Lauren’s Gluten Free + Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie

Did you know that you can make your favorite zesty, bright, and zingy dessert gluten-free AND vegan? I'm here to tell you that it is indeed possible!

A good friend of mine, Lauren, asked if I could make her a gluten-free and vegan lemon meringue pie for her and her family. Of course, I knew that the pie crust and the lemon filling could be done easily, but meringue? Isn't that made with EGGS? Yep but not in this recipe, it’s completely egg-less and aquafaba is the star!

For those who may not know, aquafaba (chickpea juice) is an excellent substitute for egg whites in vegan baking. It's truly amazing how this simple and organic liquid can be whipped up just like egg whites to create a fluffy, stable meringue for up to 3 to 5 DAYS.

To make this decadent dessert gluten-free and vegan, I took pieces of different recipes to make my own Gluten-Free + Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie recipe . It was such a hit with her family, in fact, that they originally were going to eat it 1 to 2 days after she arrived at her family gathering. Well, folks, it lasted until the evening I brought it to her!

I can also say that this recipe can be made into the cutest little tartelettes! Since I hadn't made it and tested it yet, I had to have some samples to bring her and, of course, taste myself. When it comes to lemons, I have a hard time saying no. What about you? If you agree…let’s be friends! Here is the recipe:

Lauren’s Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

❁ Always Gluten Free & Vegan ❁

Serves: 10

Cook time: 15-25 minutes

Prep: 4hr + 20

Lauren’s Gluten Free + Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Ingredients:

Gluten Free & Vegan Pie Crust

160g (1 ⅓ cups) gluten free flour blend

10g (1 Tbsp) raw cane sugar (I prefer Florida Crystals)

½ tsp xanthan gum (omit if your blend contains xanthan gum)

¼ tsp salt

115g (1 stick) unsalted vegan butter (cold, cubed)

75g (¼ cup) water (cold)

Lemon Curd Filling

160 ml (¾ cup) aquafaba (from 1-2 cans of strained chickpeas)

30g (3 Tbsp) chickpea flour

30g (3 Tbsp) arrowroot starch

360 ml (1 ½ cups) water

200g (1 cup) raw cane sugar

120 ml (½ cup) lemon juice

2-3 lemons for zest (depending on how punchy you like your lemon)

1 tsp vanilla extract

⅛ tsp turmeric

2 Tbsp unsalted vegan butter, room temperature

For the Meringue

1 cup (237 ml) aquafaba from approximately 2 cans of unsalted chickpeas- boiled down to 1/2 cup

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup (100 grams) raw cane sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp xanthan gum

Instructions:

1. Make the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the cold butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the pieces are about the size of walnuts.

2. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until the flour is hydrated and the dough starts to clump. Gently form it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for 30-45 minutes.

3. Laminate the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a long rectangle. Fold one-third of the dough over the center, then fold the other third over that (like a letter). Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat this process once more.

4. Wrap the dough again and chill for at least 30 minutes.

5. Assemble and Blind Bake: Roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, trimming the excess and crimping the edges. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 400ºF with a baking sheet on the lower-middle rack.

7. Dock the bottom of the chilled crust with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, rice, or dried beans.

8. Blind bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are light golden. Remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely.

Make the Lemon Curd Filling:

1. Whisk together the aquafaba, chickpea flour, and arrowroot starch. Set aside. Measure out all remaining ingredients for the filling.

2. In a medium sauce pan, combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil and whisk together. Once boiling, pour in the chickpea arrowroot starch mixture as you whisk the mixture in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to low, and continuously whisk until the mixture begins to thicken to a pudding like consistency (about 5-7 minutes). Once you’ve reached this consistency, turn off the heat. Add in the vanilla extract, turmeric, and vegan butter, whisking until combined into the lemon pie filling.

3. Fill the pie crust: Pour the filling into the pie crust and allow the pie to set for 4+ hours in the fridge (I left mine to set overnight and made the meringue the next morning, it was perfectly set).

Prepare the Aquafaba:

1. Start with the liquid from two cans of chickpeas. Pour it into a saucepan and boil it down until you have about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of concentrated aquafaba. Let it cool completely, then store it in the fridge until thoroughly chilled. Cold aquafaba whips better.

2. Whip to Soft Peaks: Pour the cold, concentrated aquafaba into a clean mixing bowl. Add the cream of tartar, kosher salt, and vanilla extract. Begin whisking at a low speed, then gradually increase the speed. Continue whipping until the mixture reaches soft peaks. This may take a few minutes, so be patient.

3. Mix Sugar and Xanthan Gum: While the aquafaba is whipping, combine the granulated sugar and xanthan gum in a small bowl. Whisk them together thoroughly to ensure the xanthan gum is evenly distributed and won't clump.

4. Whip to Stiff Peaks: With the mixer still running, slowly add the sugar-xanthan gum mixture to the meringue. Continue whipping until the meringue becomes glossy and holds stiff peaks. To test if it's ready, rub a small amount between your fingers; if you still feel sugar granules, keep mixing until the sugar is fully dissolved.

5. Finish the Pie: Spoon the finished meringue on top of the lemon pie. Either use a culinary torch to toast the meringue to a golden brown, or place the pie in a 475ºF broiler for 4-5 minutes (this is what I did and rotated it every minute or so), watch it very carefully so it doesn’t burn. You are ready to serve immediately or chill in the fridge! Due to aquafaba’s delicate nature and how temperamental it is to moisture, I wouldn’t recommend freezing it.

Did you make it or have questions? Let me know in the comments!