The best recipe for summer is a traditional key lime pie recipe, at least in my opinion. It’s already 500° outside. I don’t need to be turning on my oven to match the temperature outside on top of that.
Citrus is the perfect compliment to summer. It’s cool, it’s refreshing, it’s tart, and it’s yummy in my tummy! This traditional key lime pie recipe is all of that and more.
Traditional Key Lime Pie Recipe
A simple four ingredient tart citrus pie sweetened with condensed milk, where the hardest part is getting the juice out of the limes.
Now, Time For A Confession
Whenever I’ve made this traditional key lime pie recipe, I’ve always just used regular old limes. I’ve had key lime pie, and I’ve had lime pie, and the truth is they taste almost exactly the same.
I’ve even had Key Lime Pie in Key West Florida from The Original Key Lime Pie Bakery!
And this is great, because unless you live in the southern hemisphere, or a tropical location, you may never see a key lime in your entire life. Once in a while, on the rarest of occasions, you may see the teeny tiny limes during the summer at your local grocery.
This was the case for me, until one day when I saw a beautiful stack of these cute little limes at my local market. I snatched them up and proudly announced my selection when the cashier looked at them and said, “What the hell are these?”
I was so excited to take them home and make a traditional key lime pie recipe – with real key limes for the first time. I immediately set to work grating the lime zest and squeezing the juice out of each lime.
It was laborious, but I was committed. After getting through the first five limes, I dismantled my electric juicer to measure out the juice. So far I had 1 whole teaspoon of key lime juice.
Yes, you read that right. Five key limes makes just 1 entire teaspoon of key lime juice!
A traditional key lime pie recipe calls for 1 cup of juice. Like I said, the difference between key limes and standard limes is minimal at most. So, I threw in the towel. I drove back up to the market and reverted back to the big, fat, plump, juicy limes.
How to Make This Recipe
It couldn’t be easier!
- Mix up the graham cracker crumbs and the butter and press into the pan.
- Put the 4 pie ingredients in a bowl and beat with a mixer until combined!
- Pour into the crust and bake.
- Chill!
Traditional Key Lime Pie
Equipment
- Citrus Juicer
- 8" Fluted Tart Pan
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 teaspoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Pie
- 1 cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 14 oz condensed milk
- 2 eggs
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to Fahrenheit 375°
- Mix all ingredients together and press onto bottom and edges of a fluted tart pan
- Bake at Fahrenheit 375° for 5 minutes, until lightly toasted
Pie
- Beat all ingredients together with a hand mixer until smooth
- Pour batter over crust
- Bake at Fahrenheit 375° for 15 minutes until set
- Remove from oven and transfer to the refrigerator
- Chill for 24 hours
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream
What’s the Difference Between Key Limes and Regular Limes?
The standard limes you find at the grocery store are Persian Limes.
Key limes are tropical and supposedly have an even more tart flavor. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need my key lime pie more tart. It’s tart enough.
The biggest difference is color. Persian lime juice is more white, whereas key lime juice is more yellow.
Can I Use Bottled Key Lime Juice Instead?
Purists will claim that the bottled stuff isn’t good enough. Purists would also claim that you can’t substitute Persian limes for Key Limes.
I say you do whatever brings you happiness. As for me, I will make my traditional key lime pie recipe with the limes that offer me the most juice.
How Will I Know When the Pie is Done Baking?
It’s done after 15 minutes. It will finish setting up after it is chilled.
Must Have Key Lime Pie Baking Supplies on Amazon
As an Amazon affiliate I may get a kickback from any items you click on and purchase, but it does not cost you anything to click on them!
Foremost, you need some sort of juicer other than your bare hands. I love these juicers and they are great for limes, lemons, oranges, and grapefruit. I use a juicer for tons of recipes, smoothies, and fresh juices.
Save yourself the trouble, and get bottled juice for your authentic traditional key lime pie recipe.
And, of course, a pretty fluted tart pie pan.
Make This Traditional Key Lime Pie Recipe
If you make this pie, tag @Fahrenheit350sweets on Instagram so I can see it! And I’d love it if you left a review and a comment below!
Key limes definitely are a pain to squeeze. They usually have them at Winco for a good price. The pie looks perfect for out hot summer days.
Yummy!!!
Key Lime Pie! What can i say. DELICIOUS!It looks so perfect i cant wait to try this….YUMMY!