Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs 150 g
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar 28 g
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt 0.75 g
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 85 g
Filling
- 3 large pasteurized egg yolks 51 g; use eggs specifically labeled pasteurized or suitable pasteurized yolks according to their label
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed dairy milk 397 g; not evaporated milk
- 2/3 cup unsweetened key lime juice 152 g; bottled or freshly squeezed
- finely grated zest of 2 limes optional, omit the white pith
- whipped cream optional, for serving
Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie dish at least 1¼ inches deep
- 1 hand mixer and mixing bowl
- 1 Food thermometer
- 1 cooling rack
Instructions
Crust and filling
- Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Mix the crumbs, powdered sugar, salt and melted butter. Press evenly into the base and sides of the pie dish. Bake for 15 minutes, then place on a rack.
- Beat the pasteurized yolks and optional zest for about 4 minutes until lighter. Add condensed milk and beat until smooth and slightly thicker, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lime juice.
- Pour into the crust. Bake about 25 minutes, until the edges are set and the middle has a gentle wobble; the center should be about 145°F (63°C). This lower-temperature method requires pasteurized yolks. Do not use ordinary unpasteurized eggs at this endpoint.
- Cool on a rack for about 30–60 minutes, then refrigerate promptly, always within 2 hours of baking. Chill at least 4 hours, until cold throughout. Cover once cold, slice into eight portions and add optional whipped cream just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice (1/8 pie)Calories: 355kcalCarbohydrates: 46.9gProtein: 6.4gFat: 16.6gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.8gMonounsaturated Fat: 4.9gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 201mgPotassium: 248mgFiber: 0.7gSugar: 35.4gCalcium: 169mgIron: 1mg
Video
Notes
Formula reference: King Arthur Baking's classic key lime pie. This version explicitly requires pasteurized yolks for the gently baked custard. FDA guidance calls for 160°F (71°C) for ordinary egg dishes and recommends pasteurized eggs for foods served with undercooked egg. Lime juice is not a substitute for that precaution. If you cannot obtain pasteurized yolks, choose a recipe designed and fully cooked for ordinary eggs rather than following this lower-temperature method.
Video credit: John Kanell, Preppy Kitchen. He demonstrates the same baked graham-crust, lime-and-condensed-milk pie style, but uses a deeper filling, different quantities and a shorter bake. Follow this card's quantities, pasteurized-yolk requirement, temperature and chilling time rather than the video's timing.
Nutrition is an estimate for one eighth using USDA SR Legacy graham crackers 174957 (150 g), powdered sugar 169656 (28 g), salt 173468 (0.75 g), butter 173430 (85 g), yolk 172184 (51 g, generic yolk data as a proxy for pasteurized yolks), condensed milk 171275 (397 g) and lime juice 168156 (152 g). Optional zest and whipped cream are excluded. Brands and portions vary; cooking-sensitive vitamins and unavailable trans fat are omitted. Cost is not estimated.
Keep refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 3–4 days. Keep total time out of refrigeration under 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).
