This Super Simple Key Lime Pie is the easiest pie to make - the ingredient list is short and simple (only 6 ingredients!), and everyone will love it!
If you're attending (or hosting) a summer party (or really, a party in any season), I strongly encourage you to make dessert to bring or serve.
Specifically a pie. Specifically this pie - Super Simple Key Lime Pie.
It's super simple because it only has 6 ingredients, and it's super easy because there's minimal prep work involved.
Plus your fellow party-goers will be impressed because really, who doesn't love key lime pie? You don't even have to tell them how easy it was to make.
Now, just because I bring a pie that looks like this ↓↓↓ to a party, doesn't mean you should.
Food bloggers: please tell me I am not the only one who does this! I was going to take it with the whole slice removed, but I opted for the slice returned, with one bite-sized piece removed (for photo purposes, I assure you).
Anyway, no one even commented, and I was the one who ate the pre-cut piece with the missing bite.
How to make Super Simple Key Lime Pie:
The ingredient list to make this delicious and easy pie is very short, and everything on the list is easy to find. You might even have some of it in your pantry right now.
You don't even need to search for key limes - I tried that once (juicing those tiny things takes FOREVER!), and it didn't taste any different than with regular limes.
Note that although this pie is easy to make, you will need to set aside a few hours for it to chill. So to be safe, make sure to make it the day before you need it, or be sure to make it early in the morning.
The first thing you'll want to do is mix up the filling, as it will need to sit and thicken for half an hour. Start by zesting the limes (my favorite tool for this job is a microplane). Once you have all the zest you need, you can go ahead and juice the limes. You can do this with a citrus juicer, or simply with your hands.
Whisk the egg yolks and the lime zest together, then stir in the lime juice and sweetened condensed milk. Let this sit in a bowl for 30 minutes to thicken.
While the filling is resting, start making the graham cracker crust, which is probably the hardest part (but still easy). Simply mix together some graham crumbs, melted butter, and sugar and press it firmly into your pie plate. Then bake (only for a few minutes) until it becomes fragrant and lightly browned.
Once the crust is baked, simply pour the filling in, spread it evenly, and bake. You want to bake it until the edges are set, but the center is still a little jiggly, about 15 minutes. Pop it into the fridge and let it cool until completely chilled, about 3 hours.
If you want to get really fancy, top your delicious pie with whipped cream or meringue (see my Lemon Meringue Pie recipe to find out how to make it - you will have egg whites leftover from the pie filling anyway), but I prefer it plain. Happy last weekend of Summer!
Super Simple Key Lime Pie Ingredients:
- Large egg yolks
- Grated lime zest
- Sweetened condensed milk - find this is the baking aisle with the evaporated milk
- Lime juice - I strongly recommend using fresh lime juice for this recipe (you'll need fresh limes for the zest anyway)
- Graham crackers or graham crumbs - Use gluten-free graham crumbs to make this recipe gluten-free)
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
Want more lime recipes?
Super Simple Key Lime Pie Nutrition Notes:
Of course, this is a dessert, and there have been no attempts to make it "healthier". Most of the sugar in this super simple key lime pie comes from the sweetened condensed milk that is necessary to make the filling, so cutting back on the sugar content is pretty much impossible. Enjoy in moderation.
Key Lime Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk 4 large egg yolks and 4 teaspoons grated lime zest together in a medium bowl until the mixture has a slight green tint, about 2 minutes. Add 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk in ½ cup lime juice. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes, until thickened. While you're waiting, prepare the crust.
- Move oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325°F. Pulse 8 whole graham crackers in food processor until they are fine, even crumbs. Add the melted butter and 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar and process until the mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to a 9-inch pie plate. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides of the pie plate with the palms of your hands or the bottom of a dry measure. Bake for 13-16 minutes until the crust is fragrant and starting to brown.
- Once the filling has thickened, pour it into the crust while the crust is still warm. Bake until the edges are firm but the center still jiggles when shaken, about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack at room temperature for about an hour, then cover loosely with plastic and refrigerate until filling is chilled, about 3 hours. Garnish with lime slices, additional grated lime zest, or whipped cream as desired.
Nutrition
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