This post includes a kitchen guide to the all-time best key lime pie recipes. Get that sweet tooth craving settled.
Key lime pie is a dessert dish, with the United States being its place of origin. It is one famous and delicious dessert that paved its way through America to all countries worldwide. This tiny dessert is so loved by all that there’s a day specifically for it. 26th of September is celebrated as National Key Lime Pie Day. And I guess we are right on time with this article.
As Key Lime Pie Day is coming soon, people could use some amazing and easy recipes to make it at their homes. But before that, for those who don’t know much about key lime pie, let’s get you a bit brushed up with some information.
What Exactly is a Key Lime Pie?
Well, to keep simple and short key lime pie is one of the most delicious desserts. More specifically, it is an American-based dessert made of three ingredients; egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and key lime juice.
This dessert is named after the small key limes that are used to prepare it. These limes are generally more aromatic than the usual Persian limes and have a yellow juice rather than the standard green color.
This dish can be served with or without a topping, and it may be cooked in a Graham cracker crust, pie crust, or no crust at all. You can make it any way you like it.
History of Key Lime Pie
It is believed that key lime pie is most probably derived from the famous Magic Lemon Cream Pie. It also includes the same ingredients, except for the lime; in place of key lime, lemon is used and is a recipe of Gail Borden from 1931.
But there also has been a floating story that dates back the recipe of key lime pie to the 1890s, way before Borden. The story suggests that a woman is known as “Aunt Sally” first made this pie in the kitchens of Key West’s Curry Mansion back in the 1890s. However, this story has not been verified yet.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that the proper recipe for key lime pie was written down. Years after that, with a lot of struggle, in 1994, Florida State Legislature decided to recognize key lime pie as a symbol of Florida officially.
But the road to becoming officially of Florida wasn’t easy; since the 1980s, the lawmakers of Florida were fighting to put forward the thought that a dish made of pecans grown in Florida would represent the state’s history better than any other.
Finally, in July 2006, the key lime pie was recognized as the official state pie of Florida.
Now that you know pretty much about key lime pie, how about checking up some interesting facts about the same? Interested much?
Interesting Facts About Key Lime Pie
I. Key lime pie might have been first made on the water
We just now mentioned how key lime pie came into existence, but did you know that the first key lime pie ever made might have been made on the water?
The key lime pie was written about by William Joseph Curry, Florida’s first self-made millionaire, who attributed the recipe to Aunt Sally from one of his kitchens. But the recipe she made was quite similar to a dish made by the area’s sponge fisherman.
Those fishermen took out on a simple recipe while spending long hours at the sea, limes, eggs, and condensed milk, which we now know as the ingredients for the key lime pie. But little did they realize that their random dessert would someday be Florida’s official cuisine.
II. Key limes are not the same as your regular limes
Limes are common to everywhere and everyone, so it’s not your fault if you picked the regular lime to make key lime pie at home. But from the next time, note that you are not supposed to pick just any lime; key limes are an essential element of this dessert; it is what gives the dessert its unique flavor and color.
III. A lime-green key lime pie is not the one
If you ever order a key lime pie, make sure you have the right one. In case you come across a bright lime-green key lime pie, back down right there. Do you want to know why? Because a true key lime pie never looks lime-green, it is more like pale yellow. All thanks to key lime’s natural tint.
IV. America’s favorite citrus celebration: The key lime pie festival
Yes, you heard it right. America is so in love with its key lime pie that there is an annual festival too. The first annual festival was held in 2002 in Key West Florida, and ever since then, it has been held every year over the 4th weekend of July.
That’s all for the facts, you are good to go to the next thing now, and that would be some amazing, easy, and simple key lime pie recipes.
Easy-Breezy Key Lime Pie Recipes
1. The first recipe is from baker Michelle: Authentic Key Lime Pie
This is one quick and very easy recipe by Michelle, with 4-5 simple ingredients. Let’s check out the ingredients that will be needed first:
Ingredients
- Egg Yolks
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Graham Cracker Crust
- Key Lime Zest & Juice
- Fresh Whipped Cream
Preparation
This is a step-by-step preparation guide. Take a note for each step properly
First, prepare the filling:
To prepare the filling, you need to whisk all the ingredients together: the egg yolks, lime zest, lime juice, and sweetened condensed milk, and then keep it aside and let it thicken.
Next, make the graham cracker crust:
Get your graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar together to make the graham cracker crust in a medium bowl. Pour in some melted butter or vegetable oil, stir well to combine, and press it into a pie plate.
Once done, bake the crust briefly and let it cool at normal room temperature.
Note: Honey Maid graham cracker crumbs are best preferred
Bake the pie:
Once you see that the crust is cool enough, pour in the thickened key lime pie filling into it. Bake the whole thing until it’s set but still has a bit of jiggly texture.
