Let’s make the ultimate Florida dessert extra posh with fresh ginger and an incredible crust that you can make in minutes
This is it.
My all time favorite dessert. I bet you were wondering when I was going to finally post a Key Lime Pie. this is it- the ultimate. The best. Throw out all other recipes.
I don’t want cake on my birthday. I want Key Lime Pie.
I don’t want pastries from a patisserie. I want Key Lime Pie.
I don’t want macaroons, macarons or macadamias. I want Key Lime Pie.
But even my beloved Key Lime Pie needs a little facelift every now and then. I’ve made this pie so sour it’ll turn your face inside out, but the crust so sweet and simple, you’ll want to make this pie over and over and over again.
First the crust:
I took a page from the Tampa Junior League cookbook, Tampa Treasures, and added gingersnaps to the graham cracker crust. Then I added in sweetened coconut to give the crust a bite “chew”. Toss it all in a food processor with melted butter and a dash of salt for a fine crumb, press it into a pie plate and bake for a couple of minutes. Easy.
Don’t have a food processor. Chopped the heck out of the coconut and place everything in a heavy plastic zip top bag or plastic liner form a cereal box (go green!). Pound it with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs.
Now for the filling.
Honestly, Key Lime Pie is so simple to make. The biggest headache is juicing the tiny Key Limes, which by the way are imported from Mexico. If you have an electric juicer, and you should, it takes maybe 8 minutes to juice a bag of limes. My Oster juicer is 34 years old- wedding present- and still works like a charm. Add to the juice, fresh grated ginger, a can of sweetened condensed milk and four egg yolks.
Pour into the cooled pie shell and bake for 5 minutes- or until the pie is just set. This is really to ensure the egg yolks do not give you food poising, but honestly, the lime juice cooks them- similar to a ceviche.
Cool the pie on a wire rack and chill for at least 4 hours. Pipe on luscious whipped cream and call everyone to the table. The “oooh’s and ahhh’s” you will receive will life your spirits for days.
Then go out and run a couple of miles to burn off the calorie count.
Or don’t – live your life.
Classic Key Lime Pie with Coconut Gingersnap Crust
Course: Florida Kitchen, Sweet ToothCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings45
minutes10
minutes396
kcalThis classic recipe (made by a native Floridian) for Key Lime Pie has an updated crust made with graham crackers, gingersnaps and coconut for a posh heavenly dessert that will impress your guests and family.
Ingredients
- For the Crust
1 cup 1 Sweetened Flaked Coconut
6 Sheets 6 Graham Crackers
12 12 Gingersnap Cookies
6 TBSP 6 Unsalted Butter, melted
1/2 tsp 1/2 Kosher Salt
- For the Filing
1/2 cup 1/2 Fresh Key Lime Juice
2 TBSP 2 Fresh Key Lime Juice
14 oz 14 Sweetened Condensed Milk
4 Large 4 Egg Yolks
1 tsp 1 Fresh Ginger, grated- heaping tsp
- For the Topping
1/2 cup 1/2 Heavy Whipping Cream
2 TBSP 2 Confectioner’s Sugar
1/4 tsp 1/4 Vanilla paste
2 tsp 2 grated lime peel or zest
Directions
- Pre heat oven to 350 degrees, F
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the coconut, graham crackers and gingersnaps until they resemble coarse sand. Pour in the melted butter and salt. Pulse again until the mixture resembles wet sand. Using the back of a measuring cup, press the crumb mixture into a 9″ pie plate and up the sides until the crust is smooth and evenly distributed. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, condensed milk, ginger and lime juice until thick and smooth. Pour into the cooled pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Once the pie is cooled, prepare the whipped cream topping. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla paste on medium low for 1 minute. Increase the speed to high. Whip until thick. With a scraper, spoon the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 849 tip and another bag with a Wilton 1M tip. Pipe decorative florets onto the chilled pie. Garnish with sliced lime or lime zest. Serve chilled.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Tips:
- If you do not have a piping bag or tips, simply spoon the whipped cream into a zip top bag, cut the bottom corner off and pipe the cream onto the pie.
- Do not overbake the crust. Cover the crust with foil while the pie is baking if It’s looking too dark.
- Persian limes re commonly sold at grocery stores. Key Limes are often sold during the winter and early spring. Persian limes are fine to use, but Key Limes offer a more floral and fragrant taste. they are more sour. Nellie and Joe’s offer a bottled juice. I have never tried it in years, but I have seen it recommended by other chefs.
- Store the pie in the fridge up to 4 days. Cover loosely with plastic wrap.
- If you do not have vanilla paste, substitute vanilla extract.
- If you do not have fresh ginger, do not substitute with powdered ginger. It will muddle the flavor.
Other Citrus treats to try:
- Key Lime Tiramisu
- Calamondin Pie
- Blood Orange Martini
- Classic Lemon Blueberry Tea Cake
- Florida Grapefruit & Cointreau Golden Cake
- Guava Grapefruit Cocktail
Here are the piping tips I used for decorating the pie: Ateco 849 and Wilton 1M. Purchase HERE.
Please for the love of all that is holy do not put Cool Whip or that stuff in the can on this beautiful pie.
