This delicious Creamy Lime Pie is irresistible and so simple to prepare. Based on a classic Key Lime Pie, it features a filling that is creamy and smooth, with the bright, zesty flavour of lime, balanced by the sweetness of condensed milk. The creaminess of the filling is offset by the crisp, buttery, biscuit-crumb crust. This is a vibrant, full-flavoured, make-ahead dessert that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- If you find the thought of making a pie intimidating, this is the perfect recipe for you. For the experienced cook, or the novice, this is a show-stopper dessert which is easily made.
- It contains everyday ingredients, all readily available in the supermarket.
- The crust is deliciously crispy and the filling is made from just four ingredients.
- The flavour is zesty and refreshing - this is a recipe that is creamy, smooth, crispy, sweet and tangy all in one bite.
- Like my Peanut Butter Pie, this Creamy Lime Pie is perfect for entertaining as it is made in advance. It also travels well if stored in the dish - take it to a potluck, to family celebrations or gift a friend to brighten their day.
Recipe Inspiration: this recipe is based on a Classic Key Lime Pie. We have used a combination of limes and lemons for a delicious tangy filling.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Sweet, plain biscuits/cookies – I have tested this recipe using digestive and granita biscuits. I have also made with gluten-free rice flour cookies. Gluten-free cookies tend to require a little more butter, but this will vary depending on the brand. You can also use Graham crackers, but again, you may need a little more butter.
- Butter – melted butter combines with crushed biscuits/cookies to make the crust. We use unsalted butter.
- Sweetened condensed milk – adds richness and sweetness. We use full-fat in this recipe.
- Egg yolks – provide richness in the filling as well as helping it set.
- Lime juice – I use the juice from Tahitian limes. If they are available in your area, you can use the classic Key Lime and omit the lemon.
- Lemon juice – freshly squeezed, for an extra note of acidity.
- Thickened cream – also known as heavy cream or whipping cream, has a fat content of about 35%.
- Icing/powdered sugar – a small amount to sweeten the whipped cream.
Variations:
Lemon - if you'd prefer a lemon base instead of lime, I recommend trying my Creamy Lemon Pie.
Toppings/decorations - top with fresh fruit or berries.
How To Make This Creamy Lime Pie:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Process the biscuits/cookies:
To begin, I whiz some biscuits in a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Then, add some melted butter and whiz together until well combined. You want the consistency of wet sand.
2 – Add to your pie pan:
Turn the mixture into a pie pan and press onto the base and up the sides of the pan.
3 – Bake the crust:
Bake the crust for about 10 minutes to make it crisp.
4 – Prepare your filling:
Whilst the base is cooling, prepare the filling.
In a medium-size bowl, add egg yolks and condensed milk and whisk to combine them. Add lime and lemon juice and whisk again.
5 – Bake the pie filling:
Add the filling to the cooled base and bake the pie for about 15 minutes or until the centre is just set.
Set aside to cool, then place in the refrigerator to chill.
6 – Decorate the pie:
Top the Creamy Lime Pie with whipped cream and lime slices, serve and enjoy.
Hint: don't over bake the pie filling - you want it to be just set for the ideal texture. We often get asked "Do I need to bake the crust first?" Some recipes don’t require the crust to be baked, but I feel that 10 minutes in the oven, before adding the filling, adds flavour and makes the crust crispy.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
Digestive biscuits or Graham crackers are popular for crusts, but you can use almost any crunchy cookie. You may need to adjust the quantity of butter, as the absorption of all cookies will vary.
You certainly can do that. Just choose gluten-free cookies/biscuits that are plain and crispy.
Yes, you can. You can bake the pie a day ahead. However, it is best to add the whipped cream shortly before serving. If you make it more than 1 day ahead, the crust may lose some of its crispness. If making in advance, don’t add the whipped cream or lime slices until you are ready to serve the pie.
Store the Key Lime Pie, covered with cling wrap, in the fridge for up to three days. Try to keep the cling wrap off the top of the pie in case it sticks.
Yes, it can be frozen for up to a month. It needs to be well covered to prevent freezer burn, so wrap first in cling wrap and then cover with aluminium foil.
