Homemade Key Lime Pie
For a classic summertime treat make the best homemade key lime pie! Crunchy sweet graham cracker crust, creamy tart filling of condensed milk and lime, and a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Servings 10 slices
Calories 400kcal
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 tsp lime zest
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 2/3 cup lime juice
Crust
- 10-12 graham crackers
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- pinch kosher salt
Topping
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- shaved lime zest and lime slices, for garnish
Instructions
Filling
- Heat oven to 325F.
- Whisk together the lime zest and egg yolks until the yolks are a lighter yellow and thickened, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the condensed milk and whisk in.
- Then add the lime juice and whisk until the filling is well combined.
- Set aside for 30 minutes.
Crust
- Crush the graham crackers into crumbs. Food processor - put into bowl of processor and pulse until done. Rolling Pin - put into a sealable bag and seal, then crush with the rolling pin until crumbs.
- Mix the crumbs with the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Either by pulsing in the processor or by moving the crumbs to a bowl and mixing with a spoon and hands if needed.
- Press the crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate to make an even crust all the way around.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Remove, place on a rack, and cool to room temperature.
Bake
- Pour the thickened filling into the cool crust. Smooth out the top if needed.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes. The center with jiggle a little when you bump the pie plate and the edges will be set. If you want to double check, the center should be 145F on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove the pie to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Then move it to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Topping and Serving
- Using a hand or stand mixer, beat heavy cream with sugar and vanilla on medium low until starting to thicken. Then increase the speed to medium high and beat until you get soft peaks.
- Spread the whipped cream over the top of the pie. If you wish, decorate with lime zest and thin slices of lime.
Notes
- Pressing in the Crumbs: I like to use a measuring cup, which has a flat bottom and allows me to press them in evenly.
- Timing: The crust is quick to make and cools fast, which is why I have it second in the instructions. You can do the whole crust while the filling rests. Just remember to get the butter melting before you crush the crackers.
- Whipped Cream: For best results (and no worry of making butter), chill the beaters and bowl in the freezer before whipping.
- Limes: While key limes are traditional here, the usual and easy to find Persian limes make a great pie. Feel free to use either. (You will need 15-20 key limes or 6-7 Persian limes.)
- Garnishes: To make the long, thin pieces of lime zest, use a drink zester. And for the slices, cut thin rounds and then cut each slice from edge to center.
- Soft Peaks: These are when the whipped cream stands up into a peak when you lift the beater but the tops curl over a bit.
Nutrition
Calories: 400kcal