Key Lime Pie Recipe
Traditional key lime pie made with real juice from the Florida keys topped with whipped cream.
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Ingredients
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Graham cracker crust
Key lime filling
Whipped cream topping
Garnish (optional)
Method
Graham cracker crust
Combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar and fine salt in a medium bowl. Melt the unsalted butter and pour over the crumb mixture. Stir until evenly moistened and mixture holds together when pressed.
Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared 9-inch pie dish, using the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat glass to compact the crust.
Bake crust in preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes until set and beginning to darken slightly at the edges. Remove from oven and let cool while preparing filling. Leave oven on.
Key lime filling
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks until smooth and slightly thickened (about 30–60 seconds of vigorous whisking).
Stir in the fresh key lime juice and lime zest. Mix until fully incorporated. The mixture will thicken and lighten in color slightly as the acid reacts with the condensed milk.
Pour the filling into the cooled (or slightly warm) prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 12–15 minutes, or until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center. Do not overbake — the pie will firm as it chills.
Remove the pie from the oven and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack for 30–45 minutes, then cover loosely and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight for best texture and flavor.
Whipped cream topping
About 20–30 minutes before serving, chill a medium mixing bowl and whisk (or beaters) in the freezer for 10 minutes to help the cream whip better.
Pour the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract into the chilled bowl. Whip by hand or with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft to medium peaks form, taking care not to overwhip to avoid turning it grainy.
Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled pie just before serving. If piping, use a star tip for decorative swirls.
Garnish (optional)
Garnish the pie with thin lime slices or additional lime zest over the whipped cream. Serve chilled.