I was on the hunt for chocolate wafer cookies to make a Hazel Nut Chocolate Cream Pie for Easter but when I couldn’t find them at the market, I had to come up with a Plan B. Then I spied a bag of fresh Key Limes in the produce section so I decided to serve up this delicious Key Lime Pie instead. Boy am I ever glad I did! Not only is this one of the easiest pies to make, it uses a short list of ingredients and comes together so very quickly! Most of the time spent making this pie is the hands off time it spends baking in the oven and the chill time.
Keep checking back for the chocolate cream pie recipe. Once I get my hands on some chocolate wafers and I have an occasion that calls for a special dessert, I will post it here on the blog. I gotta wait for an occasion where I have family and friends to help me eat it, otherwise, I can easily eat an entire pie by myself. Not in one sitting…LOL, but over the course of a few days I can make an entire pie disappear! It’s one of my super powers, making pie disappear and picking the slow line at the grocery store!
Make the crust:
Preheat oven to 350℉. Place graham cracker crumbs in a mixing bowl.
TIP: Pulverize graham crackers by pulsing then in a food processor or place them in a large plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
Add 2 tablespoons and melted butter to the cracker crumbs in the bowl.
Stir to combine and the mixture resembles coarse wet sand.
Grease a pie pan.
Place buttered, sweetened crumbs in the pan.
Starting at the center of the pan, press crumbs into the bottom of the pan and up onto the sides of the pan.
TIP: Using a small flat bottom dish will help pack down the crumbs and up the sides of the pan.
Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove crust from the oven and allow it to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling:
Using a microplane, zest limes until you have a tablespoon of zezt.
Juice limes until you have a ½ cup of freshly squeezed lime juice.
Good to know: I used an entire pound bag of Key Limes to get the juice needed for the pie. I reserved one lime to slice and use as a garnish for the top of the pie.
TIP: If the Key limes don’t produce quite enough juice you can add some freshly squeezed lemon or regular lime juice to make the 1/2 cup needed for the filling. Try to find and use Key Limes if possible, they bring a brighter, tangy flavor to this pie than regular limes or lemons.
Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and whisk them together.
Add lime juice, lime zest and sweetened condensed milk to the egg yolks in the mixing bowl. Whisk all the ingredients together.
OPTIONAL: Stir in one drop of green food coloring for a “greener” filling if desired.
Pour the filling into the prepared graham cracker pie crust. It won’t seem like you have enough filling but not to worry, we will be adding a generous layer of whipped cream later. The ratio of crust, to filling, to topping, ends up being just right with this recipe.
Bake pie for 25 to 30 minutes or until the filling sets up and is no longer jiggly in the center when you shake the pie pan back and forth.
When filling has set up, remove pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely to room temperature.
Once pie has cooled completely and is no longer hot, cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, overnight is best; until the pie is completely chilled.
Make the topping:
Place heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and ¼ cup sugar in a mixing bowl.
Whip the cream until light and fluffy, and peaks form.
Spread freshly whipped cream over the surface of the pie.
Top with slices of lime if desired.
Serve pie chilled.
There’s a reason Key Lime Pie is an iconic classic that’s been served up for decades…it’s because it’s freaking DELICIOUS! You’re going to love how easy it is to make! So the next time you spy some fresh key limes at the market, grab them and make this pie! It’s light and refreshing; creamy, and slightly sweet with a lovely bright tanginess; absolutely delicious served with a freshly brewed, hot cup of coffee.
This really pretty, easy to make little pie is the perfect dessert to serve for Father’s Day! You’ll have bragging rights that you made it from scratch and everyone will be so impressed with your culinary skills! Nobody has to know how ridiculously easy it is to make. It can be our little secret. Go ahead, lap up all those compliments as everyone gobbles up their piece of pie, you deserve it.
Classic Key Lime Pie
Equipment
- 9 inch pie pan
- electric stand mixer or hand mixer
- microplane
Ingredients
For The Crust:
- 1½ cup graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 tbsp sugar
For The Filling:
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp key lime zest
- ½ cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
- 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
For The topping:
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sugar
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Place graham cracker crumbs in a mixing bowl.
- Add melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar to the bowl.
- Stir to combine and the mixture resembles coarse wet sand.
- Place crumbs in a pie pan.
- Starting at the center of the pan, press crumbs into the bottom of the pan and up onto the sides of the pan.
- Bake crust for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow crust to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling:
- Using a micro plane, zest limes until you have a tablespoon of zezt.
- Juice limes until you have a ½ cup of freshly squeezed lime juice.
- Place egg yolks, lime juice, lime zest and sweetened condensed milk in a mixing bowl. Stir to comine all the ingredients.
- OPTIONAL: Stir in one drop of green food coloring to the filling if desired.
- Pour filling into prepared graham cracker pie crust.
- Bake pie for 25 to 30 minutes or until the filling sets up and is no longer jiggly in the center when you shake the pie pan back and forth.
- When filling has set up, remove pie from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight; until the pie is completely chilled.
Make the topping:
- Place heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and ¼ cup sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Whip until fluffy and peaks form.
- Spread freshly whipped cream over the surface of the pie.
- Top with slices of lime if desired.
- Serve pie chilled.
Did You Make This?
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Deuteronomy 6:4-5
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