The perfect blend of textures and flavors, this traditional key lime pie is uniquely sweet and tangy with a creamy consistency. The citrus custard filling is quick and easy to make from scratch while the homemade graham cracker crust adds a buttery crunch.
10graham cracker sheets/rectangles, (or 1 cup graham cracker crumbs)
5Tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted
¼cup(50 g) granulated sugar
Key Lime Pie Filling
½cup(120 ml) fresh key lime juice, (about a dozen key limes or 4 standard limes)
1tablespoonfresh lime zest
4large egg yolks, room temperature
14ounces(1 can) sweetened condensed milk
Homemade Whipped Cream
½cup(120 ml) heavy cream, cold
1Tablespoonconfectioners' sugar, sifted
½teaspoonpure vanilla extract
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside. (I personally like to put parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, but it's not necessary.)
In the bowl of a food processor, crush graham crackers into fine crumbs, about 30 seconds. Add sugar and melted butter. Process until combined, about ten 1-second pulses.
Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Press the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until fragrant. Keep the oven on and let the crust cool completely. While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling.
Key Lime Pie Filling
In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and lime zest together until the mixture turns greenish yellow, about 2 minutes. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk until combined. Add fresh lime juice and whisk until incorporated. Let the mixture sit at room temperature to thicken, about 30 minutes.
Pour the lime filling into the graham cracker crust. Bake at 325℉ for 15 to 17 minutes or until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly.
Let pie cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for 3 hours.
Whipped Cream Topping
Place the metal bowl of a stand mixer into the freezer for 10 minutes. Place chilled bowl back on stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Turn mixer on low and add confectioners' sugar one tablespoon at a time. Add vanilla extract, then slowly start turning the mixer speed up to medium-high.
After about 2 minutes you will see the whisk leaving trails in the cream. Mix until stiff peaks form (in other words, when the whisk is pulled out of the whipped cream a peak forms and doesn't fall). Avoid stopping the mixer or over-mixing the cream.
Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag with tip and decoratively pipe the key lime pie. Garnish with lime slices and zest if desired. Alternatively, you can spread the whipped cream across the entire pie.
Notes
Pie plate: This recipe also works for a 9-inch glass pie plate. Lime juice: If you can't find key limes, you can use regular limes or Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Pie Juice.Whipped cream: Alternatively, you can make whipped cream by hand and get an arm work out. It will likely take twice the amount of time, but will taste just as good! You can also use store-bought whipped cream topping.Store in the refrigerator for 3 days. Place plastic wrap or aluminum foil loosely over the pie. If making ahead of time, I suggest garnishing right before serving.Freezing: Once the pie has cooled to room temperature, place it as is in the freezer until firm (about 2 hours). Remove from the freezer and detach the sides of the springform pan. Wrap the pie with pan bottom in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place in a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before garnishing with whipped cream and serving.