Fruit

Key Lime Meringue Pie

Name: Key Lime Meringue Pie
Yield: Makes one 9-inch pie
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 graham cracker sheets; 4 tablespoons melted butter; 3 eggs, separated; 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk; 1/2 cup Key lime juice; 2/3 cup sugar

by: Posie (Harwood) Brien

May 15, 2015

4.8

8 Ratings

Makes one 9-inch pie

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Author Notes

Adapted from the Nellie & Joe's Key lime bottle, this is a basic yet perfect Key lime pie. I've added a meringue topping to cool the tartness of the citrus. —Posie (Harwood) Brien

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine.
Press the graham cracker mixture into a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan. Bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
While the crust is baking, whisk together the 3 egg yolks, condensed milk, and Key lime juice until blended. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 15 minutes, or until barely jiggly in the center. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
In a stand mixer or large clean bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Slowly add the sugar and whip until the egg whites are in stiff peaks. Spoon the meringue over the cooled pie filling.
If you want to toast the topping, use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the outside of the meringue or place it under the broiler on high. WATCH it carefully! It will brown very, very quickly!

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Posie (Harwood) Brien
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11 Reviews

Tony June 10, 2023

This is more typical of a French meringue, and unlike other accounts of people making it, it didn’t seem like I had any problem with its stability despite not having an acid or cornstarch mixture. However, even though the texture came out beautiful and there was no beading, the meringue still split down the middle when it cooled and wept a bunch of syrup. I read that it’s better to put the French meringue on warm pie filling instead of cooled to help it cook faster, which I did, and then I put it under the broiler. I can’t tell what I did wrong and I don’t know if it’s safe to eat due to the egg whites. Has anyone else run into this?

Karenrn70 February 9, 2023

Sweeten Condensed Milk was introduced to Florida right after the Civil War. Due to lack of refrigeration it kept well with a long shelf life. Conchs would use Key Lime juice to cut the sweetness of the milk and it eventually was made into a pie. I know grandma wouldn’t waste egg yolks and IMO meringue is more authentic of the original recipe. I think now it is just easier for restaurants or stores to use whipped cream and it would have a longer shelf life with the whipped cream.

Karenrn70 February 9, 2023

Meant egg whites not yolks.

judy November 18, 2021

Finally got around to making this pie. Only addition was the zest of the limes I juiced. So good. Thanks!

mattbordas November 27, 2020

Perfect recipe! Didn’t use butter and broiled it instead of the torch. Brought me back to Miami

Emily G. April 25, 2020

A sure fire crowd pleaser and SO easy! Merangue on top creates perfect balance to tart lime. I had a hard time trying to get the crust evenly spread, with fingers - so next time will try to use another pie dish to press them into place, not sure if that will work but sharing in case someone else wants to give it a shot.

DPhiAnt August 4, 2019

First time making this recipe, I had to make some alterations for the crust (graham crackers got pilfered - I essentially have an oatmeal base) and I had to make the Condensed Milk (forgot to pick it up st the store).
It’s been in the oven for half an hour and is still fluid - not “jiggly”, but the outside is starting to set up - other than that, which may be me - loving this recipe so far. Am I goobering definition of “jiggly”?

DPhiAnt August 4, 2019

Just realized there was a “Questions” tab, should have posted this there - my bad!

Joanna March 17, 2016

About how much in cups does 12 sheets of graham cracker amount to? Thank you!

Posie (. March 17, 2016

About 2 cups, I'd say! Give or take.