Blood Orange Butterscotch Meringue Pie Recipe (2024)

This non-baker asks: Can you make this with a graham cracker crust?

We've updated the recipe to address the filling not setting. Pies baked in ceramic and glass pans can take longer to set, so don't give up! It will get there. And note that the filling will continue to firm up after the pie cools completely. Cornstarch isn't necessary for this filling, which is based on a lemon curd. Hope this helps!

You had me at butterscotch. Such a Melissa Clark flavor combo!

Experienced baker, made it for Valentines to avoid chocolate, berry cliche. Too much crust for 9 inch pie, filling didn’t set and oozed out when cut. Taste “meh” but the meringue worked fine (first time with this). Melissa, I have 3 of your books and usually choose your version of dishes over others as a rule when searching, but this did not make the cut for a repeat. It’s a good thing my marriage of almost 50 years will survive this. Ps there’s a big diff between 18 mins and 40 (your update).

Yes, and it will be quite tasty.

After reading the comments, I worried about the filling not setting but I didn't have a problem. I did take care to use my instant thermometer when the recipe called for it. Yes, it was perhaps a bit more jiggly than I expected at first, but when we ate it several hours later, it was just perfect, and the butterscotch meringue, piled high, was divine. Highly recommend, but beware it is VERY sweet.

Made a mistake with baking the filling. I didn't catch that I should turn the oven temperature down to 350 for the second bake on the pie crust. The filling was bubbling like crazy and splitting - makes me wonder if others made that mistake?? Just took it out now, and will see what happens.

I loved this pie! I’m not sure if I cooked it too long though - the filling seemed to split, and a lot of butter/sugar melted into the crust, rendering it difficult to cut and chew. I baked it in a glass pie plate - maybe should have used metal. Anyhow it was a wonderful pie and I will definitely make it again!!

My local store did not have blood oranges, so I had to substitute cara cara oranges. This pie was so delicious! The brown sugar meringue with the orange was such a great flavor combo. As the author has written, it DOES set, it's a beautiful curd. I am planning on making this again for New Year's, and I'm hoping to locate some blood oranges this time!

Ran into same problem with filling setting up, as others mentioned. I only had a glass pie pan available. At 40 minutes it was nowhere close, and (perhaps mistakenly) I pushed it to 60. I eventually called it and removed it from the oven. Prepped meringue & pie looked great, but time wasn't my friend. Finished baking ~noon, and by 4pm the meringue had settled down into the liquidy filling, pulling away from crust. Great flavors, but not the prettiest pie! Should I have adjusted temp for glass?

Followed recipe to the gram. Did not set, in a metal pan, even after 40 minutes :(

You could always make a half batch of the meringue -- 2 egg whites and 1/2 cup of brown sugar to 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar and a small pinch of salt -- rather than changing the proportion of sugar in the whole recipe, which might alter its stability or keeping quality. With a smaller layer of meringue on top, the overall sweetness of the pie would seem less, I'd think. Of course, then you'd have a couple of spare egg whites to use up somewhere else.

What a shame. I made this recipe exactly as indicated. The orange curd came out beautifully on the stove and reached 180F as directed. Poured into shell and it never set after 35 minutes— and this was in a metal pan! Instead, the curd split and the butter separated and in general was a disaster. So disappointed and lost a lot of time and energy ingredients to boot. Very disappointing.

In the oven for 60 minutes and pie has yet to set

Stunning dessert! Approached with trepidation based on reviews but guests thought it magical. Indeed curd didn’t set fully in oven but set once cooled. It is all about the butterscotch meringue combined with the curd & crisp pie crust.

I used a graham cracker crust and made it dairy free with vegan butter. The meringue was incredible- the curd was meh. Will not make again. I usually love everything that Melissa Clark develops, but this ain’t it.

This was never going to set up. The filling was boiling like a witch’s cauldron. Nice flavor, though. Will add corn starch if I try again.

What a gorgeous pie this turned into. We ended up baking the curd for about 40 minutes, then with the added meringue baking time and letting it cool to room temperature, everything was set perfectly. The meringues with brown sugar were a lot of fun to make. As an added bonus the uncooked meringue I sampled tasted just like Mary Jane candy!

I, too, struggled with a slow-to-set filling. After about 30 minutes in a metal dish, it was bubbling and fluid, but I was fairly sure it would set after a nice long rest on the counter top--and it did. My only complaint here is that the whole pie was so sweet that some folks weren't' able to eat more than a bite or two. I'm not sure if the sugar could be reduced in the filling and/or meringue without impacting the chemistry. The flavors were wonderful, but next time I'd go with something else

The end result tasted ok, but I would not bake it again. The filling was good, but it took forever to set and it wasn't as tangy as I expected. I think the recipe would have worked better if it was baked with a tart crust like the NYT's chocolate raspberry meringue tart or cranberry curd tart.

I had the opposite issue; my curd set fine but my meringue is not getting fluffy at all.