Paula Deens Key Lime Pie recipe has a baked sweetened graham cracker crust with just a tiny hint of cinnamon and a sweet and tangy filling packed with the juice of tangy key limes, heavy cream, and cream. This pie makes the perfect summertime dessert and is delicious when frozen!
I am a fan southern cooking, and Paula Deen's key lime pie recipe is one I have loved for a long time now. I love this recipe is entirely from scratch and sweetened with sugar and sweetened condensed milk, making for a wonderful creamy dessert.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
Sweet and Tangy: it is the perfect sweet tart dessert ending.
Packed with lime flavor: citrus lovers will love the sweet and bitter tang in the pie filling.
Make ahead: It's the perfect make ahead dessert!
🥘 Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
Graham crackers, brown sugar, and butter make up the pie crust for this recipe and is the only part that is baked.
Cinnamon, just a touch for a hint of flavor added to the crust.
Pie Filling Ingredients:
Key limes, for the juice, zest, and garnish
Heavy cream, builds body and adds the creamy factor
Half and half, adds bulk to the pie
Sugar and sweetened condensed milk, sweetens and adds creaminess.
🔪 Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
- Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the tart pan and press mixture tightly to fit the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, combine the and key lime zest and sugar, working the zest into the sugar with your fingers, to infuse the oils from the zest
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer at medium speed, beat the heavy cream until it begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Gradually add ½ cup sugar mixture and continue to mix for about 3 minutes on high speed, until soft peaks form.
- Slowly add the sweetened condensed milk to the heavy cream mixture, mixing constantly, until thoroughly combined.
- Gradually mix in the fresh key lime juice into the cream mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Add the half and half and mix 5 minutes longer, to build body and incorporate air into the filling mixture.
- Transfer the filling mixture to the cooled graham cracker crust. Cover and freeze at least 6 hours.
🥄 Equipment
Electric mixer
Large bowl
Medium bowl
Rubber scraper
Tart pan with removable bottom
🥫Storage
Store any leftover Key Lime Pie in the freezer up to 2 weeks.
📖 Variations
- Use a springform pan in place of the tart pan. Be sure to press the graham cracker crust up the sides of a 10-inch spring form pan to create an edge for the filling.
- Use cool whip for the garnish portion of the key lime pie and decorate with key lime slices and white chocolate curls.
- Substitute lemon juice or regular lime juice for the key lime juice.
- Use ½ cup of sour cream in place of ½ cup of half and half to add some extra tang.
- Substitute whole milk for the half and half.
💭 Tips
- Make sure all the ingredients for the pie filling are cold when using them.
- Be sure that you let the crust cool completely before adding the pie filling, if it is not cold, it will cause the pie filling to flop.
- Substitute 8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature for the heavy cream. Be sure to whip the cream cheese until it is fluffy and light.
🙋 FAQ's
Yes, you can use regular limes to make this key lime pie. The flavor will be a little different but delicious.
📚 Related Recipes
This Fresh Strawberry Pie is perfect for when fresh berries are in season.
This Oil Pie Crust if perfect for all your pie making needs!
This Pumpkin Pie with Condensed Milk is delicious year round!
Chili Lime Shrimp makes a great appetizer or main dish and has that great lime flavor.
🍽 Serve with...
Serve this key lime pie recipe with dollops of whipped cream around the edges, topped with lime wedges, lime zest, and white chocolate curls.
🏫 The last word
This is Paula Deen's key lime pie recipe, whom I consider the queen of southern cooking, and it is the best recipe I have made!
Key limes are more readily available than they used to be and can usually be found in any grocery store when in season.
Prep and cook time combined is only 30 minutes, however be sure to at least freeze the pie for 6 hours before serving. Total time before this recipe is ready is 6 hours and 30 minutes, however I recommend making this the day before to allow the flavors to blend.
Don't be afraid that this recipe has flopped if the filling seems runny. I recommend whipping it with the hand mixer at least 5-10 minutes after all the ingredients have incorporated to build body. If the filling were to be stiff, it would not fit into the tart pan as it would have too much volume. Just pour the filling into the crust and freeze it, knowing that it will be delicious when its time to enjoy!
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📖 Recipe
Key Lime Pie
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Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup light brown sugar , firmly packed
- ½ cup unsalted butter , melted
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the key lime pie filling
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 12 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ cup key lime juice , freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest
- 2 cups half and half
- fresh key lime slices , (optional)
- whipped cream , (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
- Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the tart pan and press mixture tightly to fit the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, combine the and key lime zest and sugar, working the zest into the sugar with your fingers, to infuse the oils from the zestIn a large bowl using a hand mixer at medium speed, beat the heavy cream until it begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Gradually add ½ cup sugar mixture and continue to mix for about 3 minutes on high speed, until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk to the heavy cream mixture, mixing constantly, until thoroughly combined.
- Gradually mix in the fresh key lime juice into the cream mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the half and half and mix 5 minutes longer, to build body and incorporate air into the filling mixture.
- Transfer the filling mixture to the cooled graham cracker crust. Cover and freeze at least 6 hours.
Denise Watkins says
this was good. I believe it could be better. I use a box of vanilla wafers ground in the cuisinart with 1/2 cup butter no sugar no cinnamon needed. also substitute Myers lemon juice and rind for the lime. I look at recipes as suggestions. enjoy