Tart and creamy, with a buttery toasted graham cracker crust and soft clouds of whipped cream on top, key lime pie is the ultimate treat. It is so easy to make and always a complete hit! The only problem is how hard it is to stop eating.
What are key limes anyway?
Key limes are from a specific area from the Florida keys, and are meant to have a sharper acidity and a stronger aroma than regular Persian limes. I wouldn’t know, because they aren’t available where I live and I’ve never even tried them!
Can I use normal limes in this?
Definitely! I have always made my key lime pie with normal lime juice and it’s always been delicious.
The other ingredients in this pie:
The crust: You use crushed graham crackers or can substitute digestive biscuits for the crust. You either crush them in a freezer bag by whacking them with a rolling pin (fun!) or by processing them in a food processor (easier).
The graham cracker crust is enhanced with a pinch of cinnamon and mixed with melted butter, then pressed in a pie pan and slightly baked until toasty and delicious. Some people like to add sugar to their crust, but I think the pie filling is sweet enough without.
The filling: So easy to make- the only work you really do is in juicing the limes and zesting them. The juice and zest are added to sweetened condensed milk and sour cream which is what gives the pie it’s creamy consistency.
The whipped cream topping: Similar to my other recipes, I use heavy whipping cream that’s sweetened with a little icing sugar and that has some vanilla extract added to it. You can add and decrease the amount of sugar based on preference.
The steps to an easy key lime pie:
Heat the oven and bake your graham cracker crust for just 7-8 minutes, then leave it to cool completely.
Prepare your filling by whisking together the filling ingredients, and pour these into the baked crust. Bake again for only 10 minutes, then cool slightly before putting your pie in the fridge. Once it’s completely chilled, prepare and top with whipped cream. That’s it!
Decorating your pie:
You can pipe whipped cream around the pie border, but I went the easy route and just piled the cream in the center. Top with lime slices and lime zest right before serving.
Storing any leftovers:
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge loosely covered for 2-3 days- if this lasts you that long!
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker or digestive crumbs 120 g
- 6 tablespoon butter, melted 85 g
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the filling:
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk (28 oz or 800g)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup lime juice (key or regular)
- zest of 2 key limes or 4 regular limes
For the whipped cream topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream 250 ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon icing sugar
Instructions
For the crust:
- Heat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Mix together the cracker crumbs, the melted butter, and the cinnamon until well combined. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan and bake in the preheated oven for 7-8 minutes then remove and let the crust cool for at least 30 min before filling.
For the filling:
- Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest until well combined. Pour into the crust and bake at 180 C (350F) for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and chill on the counter for 30 minutes or so, then continue chilling in fridge.
For the sweetened whipped cream:
- Beat heavy cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract together with an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks form. Top the chilled pie with the whipped cream mix and garnish with extra lime slices and/or lime zest if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
Key lime pie is one of my most favourite desserts ever. This looks totally delicious!
Farah Abumaizar says
Thanks so much Bintu! It really is a winner
Dannii says
I have never had key lime pie before, but it looks so light and refreshing.
Farah Abumaizar says
It really is! The perfect summer pie !
Emily says
Oh my gosh, key lime pie is my all-time favourite dessert. Your photos are just gorgeous, can’t wait to try it!
Farah Abumaizar says
Thanks Emily ! I hope you like it as much as we do !
kim says
This pie came out perfect! I’m a huge key lime fan and it did not let me down. I’ll be making it all summer long!
Farah Abumaizar says
Thanks Kim I’m so glad to hear that!!
Tisha says
Love key lime pie! It’s always a great pie this time of year, so refreshing!
Farah Abumaizar says
Cold creamy tangy, doesn’t get much better ❤️