Baked Key Lime Pie

This is the Florida classic stripped to its essentials. Sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, fresh lime juice, and a graham cracker crust. That’s the filling.

The chemistry is the magic. When the acid in the lime juice meets the proteins in the condensed milk, it thickens the mixture into a custard before it even hits the oven. The 20-minute bake at 325°F (160°C) just sets the eggs and tightens everything up. Bake longer and the filling cracks. Bake shorter and the center won’t slice.

If you can find real Key limes, use them. They’re smaller, more golden, and more intensely floral than Persian limes. Bottled Key lime juice is acceptable but loses some of the brightness. The directions offer the option to push the filling more tart with a full half-cup of juice, which is the way most Florida natives prefer it.

Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. The filling needs that time to fully firm into clean, fork-friendly slices.

Pro Tips

• Roll limes against the counter before juicing to break the cell walls. You’ll get nearly double the juice.
• Don’t overbake. The center should still jiggle slightly when you pull it from the oven. It firms up as it cools.
• Add a pinch of lime zest to the whipped cream for extra citrus aroma at the table.
• Pie keeps up to 3 days refrigerated, covered loosely. Avoid freezing, the texture turns grainy.

Variations

• Press a layer of toasted sweetened coconut into the crust for a tropical twist.
• Top with toasted meringue instead of whipped cream for a slightly torched-edge presentation.
• Use Meyer lemon juice in place of lime juice for a sunny lemon version of the same pie.