I'm Going Bananas

Key Lime Pie

A whole key lime pie with a whipped cream border on a table, with a bowl of fresh key limes behind it against a black background
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Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Yield
Serves 6-8
Difficulty
easy

Key lime pie has been a staple dessert in our family ever since we started eating at our favorite sushi restaurant, Chief’s Sushi and Seafood Market. After the restaurant’s unfortunate closing, we set out to look for a simple recipe that could rival our childhood memories, and so we turned to Patti Shalley. I’m Going Bananas would like to thank her for her contribution this week, and for further collaborations to come!

A slice of key lime pie on a plate with whipped cream and a lime wheel garnish, bowl of key limes in the background
Overhead view of a whole key lime pie with a whipped cream border and lime slice garnish
Ingredients for key lime pie labeled -- key lime juice, whipping cream, sugar, butter, condensed milk, eggs, and graham crackers
The family's own key lime tree growing in the backyard

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 tbsp melted butter
  • 2 cans condensed milk (14 oz)
  • 1 cup key lime juice (alternatively use Nellie and Joe's)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 3-4 tbsp white or powdered sugar, to taste (for whipped cream topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs and mix with the half cup of sugar.
  3. Mix in the melted butter.
  4. Press into a pie tin or springform pan to make the crust.
  5. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 375°F.
  6. Remove the crust from the oven and let cool.
  7. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
  8. In a large bowl, mix together the condensed milk, key lime juice, and eggs.
  9. Pour mixture into crust and bake for 15 minutes at 325°F.
  10. Remove and let cool before storing in the fridge.
  11. In a separate bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar to make the topping.

Notes

  • Interesting fact: Jack Simons, the unofficial creator of the key lime pie, used canned sweetened condensed milk since fresh milk was not available before modern refrigeration made it all the way to Key West.
  • To create the freshest key lime pie, we used key limes produced from our very own tree.