Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe
This Easy Key Lime Pie recipe offers a creamy, tangy dessert with a buttery graham cracker crust, filled with a luscious mixture of key lime juice, zest, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk. A simple yet elegant pie that combines fresh citrus flavors with a hint of sweetness, perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1/3 cup butter (melted)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
Filling
- 4 egg yolks
- 6 key limes (for zesting and juicing)
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice (to make up 1/2 cup if needed)
Garnish (optional)
- Whipped topping
- Lime slices
- Additional lime zest
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs until evenly mixed.
- Form the crust: Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate, using the bottom of a measuring cup to compact it tightly. Chill in the refrigerator for one hour until firm, or bake in a 375°F oven for 5 minutes, then allow to cool before filling.
- Preheat oven and juice limes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Zest the key limes to obtain about 2 teaspoons of zest, then juice the limes. Pour the fresh key lime juice into a 1/2 cup measuring cup; if the volume is less than 1/2 cup, top off with bottled key lime juice.
- Whisk eggs: Using a stand or electric mixer, whisk the egg yolks on medium speed until they become thick and turn a light yellow color.
- Add condensed milk: Slowly add the sweetened condensed milk to the egg yolks while mixing on low speed, blending the mixture smoothly.
- Mix in lime: Gradually add the key lime juice and zest to the mixture, continuing to mix on low speed just until combined; avoid overmixing.
- Fill and bake: Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Cool and chill: Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate until fully chilled and ready to serve.
- Serve: Garnish with whipped topping, fresh lime slices, and additional lime zest if desired before serving.
Notes
- If you don’t have enough fresh key lime juice, bottled key lime juice is an excellent substitute for balancing flavor.
- Chilling the crust instead of baking is a great no-bake option to keep the crust crisp and buttery.
- Use a fine microplane zester to get bright, fine lime zest without the bitter white pith.
- Do not overbake the pie; 15 minutes helps the filling set without curdling the eggs.
- For best flavor, refrigerate the pie at least 2 hours before serving.
Keywords: Key Lime Pie, easy key lime pie, graham cracker crust, citrus dessert, summer pie, quick dessert
Find it online: https://dinewithdylan.com/easy-key-lime-pie-recipe/