Top Tip:
Key Limes are ideal, but depending on your location, it may not be possible to find them. I have used the Tahitian lime, also known as Persian lime, and it gives delicious, tangy flavour to the dessert. If possible, use fresh lime juice - bottled lime juice; it lacks the bright, zesty flavour of fresh lime juice and may contain preservative.
Serving Suggestions:
This pie is the perfect, make-ahead dessert. It couldn't be easier and will quickly become a family favourite. Enjoy the pie at:
- Family celebrations or gatherings - it is ideal for birthdays, Thanksgiving or even Christmas!
- Picnics or potlucks.
I am certain that you'll love this Creamy Lime Pie. It is the perfect combination of zesty and refreshing, creamy and crunchy and is a refreshing end to a meal. Please let me know in the comments below if you make the pie.
Alex xx
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Creamy Lime Pie
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
Pie Crust:
- 250 g (8.8 oz) plain sweet biscuits/cookies - I use Digestives See Note 1
- 100 g (3.5 oz) unsalted butter - melted
Pie Filling:
- 395 g (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk - full fat
- 4 large egg yolks See Note 2
- ½ cup (125 ml) lime juice - strained See Note 3
- 6 teaspoon (30 ml) lemon juice - strained
Topping:
- ½ cup (125 ml) thickened/heavy whipping cream See Note 4
- 1 teaspoon icing/powdered sugar
- fresh lime slices - to garnish
Instructions
Pie Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees C (355 F).Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they resemble fine breadcrumbs.Add the melted butter to the biscuit crumbs and process until well combined.
- You will need a 23 cm (9 inch) pie plate. Our pie dish has a depth of about 5 cm (2 inches) and we take the biscuit crumb up to the 4 cm (1.5 inches) mark approximately. Tip the biscuit and butter mixture into the pie plate. Using the back of a dessert spoon, or the base of a flat-bottomed glass, press the mixture over the base and up the side of the pie plate.
- Place the pie crust into the pre-heated oven and bake until golden, about 8-10 minutes.Remove the crust from the oven and set aside to cool completely. This will take about 15 minutes.
Pie Filling:
- Whisk the condensed milk and the egg yolks together in a large bowl. Add the lime and lemon juice and continue to whisk until they are well combined.
- Carefully pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and bake until the centre of the pie is just set - about 15 minutes.
- Set the pie aside and allow it to cool completely. This will take about 1 hour.Cover the pie with cling wrap and place it in the refrigerator until cold; for at least one more hour.Once chilled, add cream or decorations and serve. Like a lot of pies, the first slice is the hardest to remove. We recommend using a sharp knife for clean cuts, and a spatula to help remove the slices.
For the Topping:
- Whisk the cream and icing/powdered sugar until it forms soft peaks. Top the pie with the whipped cream or place it into a piping bag and pipe some rosettes around the edge of the pie. Decorate with lime slices or zest.
Video
Notes
- Cookies/biscuits: most plain, sweet cookies are fine to use, but you may have to adjust the quantity of butter. Once the cookies and butter have been combined, you are looking for a consistency of wet sand.
- Egg whites: don't throw these out! Try making my Almond Cookies, Meringues or Coconut Macaroons.
- Lime and lemon juice: I only use freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice as I find the flavour is brighter and fresher.
- Cream: you'll want to use thickened/heavy cream that has 35% milk fat.
- Storage: cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge for up to three days. Try to keep the cling wrap off the top of the pie in case it sticks.
- Freezing: you can freeze the Creamy Lime Pie for up to a month. It needs to be well covered to prevent freezer burn, so wrap first in cling wrap and then cover with aluminium foil. Defrost in the fridge.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
This post was originally published in August 2019. It has been updated with more information and new photos. The recipe remains the same.
Marian says
Incredibly delicious, and pretty simple to make too. We enjoyed for dessert last night and look forward to eating the leftovers this afternoon!
Alexandra says
Hi Marian!
Thank you for letting me know - I am so happy you enjoyed the pie!
Audrey says
Yum!
Alexandra says
Thanks, Audrey!
Gavin says
PERFECTION - this recipe is as you say “not complicated” but it doesn’t fall short on flavour one bit. Love it!!
Alexandra says
Thank you so much for the terrific comments Gavin, I do appreciate them. 🙂 🙂
Alessia Marciano says
So yummy and SO easy - we will be making this again for sure!
Alexandra says
Thank you so much Alessia!