Easy Gluten-Free Lemon Meringue Pie

Easy Gluten Free Lemon Meringue Pie is my adaptation of my mother's perfect lemon meringue pie recipe. Using a dairy-free lemon meringue recipe and substituting gluten-free flour in the filling, I also used a frozen 9-inch gluten-free crust, and made this lemon meringue pie recipe using fresh lemons. 


Allergy note: This lemon meringue pie recipe uses eggs but no milk. Gluten free crust may contain milk.

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GLUTEN-FREE LEMON MERINGUE PIE

INGREDIENTS: 

Filling:

1-1/4 white granulated sugar

2 tablespoons gluten-free flour

3-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups water

2-3 medium-sized lemons, zested and the juice reserved

1 tsp vanilla extract(optional)

2 tablespoons butter

4 egg yolks, beaten 


Crust:
One 9-inch gluten-free frozen pie crust, baked*

*If gluten free pie crust shells are not available in your area, you can use a gluten-free pie crust mix instead. Prepare according to package directions.


Meringue: 
4 egg whites

6 tablespoons white granulated sugar 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

The Best Way to Separate Egg Yolks 

My mother was very specific in how to separate egg yolks and egg whites. She told me to have two CLEAN bowls ready ahead of time and to use a different clean dry whisk or egg beater for each. This video shows a method of separating egg whites from yolks.

VIDEO: How to Separate Egg Whites from Yolks

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INSTRUCTIONS: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pie Crust:
Unwrap one 9-inch frozen gluten-free pie crust or pastry shell and place it into the preheated oven. As the pie crust begins to soften, use a fork to poke holes into the bottom and sides of the crust so it doesn't bubble up. Continue baking 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Lemon Filling: 

Using a medium saucepan, first add the dry ingredients: sugar, gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk together well and then gradually stir in the water, vanilla (if used), lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat and continue to stir well until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in the butter.

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How I Make Grated Lemon Zest

How Do You Zest a Lemon?

You might be wondering what is lemon zest? The "zest" is what you get when you grate a lemon rind. I use a firm fresh lemon and just grate the yellow part all around the lemon. Don't shave the white part or it gives a bitter taste. You can use a special lemon zester but I use the tiniest part of my metal food grater to make lemon zest.

I use a clean stiff brush to dust the zest from the grater into a bowl. 

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To the egg yolks in a small bowl, add a small amount of the hot sugar mixture from the saucepan. Immediately add the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and stir or whisk continuously as you bring the mixture to a boil. Continue stirring until the mixture is thick. Because gluten-free flour is used, the mixture may take a little longer to thicken. Remove saucepan from heat.

Use a spatula to help pour the lemon filling into the baked gluten-free pie crust. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

Meringue:

In a medium to large glass or Pyrex bowl with steep sides, whip the egg whites until they are foamy and beginning to stand up in peaks. Add the sugar a little at a time, until the egg white mixture stands up in stiff peaks that only droop a little at their tops. If you wish to add vanilla extract, add it now and whip lightly into the mixture.

Spoon the egg white mixture over the cooled lemon filling in the pie shell. Use a spatula to spread the meringue over the entire filling and onto the edges of the pie crust. The meringue will be very high but will become lower as the pie bakes. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the peaks and edges of the meringue are golden brown. 

Cool on a rack or refrigerate.

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Best lemon meringue pie I have ever made!  

I prepared this to take along to visit family who live on a mountain road. Despite all the twisting and turning on the way, the lemon meringue stayed ON TOP OF THE PIE and did not slide or shrink. That's never happened when I made other lemon meringue pie recipes, and it was a big hit with everyone!

German Pfeffernusse Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free)

My mother did not write down any recipes for pfeffernusse cookies for me, but she did bake them a time or two. This gluten-free pfeffernusse recipe is my adaptation of a traditional pfeffernusse recipe. 

In German, pfeffernusse means "pepper nuts," even though my husband refers to them as "frosted reindeer droppings"! Either way, they are super yummy.

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Although I substitute gluten-free flour in this pfeffernussen recipe, ground spices may contain traces of gluten. McCormick brand spices are reportedly gluten free, but read the labels and do your own research if you must avoid gluten in your diet. Gluten-free suggestions are provided in the links. Despite the name, no nuts are used in this recipe. I have substituted butter for the margarine-shortening mixture in an authentic pfeffernusse recipe that would have been prepared in the 1950s.

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GERMAN PFEFFERNUSSE COOKIES

Ingredients

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup honey

4 oz (one stick) butter

2 eggs

4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill is my favorite)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom 

1 teaspoon allspice* 

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or grated nutmeg 

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 

2 teaspoons anise extract*

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon ground ginger 

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup confectioner's powdered sugar (to dust pfeffernussen after they are done)

I like the flavor that allspice imparts to this traditional Christmas cookie pfeffernusse recipe, but if you don't have allspice, you may double the nutmeg and ground cloves to 1 teaspoon each to make up the difference.

