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Bake a Key Lime Pie ✔

I'm making my way through my list of “what to make with my first ever crop of key limes” and naturally a Key Lime Pie is a must! However, when it comes to this southern treat, I have very high standards. I've eaten lots of very good and lots of very bad Key Lime Pie in my life, and have specific criteria for what makes a tasty one:

1)      A creamy, more tart than sweet filling

2)      A killer, not too thick and not too thin, graham cracker crust

3)      A lightly sweet whipped topping (traditional style key lime pie is topped with meringue, but I prefer the more modern whipped cream style)

My mom is an even tougher Key Lime Pie critic than me, so when she requested a “Key Lime Pie with a pecan graham cracker crust like they make at Houston's Restaurant” (her very favorite), I knew I had my work cut out for me.

After reading about a million crust and pie recipes, I put together bits and pieces of different ones to come up with a pie to meet both of our stringent standards. And I must say, the result is DANG good! Tart, sweet, creamy, crunchy – this traditional Key Lime Pie recipe passes allllll the tests! And for those of you who don't have access to key limes/key lime juice, have no fear! Simply swap it out with regular lime juice and enjoy it just the same.

Fun Fact: Key Lime Pie was first made in Key West, Florida in the late 1800s. At the time, modern refrigeration wasn't a thing, so fresh milk wasn't common. That's why condensed milk was used instead! And next to key limes, it's honestly what makes Key Lime Pie, Key Lime Pie.