Key Lime Pie

- Amanda

This Key Lime Pie recipe is absolutely irrisistably delicious. It will have you going back for seconds only to realize everyone ate it all and your plans to have that extra cold slice with some coffee for breakfast tomorrow, just got cancelled. So, back online you go or back to the market you head for more little, green citrusy gems, just so you can make another. (Note to self, make two next time. )

What I love about this pie, besides how lusciously creamy, tangy and cold (it’s really hot here) it is, and how CRAZY EASY it is to make, is that there’s no eggs or yolks in it like most Key lime pie recipes. Aside from a simple and classic graham cracker crust, the ingredient list consists of a whopping four items. Key limes (both juice & zest,) sweetened condensed milk, greek yogurt and a pinch of salt are all it takes to make a dessert so worthy of serving to the pickiest of guests.

This is a 2-bowl (1 if you really want,) mix, press and pour kind of thing. And the baking time is pretty minimal. The hardest part, as with all chilled summer dessert recipes, is waiting for it to do just that, chill. And this is an important step, because it really is the most divine when it’s really cold. Then, soon as you’ve waited that painstaking amount of time, about 4 hours or more, how you want to serve it, is up to you. You can finish it off with some fresh whipped cream for a little elegance and lightness that balances that silky filling so well, like I did, or skip it and dive right in with a fork. Both ways are fabulous, though my preference is definitely the cream. A small extra step but the unsweetened fluffy cream balances it all so well.

Here’s how it’s made… Once you mix up a simple graham cracker crust, you press that into a pie dish and pre-bake it for 10 minutes. Once that’s out of the oven and cooling, you whisk the sweetened condensed milk, fresh Key lime zest and juice (always use fresh,) a little greek yogurt and a dash of salt. Then you pour that into the semi-cool crust and bake it for about another 15 minutes. Now, it’s key (ha, get it?) NOT TO OVERBAKE the pie. It should still have a slight jiggle in the center. It will continue to cook some while it sits. This is the difference between good and really really good. Then let that little beauty come to room temp over a cooling rack and pop it into the fridge until cold and set. Pretty simple, right?

But, as simple as it may be, the end result is anything but. Burst of flavor. Contrasting textures. Perfect temperature. It’s all there. In one, elegant and addicting dessert. Please try this. Like soon. And let me know if you do and how it differs from perhaps your own fav Key lime pie. Maybe just maybe yours will have a new contender.

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Key Lime Pie

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Servings 8 -10 people
Author Amanda- A Treat Life

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups (185 g) grahamn cracker crumbs (12 sheets of grahams)
  • 2 tbsps (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 7 tbsps (98g) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling.

  • 2 cans (28oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • zest of 3 Key limes
  • 1 cup fresh Key lime juice (about 20-22 key limes)
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream (optional for the top)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F/ 177C.

  2. In a medium bowl stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar & salt. Then pour in the melted butter and mix until everything is evenly moistened and resembles wet sand. Then press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Press it down using the back of a measuring cup or a drinking glass. Bake for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

  3. While the crust cools, add the yogurt to a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Then pour in the sweetened condensed milk, Key lime zest and juice and the salt. Stir well until the mixture is totally combined and creamy.

  4. Pour the filling into the semi-cooled crust. Bake until the center is almost set, but still a little wiggly when jiggled slightly. About 12-15 minutes. Set the pie on the wire rack and cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 4 hours. (If you are making this ahead, cover the pie directly with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and refrigerate for up to a day.)

  5. If you are making the whipped cream, add the heavy whipping cream to a chilled mixing bowl and whip on medium-high until stiff peaks form using the whisk attachment. Alternatively, you can whip the cream by hand in a large bowl with a whisk. Pipe the finished cream onto the chilled pie using a pastry bag and tip, a zip-top bag with one end snipped off or dollop it on top with a spoon and spread it out. Garnish with lime slices, if desired, and serve.

  6. Serve cold. Leftovers can be kept covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes

*If you want the whipped cream to be slightly sweet, you can add a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar when whisking the cream.  

*A chilled bowl and whisk will aid in making the whipped cream faster.