Prize-Winning Key Lime Pie Recipe (2024)

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Are you ready for the BEST Key Lime Pie recipe? This creamy, refreshing, prize-winning Key Lime Pie recipe is easy to make! (Bonus! You can make it & enjoy the pie the same day). AND its such and easy dessert recipe to make!

Guess what?? I won a trip to the Florida Keys in the Philadelphia Florida Keys Cook-Off a few weeks ago! Pinch me!The competitors had to cook in 2 challenges and I won! I wanted to share myPrize Winning Key Lime Pie Recipe today and tell you a little bit about what went down! It's long, feel free to hit the jump to recipe button 🙂

I LOVE hearing in the comments below, comments and images on Instagram and Facebook as well as in emails just how many of you have made this pie! And how it has become a part of so many special occasions! Thank you all for letting me know! This pie really is SO easy, creamy, refreshing and delicious...Plus you can't mess it up!!

Table of Contents

First the story...then I will show you how to make the BEST Key Lime Pie...So many people have now made my Prize-Winning Key Lime Pie recipe! It's just so cool! Hope you enjoy it as well!
Going into the challenge we all knew we had to make a Key Lime Pie.
I let my family and a couple of friends blind test both Key Lime Pie Recipes and the result was down the middle! SO...the night of the competition, I brought both thinking, I would decide which to use in the moment.
Ingredients for Key Lime Pie Recipe
Key Lime Pie Baking Tips
Storage
Other recipes to try
Prize Winning Key Lime Pie Recipe
- Ingredients1x2x3x
- Instructions
- Notes
- Nutrition

First the story...then I will show you how to make the BEST Key Lime Pie...So many people have now made my Prize-Winning Key Lime Pie recipe! It's just so cool! Hope you enjoy it as well!

24 Philadelphia-Area Influencers were invited to The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College on Walnut Street in downtown Philadelphia for the 2nd Florida Key's Cook-Off. The first was held in 2015 in Montreal.

I was thrilled to be invited! As a food blogger, when I make what I share here on Souffle Bombay, it's just me home alone doing what I do (me and my mountain of dishes)!!

So imagine just how fun it was for me to get out with other foodies and have some fun in the kitchen. Even if I didn't win, which I never expected to, I would have loved the whole experience!

This was my first trip to a culinary school. I was super-impressed with The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill Collegein Philadelphia. From the many kitchens for the students to learn and work into the themed rooms for dinner service and the overall look and feel of the place. it is something special!

Chef Bobby Stokey was our host and one of the three judges. Chef Bobby did a couple of culinary demonstrations before we all got down to it. He showed us a couple of deliciousKey West Style seafood dishes. So fresh and simple!

Chef Bobby owns a number ofrestaurants in the Florida Keys (Marker 88, Sundowner, Ballyhoos and Senor Frijoles) so he sure knows his way around a kitchen as well as the flavors of the Keys!

I found it interesting that traditional Key Lime Pies down in the Keys are topped with meringue. They are more like a lemon meringue pie. My husband loves Key Lime Pie and orders it out when he comes across it, yet I never saw one in-person with meringue in the Philadelphia Area. It's always whipped cream.

Going into the challenge we all knew we had to make a Key Lime Pie.

We each were allowed to bring a secret ingredient to make our Key Lime Pie. My first thought was tequila, so I made one in my test run with that. My second thought (because I know what my husband likes in a dessert) was sour cream.

I let my family and a couple of friends blind test both Key Lime Pie Recipes and the result was down the middle! SO...the night of the competition, I brought both thinking, I would decide which to use in the moment.

Marissa from the Preston & Steve Morning show brought chocolate, Alex Holleyfrom Fox News brought grits (yes grits for her crust...it's a thing down South), my food blogger bestie, Linda, brought Key Lime Liquor, another food blogger friend, Lisa brought Candied Pecans and on and on it went.

It was just like an episode of MasterChef or Top Chef! We all had to stand in our places...Ingredients were set up and Chef Bobby yelled Ready...Set...GO!!! And we were off! It was a little bit crazy!

While our pies chilled, we got down to our second challenge...the mystery ingredient from the Florida Keys. Which turned out to be beautiful Yellow Tail Snapper fillets. I had never worked with or eaten it before. However, I am pretty familiar with halibut, so I figured it was similar to cook with.

Ingredients were set out for us to choose from. I quickly decided to do something I thought no one would do. A curry sauce, similar to one of my favorite ways to prepare halibut...Take a look at my recipe (image below) for Pan Seared Halibut in Thai Curry Sauce.

