• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Eat Peru logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • About The Eat Peru Team
    • Sitemap
  • Subscribe
Home / Desserts / Pie de Limón – Peruvian Lemon Pie [With Limes]

Pie de Limón – Peruvian Lemon Pie [With Limes]

Based on a traditional lemon meringue pie recipe, we use limes to turn this sweet treat into a delicious, tangy, unique Peruvian dessert.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
peruvian lime lemon pie cake

A deliciously tangy and sweet dessert that looks incredible and tastes divine. If you’re looking for a new favorite recipe, one that tastes different but also has familiarity, get baking with this popular dessert.

First things first, lemon pie is originally from England by way of France. Variations of the dessert then appeared in the United States. But this sweet treat is a popular dish to finish a dinner in Peru. In this recipe, we’re using one of the most important ingredients in Peruvian cuisine, the humble lime. Lime fruits bring a tangier, stronger flavor to the dessert. But we prefer it that way. And if you prepare it for guests or family, you are bound to get a positive response. Try it!

Preparing the lemon pie is simple. For people that haven’t prepared it before the timings might seem a little complicated but in reality, it’s an easy recipe to get right every time.

slice of lemon meringue pie from peru

The first step in making a successful pie is preparing the base. In our case, we use a sable dough (eggs, butter, salt, sugar, flour). This type of dough crumbles easily. We’ll use dough with a neutral flavor since the taste of the pie filling is intense.

We’ll also use salted butter because it helps balance the sour and sweet flavor of the filling and meringue. Don’t worry if the dough tastes kind of bland, it confirms that you are on the right track.

The most common mistake is to cook the filling with the dough. This would ruin any pie, unfortunately. In the kitchen, there are steps that must be followed.

After mixing the flour, sugar, and butter for the dough, flatten the cold dough with the rolling pin. Next, apply the dough to the mold. Add some small holes and cover with some weight to prevent it from sponging; I recommend a piece of aluminum foil with beans on top. If you want your pie to be golden brown, bake for ten minutes with the aluminum foil covering, and then five more minutes without the covering.

With the crust ready, mix all the ingredients of the filling. Cover the base with the filling and bake for the third time. Cook for about fifteen minutes until the filling begins to thicken. Remove it from the oven and proceed to the last step, the decoration. 

I used an Italian meringue base for the decoration, although some people prefer to decorate the pie with Chantilly cream.

pie de limon peruano receta recipe

Notes

  • The dough used in this recipe is a brittle type known in confectionery as sablée or sable dough. Its main characteristic is that it crumbles easily. To obtain this consistency it is essential that the dough does not have an “elastic” consistency.
  • It is important to note that when gluten is activated, dough acquires elasticity. This process happens with the kneading and the heat of the hands. That is why we recommend touching this dough as little as possible and using very cold utensils. If the dough develops gluten, it will be too hard to chew and will ruin the pie.
  • We use an electric mixer to avoid heating the dough. If you don’t have this type of mixer, you can mix the dough with two knives as was accomplished in the old days.
  • Before starting the preparation of the lemon pie, place the mixing bowl, the mixer blades, the butter, and the egg in the fridge.
  • One of the interesting things about this recipe is that the flavor of its filling is not that intense, because we add egg yolks. And in turn, the whites of those same eggs are used to prepare the Italian meringue. This is a no-waste recipe.
  • Limes are much more commonly used in Peruvian recipes than lemons. The substantial difference with the Peruvian lemon pie, compared with recipes from other countries, is that it requires less lime juice than a similar pie would need lemon juice, and is usually more acidic. More on Peruvian Fruits here.
pie de limon dessert with limes

Step by Step Photos

  • step 1 butter flour sugar in mixing bowl
  • step 2 eggs and vanilla in lemon pie base mix
  • step 3 dough turns into ball
  • step 4 wrap dough for refrigerator
  • step 5 roll dough flat
  • step 6 grease mould and poke holes in dough
  • step 7 cover with aluminium foil
  • step 8 bake until brown
  • step 9 combine condensed milk eggs limes
  • step 10 pour filling over pie base
  • step 11 water and sugar in saucepan
  • step 12 soft ball point of syrup on fork
  • step 13 beat whites of eggs
  • step 14 decorate pie with meringue from pastry bag

Tips

  • What we love about lemon pie is that you can eat it freshly made or you can keep it for several days. Even then, it will be as tasty as the first day.
  • Eating this Peruvian dessert dish cold, accompanied by a hot drink, coffee or tea is an experience you must try. 

