Key Lime Pie
This easy Key Lime Pie has the perfect crisp Graham cracker crust, an incredible light and creamy filling that is sweet, tart, and citrusy. The pie is topped with heavy whipping cream and lime slices and sprinkled with more Graham crackers. A traditional dessert that comes together quickly and can be served year-round.
I spent quite some time in Florida while traveling across the United States and during layovers while working as a flight attendant. But I only made it to Key West once, and unfortunately, it was a rainy, foggy winter day. Not the picture-perfect conditions I was hoping for.
So my friend and I ended up in a small cafe to escape the rain. There they served the best Key Lime Pie! I wasn’t sure, at first, if I’d like the flavor of this pie since I had never had anything like it before. But my oh my, it was so delicious! Whenever I think of Florida, this Key Lime Pie comes to mind.
I had not had one of these pies again until I took it up on myself to make one that tasted like the one I had on that rainy day at Key West. One does not forget an incredible flavor like that.
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The winner
After looking at many different recipes, I came across the one from thefreshcooky.com and knew immediately that this would be the winner!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you with the very best Key Lime Pie you will ever eat! And lucky you, you don’t have to travel to Florida to get a slice but rather make it yourself with a few simple ingredients.
This pie is easy and quick to make, but you need the patience to let it cool in between steps and after the short baking so it will set nicely.
Start with the Graham Cracker Crust
You need to bake and cool the crust before you add the Key Lime filling!
➙ I usually use two sleeves of Graham crackers. Place them in a blender, and pulse until you have fine crumbs. If you don’t have a blender, you can break the crackers into smaller pieces and place them in a zip-lock bag. Roll over the bag with a rolling pin and crush the crackers by rolling back and forth until they resemble fine crumbs.
➙ Pour the fine cracker crumbs into a small bowl, add the sugar, and combine.
➙ Place the butter in a small bowl in the microwave, and carefully melt it on the soften/melt setting. You can also use the stove top if you prefer to melt the butter that way.
➙ Add the melted butter to the Graham crackers and mix until well incorporated.
➙ Take your 9-inch pie crust and press the Graham mixture into your pie plate up the edges. I like to use a small measuring cup and use it to press the mixture into the pie dish and along the edges. Then smooth it out along the top of the edges.
➙ Place the pie dish in the preheated oven (350°F or 180°C) and bake for 6-8 minutes. That may seem like a very short baking time, but you want the crust to be slightly golden and not brown, or it will become hard. We want a perfectly crisp crust!
➙ Let the crust sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then carefully place it in the freezer (or refrigerator) to speed up the cooling process. Make sure you don’t bump it hard into something since the crust is still fragile after baking.
Key Lime Filling
While the crust is cooling, you can start with your filling.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it; zesting and juicing the limes is annoying. But the whole process is so worth it in the end!
I have been using the regular limes found in most grocery stores, the so-called Persian Limes. They are bigger than the Key Limes, giving more juice; therefore, you need fewer limes. Win-win. But feel free to use Key Limes; either work fine.
How to make the filling:
➙ You want to start by washing the limes. Then take your zester and zest just the outer layer (green part) of three limes. Don’t go too deep and into the white; that part is bitter. And we don’t want bitterness in our pie.
➙ Then cut the limes in half and start juicing them. I use this hand juicer, and it works great. It will take about 6-8 Persian Limes to get 3/4 cups of lime juice. I like to save one lime for later for decorating.
This was the most challenging part; the rest of the filling will be a breeze.
➙ Pour the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, egg yolks, and lime zest into the bowl of a stand mixer (if you don’t have one, you can use a hand mixer). Mix it on low until thoroughly combined. You might want to scrape down the sides once or twice. Then increase the speed to medium-high for about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides again as needed.
➙ Whip until the batter has thickened. I found that it takes at least 5 minutes, sometimes more, to fluff up and get thicker – don’t skip on the longer whipping! Otherwise, you will end up with a runny pie.
➙ Pour the thickened filling into the cold crust and spread it into an even layer.
Bake
This pie only takes a short time in the oven, about 15-20 minutes. That is just enough time for it to set with a jiggly center when shaken lightly. Ensure to set a timer; you want to avoid it from getting brown and dry.
Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you place it in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly. This will take at least 3 hours. Of course, you can take it out sooner, but it might not be as set as if you had it sit longer in the fridge.
Decorate
➙ Once the Key Lime Pie is cooled, pour the cold heavy whipping cream into a small mixing bowl, and with a hand mixer, whip until stiff peaks form. Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and whip until combined and the heavy cream is thick enough for piping.