I grabbed tomatoes, ginger, onion, etc. I cooked them down and finished the sauce with coconut milk and seasonings. Whatever I could find in that kitchen to give it the flavors I was thinking of in my head, I grabbed. As far as the fish, I simply pan-fried it with seasonings, then sat it atop the sauce I made.

Once finished cooking, we raised our hands and the Judges came around and tried each of our dishes. (We had 45 minutes for the pie and 45 for the fish).

I kept hearing Gordon Ramsay in my head. "Stick to one thing...do it well, taste, taste, taste" so that's what I did. Each judge independently tasted and scored our yellow-tail snapper entrée as well as our pie. Then the scores were merged.

Ingredients for Key Lime Pie Recipe

graham cracker crumbs
sugar
butter
sweetened condensed milk
sour cream
key lime juice see key limes
egg yolks
lime zest
heavy cream
vanilla
powdered sugar

Key Lime Pie Baking Tips

Bake pie ON a baking sheet. This way when you pull it out, you don't accidently put a finger or oven mitt print in your pie. Trust me, I speak from experience lol!
Allow the key lime pie to cool completely before placing in your refrigerator.
Allow the pie to chill for at least 3 hours.
To chill your pie the fastest, place it on the very bottom shelf of your fridge. Cold falls, so this area is the coldest.
Don't put they whipped cream topping on until shortly before you plan to enjoy. It does hold up well, I just do this so it doesn't get messed up.
Either don't cover the pie if you have topped it or keep it in a domed container to protect it.

Storage

This pie actually holds up great. You can make it a day ahead of time and put the whipped cream on top the day of. It will taste good for days! If you have a pie or cake carrier to store it in that's the best way to keep it fresh without messing up the whipped cream.

Other recipes to try

If you enjoy making desserts (or eating them) as much as I do, you need to try one or all of the following: If lime is not your thing, try my Easy Lemon Pie, just like Key Lime Pie but with lemon.

Homemade Apple Fritters.Just a handful of ingredients yields a memorable dessert or breakfast treat! Everyone loves an Apple Fitter!

When cranberries are in season, this "pie" will get rave reviews! It's different and delicious! Get the recipe for this vintage Nantucket Cranberry Pie.

Post updated June 24, 2023. Originally published May 12, 2017.

Enjoy!

Prize Winning Key Lime Pie Recipe

Colleen Kennedy

Prize-winning Key Lime Pie Recipe. So creamy and refreshing! You can't mess this recipe up! This really is the BEST Key Lime Pie Recipe!

4.93 from 80 votes

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Ingredients

Crust
1 ½ - 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs*
¼ cup sugar
5 TBS butter, melted
Filling
2 14oz cans of sweetened condensed milk (28 oz total)
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup key lime juice I use always Nellie and Joes Key Lime Juicesince I rarely see key limes
2 egg yolks
Zest from 1 lime or key lime
Whipped Cream
8 oz heavy cream very cold
1 TBS vanilla
3-4 TBS powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pulse graham crackers in your food processor until they become crumbs (or buy crumbs).
Add in sugar butter and pulse until combined.
Press crumbs onto your pie plate, across the bottom and up the sides.
Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow crust to cool completely.
For Filling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in your mixing bowl and allow them to beat on med-high for 2 minutes.
Scrape filling into your prepared (and cooled) pie crust)
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until filling only wiggles a bit in the center when you gently shake the pan back & forth a bit.
Don't allow pie to brown.
Cool on your counter for at least 30 minutes, then place in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
Whipped Cream
In your mixing bowl, whip the cream on high until stiff peaks begin to form.
Add in vanilla and powdered sugar and whip until firm whipped cream happens.
Scrape into a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and when ready (an hour before serving or so, decorate your pie.
Sprinkle a little fresh lime zest over-top.
Keep pie chilled until serving.

Notes

The crust doesn't need to be too sweet since the pie filling is very sweet and tangy, add 3-4 TBS sugar.

I like a little bit of a crumbly crust for this. If you want it held together more firmly, add in an additional TBS of melted butter or two.

If you want a thicker crust, use 2 cups of crumbs (or if using a larger pie dish).
When pulling the pie from the oven...don't put your thumb in the pie...Trust me, I have done this more than once with pies! You may want to bake it on a baking sheet...Just in case.

Keep your whipped cream chilled until ready to use.

I have made Candied Lime Peels to decorate this from time to time.

Nutrition

Serving: 8gCalories: 761kcalCarbohydrates: 103gProtein: 13gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 463mgPotassium: 564mgFiber: 1gSugar: 81gVitamin A: 1064IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 400mgIron: 2mg

Keyword BEST Key Like Pie Recipe, Key Lime Pie Recipe, Winning Key Lime Pie Recipe

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Prize-Winning Key Lime Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes key lime pie thicken? ›

Combining the lime juice with the egg yolks and condensed milk creates a chemical reaction that causes the mixture to thicken all on its own (the acid causes the proteins in the yolks and milk to bond together).

