The Best Key Lime Pie

Florida will always be considered home to me, and a big part of the taste of Florida to me is key lime pie. Not optional. Not a choice. If you are at a table in Florida and key lime pie is on the menu and I will ALWAYS order it!

I've eaten a lot of key lime pie. The ones I remember and cant stop talking about are the ones where someone clearly cared about the balance — the right amount of tart, the crust that's buttery without being greasy, the filling that's set just enough to slice cleanly, and the perfect whipped cream on top.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/3 cup butter melted

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

Filling

• 4 egg yolks

• 6 key limes for zesting and juicing (If needed: Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice)

• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoon of corn starch (if you want stabilized whipped cream)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and press firmly into a 9-inch pie dish, going up the sides. Bake for about 5 minutes until just set and fragrant. Cool slightly.

2. Whisk the egg yolks and key lime zest together until the yolks lighten in color and the zest is well distributed, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the condensed milk, then the key lime juice. The filling should be smooth and pale yellow.

3. Pour into the cooled crust. Bake at 350°F for exactly 15 minutes — the filling will still have a slight jiggle in the center. Remove and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours (overnight is better).

4. Before serving, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks with the powdered sugar and vanilla. Pile on top of the pie or serve on the side.

The hosting note

This pie is made for summer entertaining because you make it entirely in advance and it lives happily in the fridge for up to two days. It's the ideal end to any outdoor meal — bright enough to cut through a heavy dinner, cold and refreshing on a hot evening, and pretty enough to carry to a table and receive compliments without any finishing work at all. Top it right before serving and it looks like you just made it.