Description
This 7-Ingredient Key Lime Pie recipe features a crunchy graham cracker and macadamia nut crust paired with a creamy, tangy key lime filling. Easy to prepare and perfect for a refreshing dessert, this pie is baked to a silky texture with a nice zest of lime and can be garnished with whipped cream or macadamia nuts for a tropical touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Graham Cracker Macadamia Crust:
- 11 full-sheet graham crackers (about 160g)
- 1/2 cup salted macadamia nuts (62g), roasted
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (71g)
Filling + Topping:
- 28 ounces full-fat sweetened condensed milk (two 14-ounce cans / 793g)
- 1 cup key lime juice (240ml)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon key lime zest
- Garnish options: lime zest, quartered lime slices, macadamia nuts, whipped cream, or meringue topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) to prepare for baking the crust and pie.
- Make the crust: Using a food processor, pulse the graham crackers and macadamia nuts into coarse crumbs, leaving some larger nut pieces. Transfer to a bowl, stir in sugar, then add melted butter and mix until combined into a thick, sandy mixture. Press the crumbs firmly into an ungreased 9-inch pie dish, shaping the sides and bottom evenly without packing too hard.
- Pre-bake crust: Bake the crust for 8 minutes to set it, then remove from the oven but keep the oven on.
- Mix the filling: Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, egg yolks, and key lime zest until well combined.
- Fill and bake the pie: Pour the filling into the warm crust and bake for 20 minutes or until the center is just slightly jiggly but mostly set. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack completely.
- Chill the pie: Once cooled, cover the pie and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days before serving to enhance flavor and texture.
- Garnish and serve: Add garnish as desired with lime zest, lime slices, macadamia nuts, whipped cream, or meringue topping. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- If graham crackers are unavailable, substitute with 180g ground digestive biscuits (about 12 biscuits), keeping the same nuts and butter quantities, and add 1 extra tablespoon (12g) of sugar. Pre-bake this crust for 10 minutes instead.
- For a smoother crust, press crumbs evenly with a flat-bottomed measuring cup but avoid pressing too hard to keep the texture crumbly.
- Use fresh key lime juice and zest for the best authentic flavor.
- Be careful not to overbake the pie; the center should remain slightly jiggly to ensure a creamy texture after chilling.
- Letting the pie chill thoroughly improves the filling’s firmness and flavor melding.
