Bright, tangy, and topped with clouds of golden meringue, this Cornelian Cherry Meringue Pie is a showstopping twist on a classic dessert. With a buttery pastry crust, a vibrant cornelian cherry curd filling, and a fluffy topping, it balances sweet and tart in every bite.

Growing up, I loved eating the lemon meringue pies that my mum would bake. She uses less sugar than most, which meant the curd was sharp, tangy, and in my opinion, exactly how a lemon meringue pie should be. Unfortunately, almost all the ones I try in cafes and restaurants are always so sweet, I can barely get a hint of tang.

When I discovered cornelian cherries, I knew they would be perfect for recreating that same tangy flavour in a new way. Their tart, fruity punch makes them ideal to fulfill the role of the lemon curd, giving the same zing as lemon but with its own unique flavour.

Ingredients Breakdown for Cornelian Cherry Meringue Pie

Flour, butter, sugar, and egg yolk in bowls on a wooden board for making pastry — Flour, butter, icing sugar, and egg yolk measured out to prepare the pastry base.

Plain flour

The foundation of the shortcrust base.Just regular old plain flour works best for a workable pastry.

Butter

Gives richness and that melt-in-the-mouth flakiness. Have it as cold as possible when making the pastry, and cut into cubes. Vegan alternatives work well (I use them personally over regular butter), but make sure it is one that is as hard as butter when cold. Often they are a little softer and melt faster.

Egg yolk

That extra yolk enriches the pastry, making it golden, tender, and easier to roll without cracking. If you prefer, you can skip it and add water, but the pastry won’t be quite as luxurious. Keep the white for the meringue topping.

Icing sugar

Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the tart filling. You can leave it out if you want a plainer crust.

Cornelian cherries

Their tangy, fruity flavour is perfect for curd. For this, we want the really ripe ones that are basically already popping. If you can’t get them, redcurrants or sour cherries are the next best choice. Cook gently to release juice without bitterness.

Sugar

Sweetens the tart cherry curd and balances the fruit’s zing. Caster sugar works best, especially in the meringue.

Cornflour

Normally I wouldn’t use cornflour when making a curd, but we need to make it thick enough that it can be sliced and hold its shape, and cornelian cherry curd sets looser than lemon curd. When using, always make a cornflour slurry by mixing it with a tablespoon of water before adding to avoid lumps.

Lemon juice

Brightens the flavour and the colour, and helps the curd set firmly. If your cherries are very tart, you can reduce the amount slightly—but don’t skip it! We don’t want so much we can taste it, but the ripe cornelian cherries have less pectin that unripe ones, and we need that pectin to help it set firmly.

We will also add a little lemon juice with the egg whites to help stabalise the meringue and keep those peaks tall and fluffy.

Eggs

We will need whole eggs and egg yolk for the curd, and egg whites for the meringue. For making the meringue, room temperature egg whites whip the best.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Pastry

Make the dough: I did this in a food processor as it greatly speeds up the process of rubbing in the flour and butter.

In a food processor, pulse flour, cold butter, a pinch of salt, and the icing sugar until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg yolk and pulse again. If dry, add 1 tbsp cold water and pulse again. Repeat adding 1 tsp of cold water at a time until the pastry comes together properly.

If you don’t have a food processor, rub the butter into the flour and icing sugar by hand or by “cutting” the mixture with two butterknives. If it feels like it is getting too warm and soft, put it all in the fridge to harden up again. Once you have fine breadcrumbs, mix in the yolk, and slowly add the water until you have a workable pastry.
Chill and roll: Flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll to about 3 mm thick and line a 23 cm tart tin. Trim the edges.

If you are struggling to roll it without it cracking, then roll it between two sheets of baking paper. It will keep in once piece, and it is much easy to lay over the tart tin than trying to lift it off the counter.
Blind bake: Chill the lined tin for 20 minutes, then line with parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake at 180 °C (160 °C fan) for 15 minutes, then remove beans and bake 8–10 minutes more until golden.

Food processor bowl filled with pastry dough crumbs on a wooden board — Starting the pastry dough in a food processor with flour and butter.

Filling

Cook the cherries: Put the cornelian cherries in a sauce pan with around 100 ml water, and simmer until the fruit start popping open. Mash them lightly with a potato masher, then using a spoon, push through a sieve to remove pits and skins — you should end up with round 400g puree. Really put some force behind this. We want to squeeze as much pulp out as possible.
Make the curd: Return purée to the pan and stir in sugar and bring to the boil.

Whisk cornflour with cold water in a small , then whisk the cornflour slurry into the hot puree, along with the juice of ½ lemon. Keep whisking vigorously at this point. It will started to thicken fast, but keep cooking and whisking. We need to bring it to around boiling point to cook out the starch, or it will taste floury.
Finish with eggs and butter: In a bowl, whisk 1 whole egg + 2 yolks. Add a ladle full of the hot cherry mix, then return everything to the pan. Cook gently on a low heat, stirring constantly, until custardy. Take off the heat and whisk in 25 g butter.
Fill the pastry: Pour the hot cornelian cherry curd into the baked case.

Fresh cornelian cherries in a saucepan ready for cooking — Whole cornelian cherries in a saucepan, the first step in preparing the tart pie filling.

Cooked cherries strained through a sieve with a spoon over a saucepan — Whole cornelian cherries in a saucepan, the first step in preparing the tart pie filling.

Meringue

Whip egg whites: In a kitchen machine or with an electric whisk (if you have one of either) whisk 3 egg whites with ½ tsp lemon juice on a high speed until they form soft peak. Add the caster sugar 1 tbsp every 20 seconds, whisking to stiff, glossy peaks. It should take around 4 minutes of whisking on a high speed to form stiff peak.

Tip: Rub a little between your fingers — if it feels grainy, keep whisking.

Egg whites whipped to stiff peaks in a stand mixer bowl — Egg whites starting to foam in the stand mixer, the first step to making glossy meringue.

Top the pie: Spread or pipe meringue over the hot filling, sealing the edges to the pastry to prevent shrinking. Tap lightly on the meringue with the back of a spoon and pull away fast. This should pull some of the mixture up, giving you nice little peaks which will become golden and crunchy in the over.
Bake: Return the pie to the oven at 180 °C (160 °C fan) for 15–20 minutes, until the meringue is golden.

Cool to room temp, then chill in the fridge for 3–4 hours before slicing. The chilling is important. Skipping or chilling for too short a time will mean the curd has not properly set and will leak out when you cut it. Don’t be tempted to dig in too soon!

For clean wedges, cut with a hot knife and clean between slices. The cornelian cherry meringue pie should be stored in the fridge and eaten within 3 days. It will still be fine after three days, but the meringue will start to soften.