthan gum needs to be lightly sprinkled and then whisked vigorously, it can clump if you just dump it in. Is that what happened?
Sally Hope-Hawkins
0I struggle with the word cup??? So inconsistent with different ingredients. Can you translate this to grammes or ounces please as I want to do this more accurately. Thanks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sally, We use U.S. cup measurements, but you are welcome to use the Metric option on the recipe card to show measurements by weight instead.
Jessica
0Hi! Maybe I just missed it in the instructions, but I don’t see where it says the temperature to bake the pie. Is it 350?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jessica, Bake the crust at 350 degrees F and bake on Broil setting at the end to brown the meringue.
Karlynn Perlberg
0Excellent recipe! I made it without a crust since I am not big on pie crusts; was very delicious and I will definitely be making again.
Vonnie
0My wife and I have been doing keto for about 6 weeks. I’m down 12 lbs. and she is down 14. This was a real treat to have this for New Year’s day to celebrate making it through the holidays without blowing it. We loved it!!! What a relief to know that recipes like this are available for those of us with sweet tooths!
Stacy Miller
0I tried making this but my meringue started smoking and cooked dark brown in first 5 minutes. What did I did wrong?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Stacy, It sounds like the heat was up too high.
Toni Hanson
0What’s the xanthan gum for?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Toni, Xanthan gum thickens the filling.
Pam Adams
0Can you use cornstarch to thicken it
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Pat, You could but it wouldn’t be low carb.
LaJuan
0Thanks for sharing this recipe. I want to make this for Thanksgiving but my mom has a nut allergy. Can this be made with another flour or with no crust? I make a crustless cheesecake by baking it using the double boiler method. Could this be done the same way?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, you can make it using a coconut flour crust instead. Pick up coconut flour here to make it.
Sandi
0Hi Maya, what can I swap out xantham gum with? And are there benefits to using monkfruit as a sweetener compared with erythritol? Is it a 1 to 1 conversion with those sweeteners for this recipe? Love your recipes by the way!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sandi, I don’t recommend replacing the xanthan gum with anything, sorry. There are definitely benefits to using Besti over erythritol. The filling will likely crystallize and be gritty if you use erythritol.