Authentic Key Lime Pie Recipe
This authentic Key Lime Pie has a tangy, creamy filling, a buttery graham cracker crust, and homemade whipped cream. Served cold, it’s a classic Florida Keys dessert and a refreshing finish to a seafood dinner.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 8-oz package graham crackers (one package in the box of 3)
Key Lime Filling
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk chilled
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup key lime juice fresh or bottled
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For The Crust
- Preheat oven to 325˚F with rack set in center of oven. Spray a 9 or 10-inch pie pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- While the butter is melting, snap the graham crackers into pieces and add to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds until you have even-sized crumbs and no large pieces are left.
- Pour the graham cracker crumbs into the pot with the melted butter and combine with a rubber spatula until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press the crumbs into the pie plate, including the sides.
- Place the pie crust in the center of the hot oven for 8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, place the pan on a cooling rack, and allow to cool before filling, about 1 hour.
For The Key Lime Custard Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and the egg yolks; mix well until there are no yellow streaks from the eggs.
- Slowly add the key lime juice and mix just until incorporated. DO NOT OVERMIX OR IT WILL NOT SET UP IN THE REFRIGERATOR. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked pie shell and refrigerate until set, about one hour.
For The Whipped Cream
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, beat heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until you have medium-stiff peaks, 2-3 minutes.
Notes
Key lime juice: Bottled key lime juice is widely available throughout the Florida Keys, but try making this pie with freshly squeezed Key limes at least once—you’ll taste the difference immediately.
Gluten-free option: Use a Mi-Del gluten-free pie crust. The filling uses gluten-free ingredients, but always check individual product labels.
Nutrition
Calories: 462.4kcalCarbohydrates: 48.9gProtein: 6.6gTotal Fat: 27.8gSaturated Fat: 17.6gCholesterol: 94.5mgSodium: 97.6mgPotassium: 310.6mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 47.3g
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