Key Lime Pie
If you've got digestive biscuits and double cream, you're most of the way to this American dessert: about 80 minutes of cooking across 12 steps. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 12 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and food processor. At medium difficulty across 12 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
- Whizz the biscuits to crumbs in a food processor (or put in a strong plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin).
- Mix with the melted butter and press into the base and up the sides of a 22cm loose-based tart tin.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove and cool.
- Put the egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk for a minute with electric beaters.
- Add the condensed milk and whisk for 3 minutes then add the zest and juice and whisk again for 3 minutes.
- Pour the filling into the cooled base then put back in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Cool then chill for at least 3 hours or overnight if you like.
- When you are ready to serve, carefully remove the pie from the tin and put on a serving plate.
- To decorate, softly whip together the cream and icing sugar.
- Dollop or pipe the cream onto the top of the pie and finish with extra lime zest.
You'll use: Oven · Food processor · Whisk
Watch how it's made
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Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Lime
- lemon
- Double Cream
- heavy cream · whipping cream
What to serve with Key Lime Pie
- Cream Cheese Tart Starter
- Vegan Chocolate Cake Vegan
- Beef Brisket Pot Roast Beef
- Kentucky Fried Chicken Chicken
Tips & common questions
How long does Key Lime Pie take to make?
About 80 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 12 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Key Lime Pie vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Recipe data for Key Lime Pie via TheMealDB (open database). ▶ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.