The Best Key Lime Pie Recipe
This is hands down my very favorite Key lime pie recipe. Sweet, tart and surprisingly easy, this Key lime pie recipe is sure to become your family’s favorite too. A delicious graham cracker crust filled to the brim with a smooth, silky, creamy filling that is made with few ingredients and is quick to make. You won’t be able to stop at just one slice.
The Best Key Lime Pie
I’m admittedly a huge pie person and practically addicted to baking. It is my “therapy”. I love to share pie recipes that I absolutely love. Recipes like this Key lime pie. That delicate balance of tart and sweet is a combination that is absolutely irresistible.
I prefer citrus recipes that are more on the tart side, so I used more of the Key lime juice than listed on the recipe. Everyone has a different palate. You’re welcome to play around with the amount of Key lime juice you add, just make sure to add it gradually so as not to add too much.
About Key Limes
Key limes are different from Persian limes. The Key lime is smaller, seedier, has higher acidity, stronger aroma, and thinner rind than the Persian lime (Citrus × latifolia). It is valued for its characteristic flavor. You may be able to find them in the produce area in most grocery stores.
The Key lime or “acid lime” (Citrus × aurantiifolia or C. aurantifolia) is a citrus hybrid of C. hystrix (or micrantha is a wild citrus from the papeda group, native to southern Philippines) × C. medica (or citron, a large fragrant citrus fruit with a thick rind, and is one of the original citrus fruits from which all other citrus types developed), which is native to tropical Southeast Asia. It has a spherical fruit, 25–50 mm (1–2 in) in diameter. The Key lime is usually picked while it is still green, but it becomes yellow when ripe.
The name comes from its association with the Florida Keys, where it is best known as the flavoring ingredient in Key lime pie. It is also known as “West Indian lime”, “bartender’s lime”, “Omani lime”, or “Mexican lime”, the last classified as a distinct race with a thicker skin and darker green color.
In California Key limes are not available year round. I can only find them at the grocery store once a year. So, when I do find them, I make sure to buy them and make this pie. And if I cannot make the pie right away, I simply zest and juice them and freeze. Admittedly, Key limes are tiny and a pain to zest and juice, but worth it as they make all the difference in this pie.
About Graham Cracker Crusts
The best Key lime pie always starts with a graham cracker crust. I can make any crust in the world, but none is easier than this one. And even if you’re not terribly adept at making pie crusts, I would strongly recommend making it from scratch. Because a homemade graham cracker crust tastes way better than a store bought one and it’s so simple to make.
Just some graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter will do the trick. I’m a big fan of graham cracker crusts not just because they are super easy to make, but also because they go so well with many other desserts.
What Is In This Key Lime Pie
Now, for the filling. It is just some Key lime juice, Key lime zest, sour cream, egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. You just whisk it all together, pour it into your pie shell, bake for 10 minutes and voilà—you’ve got a Key lime pie that will blow your family and friends away.
What You’ll Need To Make this Key Lime Pie
- Pie dish—I made this pie in my 9.5 inch Le Creuset pie dish. You can use a smaller pie dish no problem. You’ll just have a little extra crust, or just make the bottom crust extra thick. The filling does not rise when baking so go ahead and pour as much of it into your crust as you can.
- Key lime juice or fresh Key limes—I used fresh Key limes and zest and juiced them myself. If you can find Key lime juice locally, go ahead and use that. Key limes are preferable, but if you can’t find Key limes or Key lime juice, no worries, this pie can be made with regular (Persian) limes.
- You’re going to need something to zest the limes for this pie. The zest of the Key limes adds so much flavor to this Key lime pie and also looks very pretty on top.
I enjoy baking, but simply love decorating my baked goods. But this this Key lime pie requires no decoration at all. The graham cracker crust is golden and the filling is a pretty pastel yellow–green. But if you’re all about simple and easy, then you’ll like my no–nonsense whipped cream. If you are short on time, by all means use a store bought pie crust and a can of whipped cream. No judgment. This pie will still be heavenly.
How to Make the Best Key Lime Pie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Total Time: 3–6 hours
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 crackers)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
Key Lime Filling
- 28 oz. sweetened condensed milk (2 cans)
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup Key lime juice
- Zest of 2 regular (Persian) limes (or 4 Key limes)
Whipped Cream Top
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a small bowl (it is best to use clean hands) until the mixture is moist and holds together.
- Press the crumb mixture into an 8″, 9″ or 10″ pie dish. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer.
Key Lime Filling
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In an electric mixer or with a whisk, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest in a medium bowl.
- Pour into prepared graham cracker crust and bake for 10 minutes. Let pie cool slightly before chilling. Chill for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Whipped Cream Top
- Beat heavy cream in an electric mixer until soft peaks form, add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla.
- Spread or pipe the whipped cream on top of the cooled pie. Top with additional lime zest, if desired.
Original recipe Mom on Timeout. See below for nutrition information.
Nutrition Facts*
Number of Servings: 10.
| Nutrition | Amount per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 517 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 67g |
| Protein | 13g |
| Total Fat | 31g |
| Saturated Fat | 21g |
| Cholesterol | 453mg |
| Sodium | 262mg |
| Potassium | 359mg |
| Sugar | 58g |
| Vitamin A | 810IU |
| Vitamin C | 2.3mg |
| Calcium | 270mg |
| Iron | 1mg |
This pie crust recipe can be made…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant–based, dairy–free and gluten–free.
Source:
Best Key Lime Pie
https://www.momontimeout.com/best-key-lime-pie-recipe/
February 1, 2019