We some warm summer nights and couldn’t we all use a cool tropical burst of key lime pie? No celebration is needed, any time is a great time with a citrus delight!
Key limes are a little sweeter than other limes and much smaller too. Thank heavens you can purchase key lime juice in a bottle. Can you imagine squeezing those tiny little limes?
When we lived in the south, southerners love their key lime pie. However, they would not touch a slice with added food coloring. My southern friends would refer to the green dyed key limes as “green slop.” Key lime pie should be yellow touched with the essence of green . Therefore, step away from the green food coloring. You never know when one of your friends might be of southern heritage and call you out.
If you are making your own graham cracker crust, use a custard cup to press the sides and bottom. It will make your crust even throughout and hold its shape when served.
Once you beat the eggs, add the ingredients, and pour it into a prepared graham cracker crust. The pie itself only bakes for 15 minutes, basically “setting” the eggs. Key lime is one of the very tastiest quick and easy citrus desserts.
The whipped cream is flavored with lime zest which I feel is a must! If you have not flavored whipped cream with lime before, try it! I used a plastic bag with the corner cut to pipe on the whipped cream. Less mess and clean up than using a decorating bag and sometimes I love the puffy billows of whipped cream.
You can use lime curls for garnish; click here for Citrus Curls for easy how to instructions. If you really want to be fancy and have some extra time, try Candied Citrus Peels! Both are super pretty. Today I used candied lime peels; my husband thought they were sugared jalapenos (ha, ha).
Don’t forget to save the last slice for yourself. My hubby didn’t label his slice, so he only enjoyed a sliver!
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
Key Lime Filling
- 4 large egg yolks
- One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup key lime juice
- Zest of 2 key limes (or 1 regular sized lime)
Key Lime Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- Zest of 2 key limes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Graham Cracker Crust – 9-inch pie
- 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup pure cane granulated sugar
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs & sugar together, stir in melted butter until thoroughly mixed & press into pie plate, bake 5-7 minutes.
- Cool completely before adding fillings.
Key Lime Filling
- Using an electric mixer (I like KitchenAid) beat the egg yolks for 1 full minute.
- Stir in sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice and zest.
- Using mixer at medium speed beat for about 1 minute to ensure it is mixed thoroughly.
- Pour the mixture into prepared graham cracker crust and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
- Let cook completely in refrigerator for about 1 to 2 hours and garnish with key lime whipped cream.
Key Lime Whipped Cream
- Mix the sugar with the key lime zest and let sit for about 30 minutes or so (you can prepare this while the pie cools and let it sit longer).
- Beat the zest/sugar mixture and heavy whipping cream with electric mixer on high until stiff beats form (about 7-8 minutes).
- Serve with cooled pie.
