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Key Lime Pie

An elevated key lime pie recipe: buttery, sweet pecans in the crust, a filling that hits the right balance of tart to sweet and holds up well to slicing while staying perfectly creamy.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chill 4 hours
Servings 1 tall 8 or 9 inch pie

Ingredients

Pecan Cookie Crust

  • 250 g or 2 cups digestives or graham crackers
  • 100 g or 1 cup pecans roasted or see note in “ingredients” for how to toast raw pecans
  • 70 g or 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Key Lime Filling

  • Zest of 10 key limes or 5 persian limes careful not to zest the white pith
  • 2 egg yolks from 2 large eggs
  • 792 g or two 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk
  • 80 g or ⅓ cup sour cream full fat
  • 240 g or 1 cup key lime juice can use a mix of persian limes and key limes
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch fine sea salt

Whipped Cream (this makes a thick layer of cream, halve it for a more modest amount)

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

First, make the crust:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lay a sheet of parchment paper over the bottom of a nonstick 8 or 9 inch springform pan then attach the top and buckle to seal it.
  • Grind the cookies and the pecans in a food processor until fine.
  • Melt the butter and stir with the ground nuts and cookies and the powdered sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand.
  • *If the mix isn't holding together when you squeeze some of it in your palm, add another tablespoon of melted butter; it should clump but not leave an overly greasy residue on your hand.
  • Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. Take your time pressing the crumbs into an even layer and all the way up the sides. Use a measuring cup to press the crumbs in tightly (dip it in powdered sugar so the crumbs won’t stick to it).
  • Bake the crust for 10 minutes. When it comes out it might have bubbled a bit, use the measuring cup to press it back into shape.

Second, the filling:

  • Zest the limes then juice them until you have 1 full cup of juice and place the zest and juice in a large bowl. Add the sweetened condensed milk, the vanilla, salt, egg yolks and the sour cream and whisk until smooth.
  • Pour into the baked pie crust then set back in the oven until the center only still wobbles when you shake the pan, for about 20-25 minutes. (Time depends on the size of your pan, bigger mores shallow pans will bake the custard quicker than smaller, deeper pans. Pan material will conduct heat differently too. Go by visual cues not the time listed.)
  • Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature then set in the fridge to chill for about 4-8 hours (preferably overnight).

The day of serving, make the whipped cream:

  • Set all the ingredients in a food processor and process on high until thickened. Stop it when it looks creamy but if you run a spoon through it it holds shape, 2-4 minutes. (Keep an eye on it, it can go quicker depending on the strength of your food processor).
  • Spread over the top of the cooled pie and zest some limes over it to decorate.
  • Store the pie in the fridge. Leftovers keep for a few days but the pie will start to seep liquid after awhile.

Video

Notes

Note: You can use a tall 8 inch round springform pan or a shorter 9, or 10 inch springform pan for this recipe. Bigger pans will yield a shorter pie.