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Why is Publix key lime pie so good? ›

Rather, the key to perfecting the Publix key lime pie is a simple ingredient added to the graham cracker crust. It's not the graham crackers themselves that make the crust special, but rather the unique addition of crushed toasted almonds.

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How long does homemade key lime pie last in the fridge? ›

Homemade Key Lime Pie: If you've prepared a homemade key lime pie, it will typically last around 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. The freshness and quality of the ingredients, as well as the hygiene of the preparation process, play a significant role in determining its shelf life.

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What is the difference between key lime pie and lime pie? ›

In terms of taste, key limes have a higher acidity, making them a little more tart than what we consider "regular limes." This makes them ideal for pairing with sweeter ingredients, hence the ever-popular Key lime pie.

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Why is my Key lime pie weeping? ›

As it turns out, undercooking and overcooking can both cause weeping meringue and unwanted moisture on top of your pie (aka beading). Overcooking meringue causes those little sugary drops of moisture on top of baked meringues.

What is a interesting fact about Key lime pie? ›

The sweet and tart pie reportedly originated in Key West, Florida, in the late 19th century. The use of sweetened condensed milk, an essential ingredient, is probably because fresh milk and refrigeration were uncommon in the isolated Florida Keys until the 1930s.

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What is a fun fact about Key lime pie? ›

In the 1800's a ship salvager named William Curry, Florida's first self-made millionaire had a cook known as Aunt Sally. Historians believe that Aunt Sally did not create the pie but instead perfected the pie created by area fishermen. William Curry has a mansion in Key West that is still standing today.

View Details ›

Who made the original Key lime pie? ›

A widely reported story claims that William Curry's cook Aunt Sally invented it in the late 19th century.

Read The Full Story ›

Is it okay to leave key lime pie out overnight? ›

Be sure to keep your pie covered with the provided dome lid and additional plastic wrap to keep it air tight. How long can I keep key lime pie out of the refrigerator? We recommend leaving your pie pie out at room temperature for no longer than 4 hours.

Get More Info Here ›

Can you eat key lime pie left out overnight? ›

How long will my pie last out of the refrigerator? We recommend to leave your pie out at room temperature for no longer than 4 hours.

What pairs well with key lime pie? ›

Key Lime Pie & Plumeria Moscato d'Asti DOCG

Key limes are more tart and aromatic than your average grocery store lime, so key lime pie is a delicate dance of tart key lime filling and sweet, fluffy meringue or whipped cream topping. Try pairing it with a sweet, bubbly wine like Plumeria Moscato d'Asti DOCG.

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How many key limes for 1 cup? ›

This can vary depending on the ripeness, size, and juiciness of your fruit, but as a general rule, you will need approximately 18-20 key limes for 1 cup of juice.

Can I use regular lime juice instead of Key lime juice for a Key lime pie? ›

Unless you live in the Florida Keys, key limes are near impossible to find. Furthermore, they're so tiny that you'd need to juice at least twenty of them for this recipe. No thank you! Ordinary limes make an exceptional Key lime pie, and they are a much better alternative to bracingly tart bottled Key lime juice.

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Can I use regular limes for key limes? ›

Despite the slight flavor difference, swapping out Persian limes for Key limes is a pretty common substitution. Taste of Home even notes that, when baked into a dessert, it can be hard to tell the difference between the two taste-wise.

Keep Reading ›

What to do if Key lime pie is too runny? ›

Easiest ways to fix a runny pie.

Put your pie back in the high temp oven on the lowest rack until the filling is bubbly and the crust is brown. ...
Let your pie cool overnight. ...
If possible, pour the extra liquid off the pie (save that for ice cream!) and pop it into the freezer for 10 or 15 minutes before serving.

Sep 13, 2022

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What makes pie filling thicker? ›

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency.

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What can I use to thicken a pie? ›

Tapioca as Pie Filling Thickener

This old-school ingredient may be what your great grandmother used to thicken her pies, and it's still great for making a perfect fruit pie with a clear, stable filling. Tapioca is derived from cassava (also known as yuca or manioc), a starchy root native to South America.

Learn More Now ›

How do you thicken runny pie filling? ›

Cornstarch has thickening power similar to Instant ClearJel. Like flour, it lends a cloudy, semi-transparent look to filling. It can also give filling a starchy taste. For full effectiveness, make sure the pie filling is bubbling up through the crust before removing your pie from the oven.

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