I eat desserts like Key Lime Pie usually once a week when I go out to a restaurant or if I’m entertaining at home.  Key Lime Pie is one of my absolute favorite go-to spring/summer desserts and I have made it dozens and dozens of times for friends including my husband’s tiki birthday party last month.  Everyone always goes crazy for it and you know what? It is the EASIEST dessert ever.  The only hard part is juicing almost 2 pounds of Key Limes, but I will not tell anyone if you use regular limes.  Key limes are tiny and tart, but not quite as acidic as regular limes.  I’ll be honest, I have made this pie with both types of limes and I cannot tell the difference! Some people swear by bottled Key lime juice, but I have never been a fan of bottled citrus juice.  The big difference in this recipe is that I use Greek yogurt instead of egg yolks and I MUCH prefer this version.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• It’s full of delicious lime flavor and has a silky, creamy texture;
• refreshing and perfect for summer;
• can be made in advance;
• contains few ingredients, all of which can be found organic;
• it’s the EASIEST dessert ever!

Key Lime Pie Ingredients

• Graham crackers: I prefer using organic graham crackers. You can also use graham cracker crumbs or buy an already pre-baked crust. Look for GF graham crackers if necessary.  
• Coconut oil: I use an unrefined virgin coconut oil. It does have a coconut flavor as opposed to a refined coconut oil. 
• Maple syrup: use pure maple syrup without any added flavors or additives. 
• Sweetened condensed milk: is cow’s milk that has been reduced and sweetened with sugar. The result is a thick and creamy mixture.  I always used to avoid this ingredient because I could never find it organic.  Now I can!
• Greek yogurt: I use a plain, unsweetened whole milk Greek yogurt. 
• Lime zest: is a key ingredient. Since we are using the skin of the lime for this recipe, I prefer to use organic limes. Always zest before you juice citrus or else it will be very hard to zest after you juice. 
• Lime juice: Key limes are traditional in a key lime pie. You’ll need almost 2 pounds of key limes to produce 3/4 cups of juice. If you can’t find key limes, you can juice Persian aka “regular” limes.  I will still allow you to call this “Key Lime Pie,” even though there are sticklers out there who won’t LOL!
• Whipped cream: for serving. You can make homemade whipped cream, a whipped coconut cream, or use a store-bought plant-based whipped topping like Cocowhip.  You can also skip it!

How to Make Key Lime Pie

1.  Position oven rack to the middle position of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. Prepare the crust: process all crust ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade until it resembles wet sand. If you don’t have a food processor, you can combine graham cracker crumbs, coconut oil, maple syrup and salt in a large bowl. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch pie plate and press crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the dish making an even layer. The crust should be about ¼-inch thick. You can use the bottom of a cup to do this. The better you press the crust, the better it will hold together. 
3. Bake for 10 minutes, until just slightly browned. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool if you have time. This can be done up to a day in advance. Leave at room temp.
4. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
5. In a large bowl (I like to use something with a spout) whisk together the condensed milk, yogurt, lime zest, and lime juice until smooth. The mixture will become white and creamy. Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is almost set; it should wobble a bit like jell-o. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, about 3 hours.
6. Dollop topping over pie, if using and serve immediately. 

Tips for Making Key Lime Pie

• The crust can be prebaked a day in advance. The better you press the crust, the better it will hold together when serving.  You can also do an alternative, non-traditional crust, like a gingersnap crust.
• The filling can be added the day of serving or even a day in advance. You don’t want to make this too far in advance or the crust may get soggy. 
• Pie needs time to chill for at least a few hours before serving.
• Serve with whipped cream and extra zest for a pretty presentation.  

Substitutions for Key Lime Pie

• Non-dairy sweetened condensed milk – try using a sweetened condensed coconut milk (although I have not tested this out)
• Lime juice – if you can’t find key limes, you can use regular limes or bottled Key Lime juice or make a lemon version instead
• Graham crackers – look for gluten-free if necessary or I think a gingersnap crust would be amazing paired with a lemon version of the filling!
• Coconut oil – melted butter or plant butter will also work in the crust.

If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Lastly, subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes and updates.

For more delicious recipes and to learn how to be a better cook, check out my monthly online cooking classes. I have been teaching people for 15 years how to cook healthy food that their families love!  Join me!