6 Store-Bought Lemon Meringue Pies, Ranked: Can They Beat Marie Callender's?

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Lemon meringue pie, a favorite of Martha Stewart herself, combines sharp curd and airy meringue in a truly entrancing way. This dazzling display of citrus is not only delicious but also acts as a show-stopper when placed on the dessert table. The sweet and fluffy meringue, lightly toasted to a golden brown color, really stands out against other desserts at a family function or summer barbecue. 

A personal favorite of mine is a French-style tart version of this pie that uses a cookie-like crust and crispy baked meringues. While the crust is more crisp and the meringue crunchy and dry, the star is the dramatically sour bite of lemon curd. A classic lemon meringue pie isn't difficult to make, but the meringue especially can be a bit finicky for those unfamiliar with the finer points of baking techniques.

As the holiday season approaches, those less inclined to bake begin questioning what they should bring when visiting friends and family. A store-bought lemon meringue pie may be just the thing, but which brand is worth picking up? Not all of these pies will be available in your area and prices may vary by location for those that are, but we hope our experience will help you to narrow down your best options. If you're wondering which lemon meringue pies were the best among those I was able to successfully get my hands on, keep reading to find out the last and top-place picks of the bunch.

Coming last in our ranking is Marie Callender's frozen pie, which I picked up at Walmart for just $5.97. My opinion on frozen foods isn't always high, but I find that desserts do a much better job of maintaining flavor, texture, and quality than savory foods. Having frozen my own lemon tart filling in the past — lemon curd can be a delicious addition to so many things — I was in high hopes when trying a slice of this pie. 

I won't say that this dessert didn't taste good, it was actually quite tasty. That doesn't mean there wasn't room for improvement. My first issue was presentation. Not only was there less meringue than needed to cover the entirety of the filling, leaving holes visible across the top, but there were almost no toasty brown bits on the top to entice the eyes. The meringue that was there was light and fluffy, which I was pleased with. 

The real issue with this variety of Marie Callender's many frozen pies was the flavor of the filling and texture of the crust. The curd tasted like powdered lemonade. It had an artificial quality that was difficult to look past, combined with a crumbly, almost pasty dough that felt like it was underbaked. I found the overall quality to be disappointing. I did have to give this pie a few points for the balance between sweetness and tartness in the filling. Despite its shortcomings, it got the job done.

This evenly toasted pie from Shaw's cost $11.99 and was welcoming to look at, even if it did end up taking fifth place in a race of six competitors. The evenly browned surface of the meringue had a certain allure that drew me in despite my general preference for a more unevenly toasted look. While I've tried a few different items from the bakery section of this grocery chain, local to New England, I've never had the opportunity to try one of its pies and was looking forward to the chance.

I really loved the visual appeal sustained by the mountain of meringue that rose well over the top of the crust. There was something about the pristine layer of cloud-like topping that whispered promises of flavor. Despite those loving whispers, I found myself less than thrilled with the end product. There was a much stronger, and more genuine, lemon flavor to this one. However, there was also a slightly artificial flavor alongside it that tainted the taste of the pie. Something about artificial flavors never compare to the genuine fruit.  

While the crust was an improvement on Marie's, there was still a faintly soggy and crumbling texture that left the bottom of the pie with a sandy feel. The only part of the pie that managed to maintain a more stable and dry crust was the outer edge, which I almost wanted more of to balance the already soft textures of the meringue and lemon filling.

Coming in fourth place out of six was this $9.99 lemon meringue pie from Market Basket. Another chain local to New England, the brand has around 90 stores located throughout the Northeast and has been around for over 100 years. Though it is usually considered a value brand, I've found that the quality of its products is often quite good, which boded well for me as I picked up this pie.

Like the Marie Callender's pie, Market Basket's version had its meringue piped on top rather than simply piled on before toasting. This little touch succeeded in giving a more nuanced and cared-for look. It was definitely the type of pie that one would put down on a dessert table knowing that it looked good. This made it all the more unfortunate to find that there was a touch of graininess to the otherwise beautiful and tasty meringue. The level of sugar was perfectly balanced, and if it weren't for that slightly off texture, this grocery store pie could have made it even further up the list. 

I was thankful that, despite the imperfect topping, the filling was wonderfully balanced. The level of sweet to acid was better than the pies before this, and the balance between the amount of filling and the amount of meringue was a nearly perfect ratio. This one clearly earned its place above the previous two, but there was room for improvement.

Taking our third-place spot was the lemon meringue from Cyrus O'Leary's. I'd never heard of the brand before but was adequately shocked when I learned its operations are based in Airway Heights, Washington. The company has been in business since 1981, and while it may have been new to me, the posh market I picked it up from for $12.99 is well known for picking out good products. 

