Key Lime Pie

There’s a reason why my daddy asks me to make this Key Lime Pie recipe over and over again. It’s something else y’all! It starts with a crisp, buttery homemade graham cracker crust that’s filled up with a creamy, sweet and tart filling that’s baked up and served with a whipped cream garnish. It’s so chill mode to make and such a treat to indulge in. I can’t even imagine having restaurant or store-bought key lime pie again after having this recipe.

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My daddy’s fave pie in the world is key lime. No need to front. He absolutely loves it. And let me tell ya, it gets expensive having to indulge his cravings at restaurants where a slice the size of my pinky is 10 bucks or more. No ma’am! Not today! So what do you do to save a few pennies? You make your own at the crib and have a whole pie the family can enjoy.

What is Key Lime Pie?

This sweet and tart pie came right out of Key West, Florida, hence the name boos. Because fresh milk and refrigeration weren’t as common until the 1930’s, this pie used up a ton of pantry faves and fresh fruit like sweetened condensed milk and fresh tropical key limes. Basically a creamy custard filling that’s tart from key limes is added to a crust and baked until its set. The key limes make the difference in the flavor since they are more tart and acidic than your regular degular limes.

The Lowdown on the Best Key Lime Pie Recipe

• Cuisine Inspiration: American Classic specifically Floridian
• Primary Cooking Method: Whisking and Baking
• Dietary Info: You can adapt this with a few swaps for dietary restrictions
• Key Flavor: Tart, Sweet, Creamy, Crisp
• Skill Level: Beginners Rejoice! No sweat, fam!

Ingredients to Make this Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe

• Graham Cracker Crumbs: This base ingredient is gonna give our crust that perfect crunchy texture.
• Melted Butter: This helps bind our crust together keeping it firm and adding richness.
• Granulated Sugar: This adds just a touch of sweetness to our crust.
• Egg Yolks: Our custardy filling needs these. They help set up our filling providing structure.
• Condensed milk: This sweetens, smooths and creams up our filling.
• Key lime juice: It gives the perfect amount of tangy, citrus flavor. Fresh is always best but bottled works in a pinch here.
• Vanilla extract: This adds a nice depth of flavor and complexity.

How to Make Key Lime Pie

Step 1: Prep the Graham Cracker Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then mix up the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a bowl until combined.
2. Add the mixture to a 9 inch pie plate and press down and around the sides until it’s all even and looking good. Let it bake up for 10 minutes..

PRO TIP: Use the bottom of a measuring cup to create a smoother, more even texture. It gives that professional look y’all.

Step 2: Make the Filling

1. Whisk together egg yolks, key lime juice, condensed milk, and vanilla extract.
2. Pour filling into baked pie crust.

Step 3: Bake, Refrigerate and Decorate!

1. Bake for 15 minutes to let that custard set up. Then let it cool to room temp.
2. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours then garnish with whipped cream, maybe a little lime zest and serve up the best key lime pie recipe ever!

PRO TIP: Cover your crust with a little foil or a pie shield so it doesn’t brown up too quickly on that second bake!

How to Serve Traditional Key Lime Pie

• Classic Serving: Key lime pie is traditionally served up chilled so don’t rush letting it set in the fridge. Also a nice garnish of whipped cream and lime slices or zest makes it look so fly.
• Summer BBQ: This pie is great at a summer cookout. Serve it up nice and cold after you’ve enjoyed some rib tips, potato salad, fried corn, and sweet tea.
• Tex Mex: Serve this as a treat with dorito casserole, carne asada and salsa verde with chips.
• Spring Dessert Entertaining: Create a lovely spring dessert table with Kool-Aid pie, lemon icebox pie, and Atlantic Beach Pie.

Recipe Substitutions

• Graham Cracker Crumbs: Replace your crumbs with crushed shortbread, vanilla wafers or any fave crumbly cookie you love!
• Key Lime Juice: If fresh isn’t available, grab bottled.
• Vanilla Extract: You can throw in vanilla bean paste for a super intense vanilla punch of flavor.

Recipe Additions and Variations

• Vegan: First you gotta replace the butter with a vegan butter or margarine stick. Swap out the eggs for a vegan egg replacer. The replace the sweetened condensed milk with a vegan brand at the grocery store or make your own with 1 can of full-fat coconut milk and a 1/3 cup of sugar or maple syrup. Bring it to a boil and simmer it for 30-45 minutes, whisking every 5 minutes. Once it’s reduced and thickened, let it cool and use in place of condensed milk.
• Don’t Throw Out the Egg Whites: Instead of topping with whipped cream, whip up a nice meringue topping. Add the egg whites with a sprinkle of sugar to a stand mixer and whip until stiff peaks form.
• Gluten-Free: Replace the cookies with a gluten free variety. Make sure you check the labels as well.

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Be picky about ingredients. No need to have a super involved key lime pie recipe with a ton of ingredients. Because this has under 10 ingredients total, you gotta make them count. High-quality ingredients will completely change the depth of flavor in your pie. 
• Bake that Crust: If you skip this part, your pie crust won’t be crispy, it will be super soggy.
• Slice it Right: In order to get nice clean slices, dip a super sharp knife into hot water then slice. Make sure to wipe the knife clean in between cuts for a super flawless finish.
• Pay attention to crust consistency. You’ll want the crust to be even throughout the pie. Be sure to crush the graham cracks to a uniform texture and size.
• Use a Pie Shield: Because the crust will essentially be baked up twice, make sure you guard it on that second bake so it doesn’t brown too quickly. You can either use a pie shield or use foil to cover the pie while baking the filling.

How to Store Southern Key Lime Pie

• Fridge: Leftovers of this easy key lime pie recipe should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: You can keep it in the freezer for up to a month.
• Serving Again: If you froze the pie, just let it thaw on the counter for about 20 minutes before serving it up. It might need longer if its been in the freezer for a while.

Frequently Asked Questions

My Fave Zesty Citrus Recipes

• Mango Citrus Fruit Punch
• Lemon Crinkle Cookies
• Blueberry Lemon Cake
• Lemon Curd
• Lemon Icebox Pie
• Key Lime Pound Cake
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• Key Lime Pie Cookie Cups
• Key Lime Pie Ice Cream with Mango
• Key Lime Cookies