Florida Key Lime Pie Recipe

Welcome to the Cuban Redneck Kitchen, where today we’ll be making Florida’s official dessert, no other than the infamous key lime pie. Today’s video is a request from a subscriber who actually called me out on social media. Steve said you said you’ve lived in the Florida keys, but you have never made a key lime pie recipe. That, my friends, is 100% true, but no issue, we are going to take care of it today!

The key lime pie is native to Key West, Floria, and early recipes date back to1800s when it was considered a high-calory snack by fishermen. Florida’s original key lime pie was not baked, nor was it made with graham crackers today. The original recipe of the 1800s calls for a soda cracker crust.

My list of ingredients is for 9 inch X 2 tall pie mold. If you are using a standard 8-inch or a premade pie crust, you need to cut the sweetened condensed milk, the number of eggs, and the amount of juice in half. In other words, 1 – 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk, four eggs, and between ½ to ¾ cup of key lime juice. With that said, here are the ingredients for my Florida key lime pie:

For the pie, you will need:

• 2 – 14oz cans of sweetened condensed milk
• 8 – Large Eggs Yolks
• 1 – Cup of Key Lime Juice**

For the crust, you’ll need: 

• ¾ – of a stick of butter (6 – Tablespoons)
• ¼ – a cup of Brown Sugar
• 1 – 7oz Pack of Maria Cookies
• 1 – 9 inch X 2 tall pie mold

**Because of circumstance, I am using key lime juice concentrate, but it goes without saying, fresh squeezed key lime juice is best. As long as they have a rich green color and they feel firm to the touch. If they are yellowing and have a little bit of a give when you squeeze it, that means they are starting to ripe, and tartness may be compromised. In this case, a high-quality Florida key lime juice concentrate is a better choice. However, be mindful of the “Best By Date” since the tartness of concentrate key lime juice can also be compromised by its age.

Unless you use a premade pie crust, the crust is the first thing we need to make for our key lime pie recipe. That is because we not only need to bake it but also give it time to cool down. Let’s start by melting about ¾ of a stick of unsalted butter. In some cases, you may need more, but this is a good starting point. Why and when will you need more. In cases where your graham crackers are not fresh or where humidity is low, ¾ of a stick of butter may not be enough to moist the cracker crumbs to the point that if you squeeze in the shape of a ball, it retains its shape.

Crumble your crackers using a food processor or blender. They must be ground to a fine powder. Then deposit them onto your mold, add the melted butter along with ¼ cup of brown sugar. Many chefs will tell you to add a pinch of salt, but that is all relevant to the taste of your crackers. Mix it well and form into a uniform layer with the help of a cup and spatula.

Once satisfied with the shape, bake it in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 10 minutes. Once the time has expired, take it out, and let it cool on the counter while preparing the filling. Leave the oven on, but lower the temperature to 325.

The filling is super simple, and it only takes a few minutes to prepare. We only need the yolks so let’s start by separating eight eggs into a medium-size mixing bowl. Whip the egg yolks with a hand mixer or whisk for a minute or so, or until they are a solid color. Then add the two cans of sweetened condensed milk, and mix for another couple of minutes, making sure they are well incorporated. At this time, add the key lime juice and continue to whisk.

By this time, your pie crust should have cooled down enough to the point where you can touch it. If so, go ahead and pour your mixture into it. If it is still a bit warm, consider placing it in the fridge for a few minutes.  We need to bake this for 20 to 25 minutes at 325  degrees or until set. In other words, if you giggle it, there is barely any movement.

Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool down to room temperature before placing in the freezer for a minimum of 3 to 4 hour. Cut into slices and serve with a nice dose of whip cream or merengue.

As you can see, there are many opportunities here to make this Florida key lime pie recipe your own. If you do or have any suggestions, please come and share them with our Facebook group, Cuban Food Nation. Until next time happy cooking!