My first thought was how difficult it was to cut out a beautiful slice of pie for a photo. While the sky-high pile of feathery meringue toasted evenly across the whole top of the pie was beautiful to look at, it had a weight to it that made it difficult to pull out a slice without squishing out the curd filling. I had a hard time being annoyed by this, though, once I had taken a bite. While the crust did have a lightly crumbly quality, much like the others, it provided a stronger textural diversity than that displayed by the previous competitors.

The meringue melted beautifully on the tongue and created a silky, creamy balance to a bright filling that tasted like fresh lemon. There was a bit too much meringue for the filling, which wasn't really a problem considering how delicious both were, but did serve to make balancing each bite a necessity for fear of running out of filling and being left with crust and egg whites alone.

Stepping proudly into second on this list is a pie I didn't expect to place so highly. Freshness Guaranteed is one of the in-house brands from Walmart that focuses on baked goods, fresh foods, and prepared meals. While I've been thoroughly impressed by Walmart's store brands in the past — like in my ranking of Great Value ice creams — this isn't one of the company's brands I'm particularly familiar with.

My first hint that this lemon meringue was going to stand out from the rest, despite its low cost of $7.63, was the crust. Unlike all five of the others, which had a softer and more crumbly crust, the Freshness Guaranteed dessert had a more traditional flaky pie crust. One that, I might add, had a generous portion of salt rather than the taste of plain flour. Unlike the other brands, where the crust was simply a vessel to bring you the pie, Freshness Guaranteed's took the time to make it a worthwhile bite all on its own. 

The crispness of the crust matched well with the filling. Sweet at the front with an acidic tang at the back, the lemony filling tasted genuine and held together well when the pie was sliced. The meringue had a lovely texture and only lost points as a result of being a bit too sweet. Between the smooth texture of the curd, the lightness of the meringue, and the crispness of the crust, this pie ended up being a powerful contender for the title of best lemon meringue pie.

Coming in at the top of the list was another pie I didn't expect to place so highly. I haven't shopped at BJ's much, but the little experience I've had was positive, and $9.99 for this 10-inch pie was a great deal. However, I once again made the mistake of thinking discount equals lower quality. While BJ's Wholesale Club may be a brand built around saving money, the company clearly cares about quality while working to cut costs. 

The BJ's lemon meringue was a lesson in maintaining perfect balance. I've said before that most of these pies were acidic, but not exactly tart. Of all six, none really made me clench my jaw or pucker in the way an actual lemon would. I may not have found this pie any more sour than the others, but it managed to bring the same levels of acidity as the others without leaving that slight burn on the back of my tongue. That alone was enough to make it a favorite, but it kept working hard to be delicious. 

The crust, which was also of the crumbly variety, held together beautifully when cut and had a solid texture that still held some crunch even on the bottom of the pie. That textural component really made me want to have a bit of the tender crust in every bite. The velvety smooth and lightly sweet meringue was such a perfect balance to the curd, and really made every bite of this pie a treat.

This chance to sample a variety of pies from multiple retailers really left a clear impression on me as to where the absolute best lemon meringue comes from. Even though many were delicious, none could compete with homemade or one from a local bakery. To appeal to a large audience, maintain shelf stability, and control production costs, grocery stores often cut corners with baked goods while doing their best to control margins and make people happy. The loss of that jaw-clenching tartness that accompanied all of these pies was truly painful for a lover of a good homemade lemon curd. While many of these pies managed to craft a light and airy meringue, none truly did justice to the bright yellow citrus fruit for which they are named. 

BJ's pie had a distinct lead when it came to the balance between texture, flavor, and quality, though it couldn't stand up against a classic pie made with fresh lemon juice and a touch of hard work. Next time you have no choice but to stop at the store for your pie, grab one from BJ's. However, if you can pull together the extra time to make it to a local bakery, or better yet put aside a few hours to make one from scratch, you'll find it well worth the extra effort.

My first thought in ranking lemon meringue pies was to look up some recipes. What I found was a standard build that seemed to be near unanimous. The basic recipe simply consisted of a pie crust, a lemon curd, and a generous helping of meringue baked or broiled until the top is lightly toasted and smells of fresh marshmallow. However, finding said pies at a time considered out of season required a bit of legwork. 

As a home baker, I had a few expectations. The first was for the crust. I knew that any pie with such a moist filling would need to have a sturdy crust to hold up to that moisture. So, evaluating the texture of each crust was a must. Knowing just how entrancing a well-made lemon curd can be, I was looking for silky smooth fillings that were sour enough to make my jaw clench while still sweet enough to make every moment of pucker worthwhile. Lastly, there was the meringue. A good meringue must be as light as a feather but still hold its shape when cut. It should also be lightly sweet to add to the balance of the overall pie. 

From this experience I find myself wondering if there is a common practice in grocery bakeries that removes or avoids the tartness I normally look for in a lemon dessert. While some had a more natural lemon flavor than others, and all were acidic, none of them could have been said to be sour.