➙ Scoop the whipped cream into a pastry piping bag with a star tip (if you don’t have a pastry piping bag, you can use a zip lock bag and cut off the tip). Pipe 12 (or more if you like) rosettes around the edges of the pie.
➙ Cut the set-aside lime into small slices or wedges (whatever you prefer) and place them onto the whipped cream rosettes. Drizzle some Graham crackers over the top and place it back in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Can I make the Pie ahead?
Yes, you can! In fact, I always make mine the day before. This will give the pie ample time to chill.
I would, however, wait to decorate it until the day of. After cooling for a few hours, cover it with aluminum foil and place it back in the refrigerator until the next day.
The next day, decorate with heavy whipping cream, lime slices, and Graham cracker crumbs.
E Guete (Bon appétit)!! Don’t forget to share some pictures with me and tell me how you liked this Key Lime Pie. Also, it would make my day if you tag @mirjamskitchenyodel on Instagram, share on Facebook or pin on Pinterest.
If you liked this Key Lime Pie, you might also like the following recipes:
Filled Sweet Bread – Gefüllter Hefezopf
Key Lime Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 280 g Graham cracker crumbs 2 sleeves
- 50 g Granulated sugar
- 115 g Butter melted
Key Lime Filling
- 800 g Sweetened condensed milk 2 cans
- 120 g Sour cream
- 3 Limes zested
- 170 g Lime juice
- 2 Egg yolks
Decoration:
- 240 g Heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp Powdered sugar
- 1 Lime cut into thin slices or wedges
- Graham cracker crumbs and some bigger pieces
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
- Take the Graham crackers, place them in a blender, and pulse until you have fine crumbs. If you don’t have a blender, you can break the crackers into smaller pieces and place them in a zip-lock bag. Roll over the bag with a rolling pin and crush the crackers by rolling back and forth until they resemble fine crumbs.
- Pour the fine cracker crumbs into a small bowl, add the sugar, and mix to combine.
- Place the butter in a small bowl in the microwave, and carefully melt it on the soften/melt setting. You can also use the stove top if you prefer to melt the butter that way.
- Add the melted butter to the Graham crackers and mix until well incorporated.
- Take your 9-inch pie crust and press the Graham mixture into your pie plate up the edges. I like to use a small measuring cup and press the mixture into the pie dish and along the edges. Then smooth it out along the top of the edges.
- Place the pie dish in the preheated oven and bake for 6-8 minutes. That may seem like a very short baking time, but you want the crust to be just slightly golden and not brown, or it will become hard.
- Let the crust cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then carefully place it in the freezer (or refrigerator) to speed up the cooling process. Make sure you don’t bump it hard into something since the crust is still fragile right after baking.
Key Lime Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
- While the crust is cooling, you can start working on your filling.
- You want to start by washing the limes. Then take your zester and zest just the outer layer (green part) of three limes. Don’t go too deep into the white; that part is bitter.
- Then cut the limes in half and start juicing them. I use this hand juicer, and it works really well. It will take about 6-8 Persian Limes to get 3/4 cups of lime juice. I like to save one lime for later for decorating.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, egg yolks, and lime zest into the bowl of a stand mixer (if you don’t have one, you can use a hand mixer). Mix it on low until thoroughly combined. You might want to scrape down the sides once or twice. Then increase the speed to medium-high for about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides again as needed.
- Whip until the batter has thickened. It takes at least 3-5 minutes, sometimes more, for it to fluff up and get thicker. So don’t skip on the longer whipping! Otherwise, you will end up with a runny pie.
- Pour the thickened filling into the cold crust and spread it into an even layer.
Bake and decorate:
- Place the pie dish in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. It is done when the center is still slightly jiggling when given a careful shake. Ensure to set a timer; you want to avoid it from getting brown and dry.
- Let the pie sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you place it in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly. Chilling will take at least 3 hours. Of course, you can take it out sooner, but it might not be as set as if you had it sit longer in the fridge.
- Once the Key Lime Pie is cooled, pour the cold heavy whipping cream into a small mixing bowl, and with a hand mixer, whip until stiff peaks form. Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and whip until combined and the heavy cream is thick enough for piping.
- Scoop the whipped cream into a pastry piping bag with a star tip (if you don’t have a pastry piping bag, you can use a zip lock bag and cut off the tip). Next, pipe 12 (or more if you like) rosettes around the edges of the pie.
- Cut the set-aside lime into small slices or wedges (whatever you prefer) and place them onto the whipped cream rosettes. Drizzle some Graham crackers over the top and put it back in the refrigerator until ready to serve.