Mini Lemon Curd Pies
with vanilla meringue cookie topping
They say when given lemons, make lemonade. I say when given lemons make mini lemon curd pies. Believe it or not, this dessert is not that hard to make. There are a few key ingredients that are somewhat time consuming and require a little elbow grease, but it is totally worth it when it comes to enjoying the taste! I mean it is pie. Who in their right mind doesn’t like pie or mini pies for that matter? No one and if they say they don’t then they are lying.
The tangy tart lemon filling is definitely an explosion of flavor that you know you made right when it causes your lips to slightly pucker from that first initial bite. Meringues are a pretty special cookie and are unlike any other out there. They are light, airy and melt in your mouth delicious. I love the hint of vanilla paired with the sharp lemon curd and buttery pie crust.
This is a perfect winter (or summer) dessert to serve for that Saturday night dinner party.
Ingredients: Yields 6 pies
- 6 Mini Pie Shells
- Instant Vanilla Pudding, 1 box
- Lemon Curd
- 6 Large Vanilla Meringue Cookies
- 6 mini tart pans that are 4”x1”
Directions:
- Make the Lemon Curd by following the directions for the recipe here (I used Ina Garten’s version from foodnetwork.com). Set aside to cool. Once cool, mix in the box of instant vanilla pudding. Allow to refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Make the pie shells. You can either use pre-made piecrust or homemade. If you are using pre-made crust you will need (2) 9” piecrusts. Follow the directions on the box for baking. Set aside to fully cool before assembling the pies.
- Bake the meringue cookies by following the directions here. (I used the recipe found from My Most Favorite Food) and allow to fully cool.
Assemble: Scoop about ¼ c. of the lemon custard into the premade piecrust. Add the cookie to the top. Repeat for the remaining five pie shells. This can be made up to two days in advance. Just wait to add the meringue cookie topping to just before serving if doing so.