After testing and trying so many variations I have finally arrived at the PERFECT key lime pie. This key lime pie is bursting with fresh and tangy lime flavor, balanced with a sweet and creamy topping. The texture is SO silky and smooth with crumbly and crunchy graham crust. The secret to this key lime pie is the addition of crème fraiche which makes it extra smooth without taking away any of that tangy lime flavor.
What makes this Key Lime Pie PERFECT?
There are plently of Key lime pie recipes out there, so what makes this one the BEST?
My criteria for a perfect key lime pie includes:
– Creamy and silky texture.
– Crunchy graham crust, no soggy bottom here!
– Intense lime flavor, without being overpoweringly sour
– Not too sweet, some sweetness is necessary to balance the tartness of the lime but the star of the show is still lime!
– Mildly sweet whipped cream topping to mellow out the intense lime flavor of the custard
– The perfect ratio between the graham crust, lime custard and whipped topping
If these are the traits that you look for in a Key lime pie, then you have found the right recipe as this one ticks off all of these boxes!
Another reason why I love this recipe so much is how quick and easy it is. It only requires some patience to cool the pie after baking, but otherwise it is pretty straightforward. Mold and pre-bake the pie dish with graham crumbles and butter, whisk together all the ingredients for the filling and bake, whip the topping, et voila, you´re done!
Key Ingredient notes
Here are the key ingredients to making the perfect key lime pie:
Key lime juice and zest – The star of the show gives the pie that tart and citrusy flavor. If you cannot find Key limes, then regular limes are fine but try to still use fresh lime juice instead of bottled if possible.
Graham crackers – Slightly sweet and crunchy graham crackers makes the perfect base for this pie. No added sugar needed.
Melted butter – Holds the crust together and gives the pie an extra buttery flavor that goes so well with the overall tart flavor of the pie.
Sweetened condensed milk – Balances out the limes with the added sweetness and gives the filling a creamy texture.
Crème fraîche – My secret ingredient for this pie! Many recipes call for sour cream or yoghurt as an addition to the filling, but crème fraîche is a superior choice as it has a higher fat content which results in a richer and creamier texture. Crème fraîche is also mildly tangy which makes it less overpowering than sour cream would. This is a fabulous complement to the lime flavor. You would think that the higher fat content would make the pie feel “heavy” or dense, but it actually feels light and well, fresh.
Heavy cream – The whipped cream topping is a must for this to be a Key lime pie. Whether you slather it on or pipe the edges, it adds a light and pleasantly sweet addition to the pie.
Cream cheese – Speaking of the topping, adding cream cheese to the whipped cream topping is highly recommended. The tanginess of cream cheese goes so well with the lime flavor and it adds a creamy and rich texture to the whipped cream.
Powedered sugar – This adds a pleasant sweet note to the whipped cream and cream cheese topping, making it light and airy.
How to make Key Lime Pie
Apart from this recipe being so delicious it is also very easy to make! Here are the 5 simple steps:
1. Crumble the Graham crackers and mix with the melted butter.
2. Mold the crumbs into a pie dish and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk together the ingredients for the filling and pour into the pre-baked pie dish.
4. Bake the key lime pie until the center is slightly jiggly.
5. Whip the cream and cream cheese topping and pipe on top.
That´s it!
How to store Key lime pie
Cover the pie dish with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. The added cream cheese in the whipped cream topping will help keep the cream firm. Whenever you are ready to eat, simply slice and serve straight from the fridge. There is nothing like a cold Key lime pie on a hot summer day!
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups (200 g) Graham Crackers
- 6 tbsp melted butter
Key Lime filling
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tbsp lime zest (about 3-4 limes)
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche
- 1 14 ounce (397 g) can of condensed milk
- 2/3 cup lime juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Whipped Cream Cheese Topping
- 1 cup (230 ml) heavy cream
- 4 ounce (100 g) philadelphia cream cheese
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lime zest
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Set the oven to 350℉ (180℃) and grease a pie dish with butter.
- Put the graham crackers inside a freezer bag and tie it up. Use a rolling pin to smash the crackers into fine crumbs.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Take off the heat and combine with the crushed crackers.
- Pour the crumbs into the pie dish and press it tightly to form the crust.
- Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
Key Lime Filling
- Lower the oven setting to 325℉ (160℃).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and crème fraîche until smooth.
- Whisk in the lime juice, lime zest, vanilla, and condensed milk until incorporated.
- Pour into the graham cracker crust and bake in the middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the center is slightly jiggly.
- Refridgerate and cool the pie for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight.
Whipped Cream Cheese Topping
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, heavy cream, and powdered sugar.
- Pour the whipped cream cheese into a piping bag with a star tip.
- Pipe decorative swirls on the pie and grate fresh lime zest on top.
- Slice a piece and enjoy!