Ingredients

  • meringue topping ingredients
  • filling ingredients
  • crust ingredients

Recipe

peruvian lime lemon pie cake
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Pie de Limón – Peruvian Lemon & Lime Pie

Based on a traditional lemon meringue pie recipe, we use limes to turn this sweet treat into a delicious, tangy, unique Peruvian dessert.
Prep Time1 hour hr
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Peruvian
Keyword: lime, pie
Servings: 8
Calories: 552kcal

Ingredients

Base

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose wheat flour 300 g.
  • 1/3 cup sugar 60 g.
  • 3/4 cup margarine with salt diced, cold, 180 g.
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg cold from the fridge

Filling

  • 1 1/3 condensed milk 500 ml
  • 1/2 cup lime juice 120 ml
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 zest of lemon

Meringue

  • 4 egg whites at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar 240 g.
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions 

Base

  • In the bottom of the mixer bowl, place the butter, sifted flour, and sugar. Turn the mixer on to high speed, and mix for about three minutes until you get a mixture similar to sand.
  • When all the flour particles are moistened with butter, add the egg and vanilla.
  • Beat for about three more minutes until the dough turns into a ball.
  • Avoid touching the dough with your hand (to prevent any transfer of heat). Form the dough into a ball and put it on plastic wrap. Wrap it and put it in the fridge for at least an hour.
  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator, it should be cold but still moldable. Remove the plastic wrap. Sprinkle wheat flour on a flat, clean surface. Place the ball of dough on the surface, and roll it out with a rolling pin.
  • Lightly grease the mold where you will bake the pie. Carefully peel the dough off the table, and place it on the pan. Press gently with your fingers so that the dough adheres to the sides of the pan. With a knife remove the excess from the edge. Then, with a fork, poke holes in the surface of the dough. Put the mold in the fridge for approximately twenty minutes while the oven preheats.
  • Preheat the oven to 150 °C/300 °F. Remove the mold from the fridge. Cover the dough with aluminum foil, and top with a layer of beans (or anything that acts as a weight) This will prevent the dough from expanding.
  • After the first ten minutes of cooking. Remove the mold from the oven, and remove the aluminum foil. Bake for about 5 more minutes to brown. Remove the mold from the oven and let it cool.

Filling

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Stir very well with a hand mixer, until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  • Pour the filling mixture over the base of the pie. Put it in the oven for about fifteen minutes until the filling begins to set. Remove from oven. When cool, store in the fridge, until the meringue is ready.

Meringue

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the water followed by the sugar. Without stirring, put the saucepan on the stove over medium heat.
  • Cook for about ten minutes until the syrup reaches the so-called soft ball point (adding cold water turns it into a ball). You will have achieved the desired point when you dip a fork in the syrup and small balls of soft caramel form on the tips of the fork.
  • While the caramel heats, beat the whites until stiff. Then add the caramel little by little to the beaten egg whites. Continue beating until you feel that the bowl material reach room temperature.
  • Place the meringue in a pastry bag and decorate the lemon pie. If you wish, you can put it in the oven for another five minutes to brown. Then, refrigerate the pie for about two hours, before cutting it. If you wish, you can decorate it with thin slices of lemon, mint leaves or lemon zest.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Pie de Limón – Peruvian Lemon & Lime Pie
Amount Per Serving
Calories 552 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 167mg56%
Sodium 242mg11%
Potassium 122mg3%
Carbohydrates 81g27%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 46g51%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 994IU20%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 38mg4%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
peruvian lemon pie recipe
[no_toc]
Peruvian Food Lover
Eat Peru

Peruvian foodie. I’ve been writing about the food of Peru for over 10 years. Read more about the Eat Peru team here

Previous Post: « Ponche de Huevo – Peruvian Eggnog Punch
Next Post: Quinoa con Leche – A Quinoa Pudding Dessert From Peru »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patricia

    May 12, 2023 at 8:33 pm

    Tan sólo leer los ingredientes y el proceso de esta receta me da fe de que saldrá deliciosa, muchas gracias por compartirla. Una pregunta, sólo hay un tamaño de molde para pie? Si no es así, agradecería saber que tamaño se usa para esta receta.
    Muchísimas gracias

    Reply
  2. Daviid Mahler

    April 20, 2025 at 6:08 pm

    The amount of flour in this recipe is far too great. I had to add just over 1/4 cup of water to make the dough mixture turn into a ball.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

EatPeru.com is an independent recipe and food blog dedicated to the wonderful cuisine of Peru

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search EatPeru.com

As Featured On

EatPeru.com featured on Popsugar
Mention about Peruvian Recipes on Atlas Obscura
EatPeru.com featured on Latin Recipe Website Buzzfeed

lomo saltado Peruvian fusion cuisine

A Guide to Traditional Food in Peru

Arroz con leche dessert

Top 10 Peruvian Desserts

Peruvian ceviche starter dish

The Best Peruvian Starters & Appetizers

Categories

  • Beef
  • Breakfast
  • Chicken
  • Condiments & Sauces
  • Desserts
  • Drinks
  • Easy Peruvian Recipes
  • Fish and Seafood
  • Main Courses
  • Peruvian Asian Fusion
  • Peruvian Gastronomy
  • Peruvian Restaurants
  • Peruvian Side Dishes
  • Peruvian Soups and Stews
  • Peruvian Vegetables
  • Pork Recipes
  • Product Review
  • Recipes
  • Regional Food
  • Rice Recipes
  • Salad Recipes
  • Snacks
  • Starters
  • Traditional
  • Vegetarian

Copyright © 2025 · EatPeru.com · Privacy Policy · Earnings Disclaimer · About · Contact Us · Sitemap

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required