Let it chill:
Well, after baking, 90% of your work is done. Take it out from the oven, let it first cool completely to room temperature. Once done, you will need to refrigerate the cooled pie for a few hours to get the best result.
Freezing helps set the filling properly, and this pie tastes best when chilled.
Traditionally key lime pie is topped with a meringue topping. And for the topping, it is entirely up to you whether you want it or not. This pie will deliver you the best feels of the tropics right at your home.
But to add a modern twist, you can add a homemade whipped cream topping or even heavy cream.
2. Next key lime pie recipe: Key lime pie VII
The next key lime pie recipe is from all spices by ANNRICHARDSON. This recipe is named key lime pie VII and is made of sour cream and condensed milk. It is an easy, summertime favorite recipe.
Let’s take a look at the ingredients, then?
Key Lime Pie Ingredients
- 3 cups sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (9 inches) prepared graham cracker crust
- ¾ cup key lime juice
- One tablespoon grated lime zest
- ½ cup sour cream
Preparation
Step 1:
The first thing to do is preheat your oven to 175 degrees C
Step 2:
Next, take a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients, sour cream, condensed milk, lime juice, lime rind, and mix well. Pour this mixture that you prepared into graham cracker crust.
Tip:
You can use homemade graham cracker crust for a unique taste or get graham crackers from the market.
Step 3:
Put the whole thing into the preheated oven and bake for about 5 to 8 minutes. Or bake until you see tiny pinhole bubbles bursting on the surface of your pie.
Tip:
Do not let it get BROWN!
Step 5:
Let the pie chill thoroughly in the refrigerator before you begin serving. You can garnish the pie with a few lime slices and whipped cream if you wish.
You’re all good to go. Enjoy. You can also give a recipe review for this; visit the external site.
3. Best key lime pie from once upon a chef by Jenn Segal
This recipe is made with ordinary limes, also known as Persian limes, instead of the key limes but tastes every bit like the real one. Jenn says it is nearly impossible to get key limes unless one lives in the Florida Keys.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
- 3-4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
For the filling
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1-2 tablespoon grated lime zest
- 3/4 cup lime juice
- Two cans of sweetened condensed milk (do not confuse it with evaporated milk)
Finally, for the topping
- 1-2 tbs confectioners sugar
- 8-10 lime slices (thin)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- One tbs lime zest
As you can see, this recipe doesn’t include eggs but don’t worry; Jenn assures you that it will taste as good as the one with eggs.
Preparation
For the crust:
Firstly, to make the crust preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Next, in a large bowl, mix the ingredients; brown sugar, melted butter, graham cracker crumbs. Combine all the ingredients finely. With the help of your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a pie pan.
Tip:
Press the sides first, and the crust must be about 1/4 inches extra thick.
Once done, bake the crust for about 10 minutes (bake the crust until it is lightly browned). Now, let the crust cool at normal room temperature on a wire rack.
Now for the filling:
First, lower the temperature of the oven to about 350 degrees F. Next, take a large bowl and whisk together the filling ingredients; yogurt, condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest. As the mixture thickens, pour it into the graham crust.
Bake it for around 15 minutes tops; make sure it wobbles a bit at the surface. Let it cool and room temperature for some time, and then put it in the refrigerator to chill.
Finally, for the topping:
For the topping, it is best to make the topping in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or maybe beaters. In here, beat the heavy cream on medium speed until mushy or soft peaks form. Top the pie with this whipped cream.
You can even decorate the pie to make it look all fancy, sprinkle lime zest and add a few lime slices.
Note:
This recipe has a rating rate of 5 stars. To check the nutritional information for this dinner party special key lime pie, click here.
Final Thoughts
Well, now you know three easy recipes to make the classic key lime pie. So you don’t need to go to Florida to get a taste of this tart pie. Now you can get the same taste in your homes. The only thing you need is the right recipe, and you are all good to go.
Key lime pie isn’t just delicious, but it is nutritious too. Each serving is full of nutrients like vitamin c, fiber, and proteins. And for new recipes, you will also find that people substitute with lemon juice, even that’s a thing.
All three of these recipes have great ratings and are super refreshing, and the best part is all three are very simple recipes. You won’t have to hustle a lot. All three key lime pies will take you a maximum of 1 and a half hours.
And if after this tasty dessert you become a fan of key limes, there are some amazing key lime recipes. How about key lime bars, or maybe no-bake key lime cheesecake? Well, everyone loves cheesecake.
I hope you have a good time cooking this dessert, and of course, it will turn out delicious. If you have a recipe of your own, feel free to share it with us in the comment section.
Last Updated on by Kirti Chhikara21
