Who else is ready for warmer temperatures?! I don’t know about y’all, but in Mississippi the temperatures have been all over the place! Seriously, I’ll wake up and it’s 32 degrees then by the end of the day it’s 70. It’s been such a tease! In hopes of warmer weather, I thought I would share this delicious & super easy Key Lime Pie! 🙂

What I especially LOVE about this pie is how the tangy key lime filling is complemented by the sweet whipped cream, and crumbly graham cracker crust. Do yourself the biggest favor and make the crust from scratch! I promise you, it will make this pie stand out FAR above the rest! If you are lucky enough to have a food processor, I would highly recommend using it for this! Unfortunately, I only have a mini (a big one is on my wishlist) — but not to worry I just use a gallon size Ziploc bag & my wooden rolling pin to break up the graham crackers. Works like a charm!

Want to know another great thing about this pie? You can make it in advance, which is always a huge win in my book! In fact, I think it’s better if you have the time to make it the night before. It gives the pie plenty of time to fully set. Just hold off on making the whipped cream until just before serving! I seriously cannot wait for y’all to try this recipe. I promise your family & friends will be SUPER impressed, and this will be a recipe that you come back to time & time again. It’s literally FOOLPROOF! Enjoy!

Key Lime Pie

YIELDS 8 SERVINGS
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 18 MINUTES
CHILL TIME: 2 1/2 HOURS

Ingredients

Crust:

Vegetable oil spray

1  1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (1 sleeve about 32 squares)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

 

Filling:

3 cups sweetened condensed milk, about 2.5 (14 ounce) cans

3 egg yolks, room temperature

2/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4-5 limes)

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

 

Whipped Cream Topping:

1 cup heavy cream, cold

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Garnish:

Lime slices

Lime zest

Instructions

Crust:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie dish with vegetable oil.
• Mix together the crushed graham crackers, sugar, and salt until combined. Stir in the melted butter until well blended.
• Pour into the pie dish. Use a metal measuring cup with straight sides to evenly press it into the pan.
• Bake for 8 minutes.

 

Filling:

• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks on low speed. Slowly add the lime juice and then the salt.
• Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes.
• Slowly pour the filling into the baked pie crust. Use a knife to smooth the top.
• Bake for 10 minutes. The center should be set when gently nudged.
• Let cool for at least 30 minutes on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

 

Whipped Cream Topping:

*Wait to make the whipped cream topping until just before serving.

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract.
• Whisk together on high speed until soft peaks form when you lift the whisk attachment out of the bowl.
• Spread the whipped cream on top of the cooled pie. Leave a 1/2 inch rim around the crust, so the pie filling will show.
• Garnish with sliced limes & freshly grated lime zest.

 

Notes

I highly recommend making this pie the night before serving, so that it fully sets. Wait to make the whipped cream topping until just before serving. Recipe adapted from Joanna Gaines.

 

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Tag @petitesouthernkitchen on Instagram