Vanilla Wafer Meringue Pie Cups combine a baked vanilla wafer crust, a smooth, rich vanilla custard, and a cloud-like meringue topping—served in individual cups for easy sharing and presentation.
I was leafing through my mom’s old cookbooks, marking recipes to try, when I found a classic cream pie idea that begged to be adapted for the blog. I made a few changes: swapped the crust, increased the sugar for a sweeter finish, and added extra vanilla because I love its warm floral flavor.
I started by experimenting with a vanilla wafer crust instead of a traditional pastry shell. While making the custard and preparing the meringue, I poured the filling into a full-size pie pan and discovered it would overflow during baking. After that first attempt overflowed in the oven, I rethought the plan: the solution was mini pie cups. Smaller portions prevented another spill and made the dessert perfectly portable.
The finished mini cups tasted delightful—more like a creamy custard crowned with meringue than a traditional cream pie, but still utterly satisfying. I had extra meringue, so I piped spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and baked them into crisp, airy meringue cookies. They made a lovely nibble alongside the pie cups.
Not everyone was around to sample the first batch—Edward missed out—but Kal was there and enjoyed them. His encouragement helped keep me going after the first overflow mishap.
Vanilla Wafer Meringue Pie Cups
45 minutes
30 minutes
4 hours
5 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
Vanilla Wafer Crust
- 50 vanilla wafers
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 stick melted butter
Custard Filling
- 4 egg yolks (tempered)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp vanilla
Meringue
- 4 egg whites (tempered)
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
Vanilla Wafer Crust
- Crush or pulverize the vanilla wafers, then mix with sugar and melted butter until evenly combined.
- Press the mixture into lined cupcake pans to form cups. Bake at 375°F for about 5 minutes, then let cool.
Custard Filling
- Separate the eggs, placing the whites in a large bowl and the yolks in a small bowl; let them temper for about 30 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, then stir in the heavy cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.
- Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl. Temper the yolks by slowly stirring about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into them, then return the yolk mixture to the saucepan and cook briefly to incorporate.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla, and keep the custard warm until ready to assemble.
Meringue
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with vanilla and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form and the meringue is glossy.
Pie Cups
- Spoon the warm custard into the cooled vanilla wafer crusts, then immediately top each cup with a generous dollop of meringue.
- Bake the filled cups at 325°F for about 30 minutes, then cool in the pan on a metal rack for 60 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for about 3 hours before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 300
Total Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 84mg
Sodium: 100mg
Carbohydrates: 32g
Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 27g
Protein: 3g
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