Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Forget the pie! Satisfy your lemon craving with Lemon Meringue Cheesecake with toasted meringue and a buttery shortbread cookie crust. It’s tangy, creamy, and fluffy!

Confession – I have a slight irrational fear of working with propane.

I’m always afraid it’s going to explode into a giant fireball when I light it up then I would have to explain to my landlord why the building is no longer standing.

When I light the grill, I can’t walk away. So it makes total sense I would…buy a blowtorch to toast things.

The things we do in the name of good food.

Although I have a gas oven, the broiler doesn’t work for toasting. Buying a torch was the next best thing (AND the apartment is still standing).

Why did I go against my fear? Because I love this Lemon Meringue Cheesecake that much.

I remember falling in love with toasted meringue when I first made Baked Alaska back during my middle school cooking class as its crisp, toasted exterior was a lovely contrast to the frozen ice cream inside.

That same concept applies to this lemon meringue cheesecake recipe with its cold creamy cheesecake base, shortbread cookie crust, and toasted meringue topping (which is perfect for using up leftover egg whites).

It’s reminiscent of my mini lemon meringue pie with its puckery lemony filling and buttery crust.

It’s like eating pie but for cheesecake lovers.

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Meringue Cheesecake Recipe

• No water bath required! – That’s right – no need to mess with a water bath! Promise your cheesecake won’t crack (as long as you don’t overbake it).
• Makes a 6 or 9 inch cheesecake! – Whether you want a small or large cheesecake, I provide recipes for both.
• Doesn’t use cream of tartar! – Traditionally meringue uses cream of tartar to stabilize the egg whites, but I substituted an easy ingredient you’re almost guaranteed to have on hand.

Ingredients For Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Here’s what you need to make your lemon cheesecake with meringue:

• Shortbread cookie crumbs: I chose shortbread cookies to help mimic a buttery pie crust, but you can easily substitute traditional graham crackers.
• Butter: Needed to bind the crust
• Salt: Just a pinch is needed
• Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese because the low fat and fat free versions have more water in them and may be too watery after baking.
• Granulated sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness to balance out the tanginess of the cream cheese
• Lemon: Adds brightness to the cheesecake
• Eggs: Adds structure to the batter and helps the cheesecake rise
• Vanilla extract: Adds flavor to the batter
• Egg whites: The base of your meringue. Check out my recipes for egg yolks when you’re done!

Make sure of your ingredients are at room temperature and not cold to the touch!

If they are after sitting out for a bit, you can microwave cream cheese in 5-10 second increments (without the foil wrapper! Do not microwave the foil wrapper) and place eggs in a warm bowl of water.

If the cream cheese or eggs are too cold, the batter will seize up and become lumpy. And you don’t want a lumpy cheesecake.

Do you need cream of tartar for meringue?

Cream of tartar is a powdered acid that helps stabilize egg whites, especially when you whip them into a meringue.

But because I rarely use this ingredient in my pantry, I prefer to making my meringue without cream of tartar using vinegar or lemon juice.

If you do have cream of tartar, use 1/4 teaspoon for 3 egg whites.

How To Make Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Now that you gathered your ingredients, here’s how to make your lemon cheesecake with meringue:

1. Mix together cookie crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt then pat into the bottom and sides of your springform pan.
2. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.
3. Add egg, lemon juice, and vanilla then transfer to your pan.
4. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 150F. There will still be a slight wiggle in the middle.
5. Cool 1 hour then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. Whip egg whites with the lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
7. Toast meringue until brown and crispy.

Refrigerate cheesecake with meringue in an airtight container for up to 2 days as the meringue will weep.

If cheesecake is undecorated, refrigerate for up to 1 week.

How To Make A Small Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

To make a small lemon cheesecake, use the ingredients and instructions for my 6 inch cheesecake recipe. Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the batter.

For the meringue use 2 egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla.

How To Toast Meringue

There are two ways you can toast the meringue for your lemon cheesecake recipe:

1. With a blowtorch – I bought a heavy duty blowtorch from the hardware store because I’ve been told time and again the culinary blowtorches you buy at kitchen stores don’t do a good job and are overpriced.
2. With the oven broiler – Leave the springform pan intact to protect the sides of the cheesecake. Spread the meringue over the top, fully sealing without any holes. The meringue acts like an insulator, preventing the heat from getting in.

It’s best to toast the meringue right before serving as it won’t hold its toastiness in the fridge.

Don’t worry – you can still refrigerate leftovers with meringue for up to 2 days and still taste good (just not as crispy and a little liquidy as the egg whites will weep).

However, the cheesecake itself is good for up to 1 week, so you can easily scrape off the meringue and replace it with homemade whipped cream (I may or may not have done this).

More Cheesecake Recipes

If you enjoyed this lemon meringue cheesecake recipe, you’ll also like these other cheesecake recipes:

• Classic Cheesecake
• Chocolate Cheesecake
• German Chocolate Cheesecake
• Pecan Pie Cheesecake
• Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
• Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Caramel Apple Cheesecake
• Carrot Cake Cheesecake

First published April 10, 2017