*Anise extract is a lightly licorice-flavored essence. Don't skip or substitute for anise extract or the recipe will not turn out right.

Have ready:

Two (nonstick or aluminum) cookie sheets, and nonstick parchment baking paper cut to size of cookie sheets

My daughter and me making German Pfeffernusse aka "Reindeer Droppings"

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together molasses, honey, butter over medium heat. Cook and continue stirring until butter is melted and the mixture is creamy. Remove the saucepan from heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Add in the eggs and whisk well into the mixture. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, brown and white sugar, and all spices: cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, as well as baking soda, ground pepper, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to mix dry ingredients. Add anise extract and whisk again until well mixed.
4. Add the molasses-sugar-egg mixture and mix well with a sturdy wooden spoon or mixing spoon until blended. Be sure to blend edges and under and over the dough. Put the bowl into the refrigerator and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
5. Remove the dough mixture from the refrigerator and set out on the workspace with the cookie sheets which have been covered with parchment. 
6. Using a teaspoon, scoop a small amount of dough from the bowl and roll between your palms into acorn-sized balls. Arrange the balls on the lined cookie sheets and place into the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 10 minutes and remove immediately to cool. When they are cooled, dust pfeffernussen with confectioner's sugar.

Once the pfeffernusse cookies are allowed to cool completely, 

they can be stored in festive cookie containers. Makes a great gift!

HINT:

Since spice cookies are so expensive to buy ingredients for (and who uses allspice except on Christmas!), you might want to throw a cookie baking party with friends and have each person bring a spice to the party.

Quick and Easy Dolly Madison Bars

Dolly Madison Bars, known in our family as Dolly Bars, are a scrumptious dessert treat that my older sister has become famous for. Her recipe is quick and easy and can be adjusted for gluten-free diets. 

This recipe doesn't require very many ingredients and is ready in no time.

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DOLLY MADISON BARS

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 cup regular or gluten-free graham cracker crumbs 

1 stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

If you are using a metal baking pan, increase the heat to 350 degrees and bake only for 15-20 minutes.

Combine crumbs and melted butter in a medium bowl. Mix well and then place the crumb mixture into a 9x12 Pyrex baking dish. Use your palm or the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs down evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.

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Filling:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut, sweet

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or walnut pieces

1 can condensed milk (13.5 or 14 oz, depending on brand)


Next, layer the chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and coconut evenly over the graham cracker crust. Pour condensed milk all over the filling mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool and then cut and serve. 

Filipino Sticky Rice with Banana Leaf (Biko)

Filipino Sticky Rice Recipe, or Biko, is an easy and quick way to make something sweet for special occasions or every day. Our family loves this sweet and delicious dessert.

Filipino sweet sticky rice is a dessert treat that is popular not only in the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia but anywhere Filipino people get together to share delicious cuisine!

All of these items are readily available at your local Asian market. If you absolutely can't find banana leaves, this dessert can be made without them.

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FILIPINO STICKY RICE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked sweet rice

3-4 cups water

1 13.5-oz can coconut milk

1 small can condensed milk 

1/2 cup brown or raw sugar

Molasses, 1 tablespoon (optional)

1-2 pieces of frozen banana leaves, cut to size of pan

The traditional recipe calls for 1/2 lb. of brown sugar, or half a box. That's a LOT of sugar! I prefer to use less brown sugar because the condensed milk provides plenty of sweet flavor. Molasses is optional but you can add it for its color and nutritional value and to give a hint of rich flavor.  

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Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a Pyrex baking dish with non-stick spray. For this recipe, I used a 9x9 inch baking dish but you can use 9x13 and spread the mixture thinner.

Cut the banana leaves to size so they cover the bottom and up the sides of the baking dish. Set aside.

Pour 2 cups of uncooked sweet rice in a medium saucepan or rice cooker. Cover with enough water so that there is twice as much water as there is rice.  I use the index finger measuring method shown here I've never had to use a rice cooker!

Once the sweet rice comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, then pour the coconut milk into the rice and stir well with a wooden rice paddle or wooden spoon that has been rinsed in cold water. Likewise, add the condensed milk, then the brown sugar. Add the molasses, if used. Stir again until all ingredients are well blended.

With the aid of a rubber spatula, scrape the sweet rice mixture into the baking dish, using the spatula to spread the mixture inside the banana leaves.

Place the baking dish into the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden brown. 

Allow to cool before serving.