Key Lime Pie
The best Key Lime pie inspired by Key West Florida is a tasty cool or frozen pie topped with whipped cream. Made with sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and real key limes, you don't want to miss this traditional and easy recipe.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 package graham crackers from a 14(ish) oz. box of graham crackers, crushed
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter melted
- 3 Tablespoons sugar see notes
For the Key Lime Filling:
- 4 egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoons key lime zest see notes below
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk like Eagle brand
- ⅔ cup key lime juice see note below
For the Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1-2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Place crushed graham crackers, butter and sugar together in a bowl and mix well with a fork. Press into a 9" pie plate, using the bottom of a small cup or measuring cup to press into the sides and bottom. Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven and set aside.
Make the Filling:
- Using a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks on high with a wire whisk attachment until lightened in color and thick and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. See process picture above for reference. Add the lime zest and vanilla and beat to combine. Slowly add in the sweetened condensed milk and keep beating another 3 minutes. Lower the mixer speed to low and add the key lime juice mixing only until just combined.
- Pour the filling into the crust and bake 12-16 minutes until the filling has set. The pie will be a little wobbly in the center when nudged. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.
For the Whipped Cream (optional, see notes):
- Beat the cold whipping cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla on high with the wire whisk attachment. Beat until stiff peaks form then place on the pie.
Video
Notes
- Lime zest: it isn't as important that you use key limes. If you use bottled key lime juice you can use regular lime zest and the pie will still turn out. The 1 ½ teaspoons is about how much we got from 1 lime
- We highly recommend using a microplane instead of a zester to get the zest from the limes. It's so much easier to use and does a better job of getting the zest.
- We always recommend using fresh key lime juice and key lime zest. However, this pie will still turn out if you use store bought key lime juice. We recommend Nellie and Joe's.
- Do not use regular limes for this pie. It will NOT taste the same. Key limes have a different flavor than regular limes. We highly recommend that you don't use any regular lime juice, even if you're just a couple tablespoons.
- We don't like adding sugar to our crust- we feel the pie is sweet enough already. However, the crust will not stay together without the addition of sugar. So if you are okay with a crumbly crust that falls apart, we recommend omitting the sugar for flavor purposes.
- W recommend using a hand mixer as there isn't enough volume for a stand mixer to do a good job.
- We know it's a long time to beat the filling, but trust us- it makes all the difference in the texture!
- Whipped Cream- typically key lime pie is served with whipped cream. We absolutely LOVE the flavor of this pie without whipped cream. We love how tart and flavorful it is and find that the whipped cream dulls the tartness and flavor a bit.
- Refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight before serving. Some like to freeze it for 10 minutes before serving.
- To freeze: place in freezer after it cools to room temperature. Allow the thaw in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
- To store: Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1large sliceCalories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 7gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 222mgPotassium: 221mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 491IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 0.4mg
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