Desserts, EVR: Effort Vs Reward

Key Lime Pie or Lemon Pie

Entry Level Baking – A Kid Friendly Journey

This is a royal dessert of ease and deliciousness. With but a can of condensed, sweetened milk and a store bought pie crust, you’re halfway there.

I grow key limes in my Florida yard; she’s is a brooding mare for fruit! Whenever I pick 9 limes, I’m ready. This pie is very forgiving: if you have regular limes or any sour citrus you’re on your way. If you’re looking for key limes, I have sourced them in Walmart produce. I have not used bottled juice, so I can’t recommend.

I also found a lemon pie with a unique twist: exchange eggs with yogurt for an equally rich pie filling

Below, I include several crumb crusts—cooked or raw—if you want to make this pie totally from scratch

KEY LIME PIE Either of the following pies can interchange limes and lemons [or combine both!]

INGREDIENTS: This is for an 8 inch pie. If using a 9 inch crust or deep dish pan, make one-and-a-half times the filling. If using a store bought crust, they are pre-baked, just add the filling and do a final bake off [see below]

  • PIE CRUST – 1 eight inch crust store bought or:
    • graham crackers – 1 1/2 cups [or ginger snaps, or other crisp cookie]
    • sugar – 1/4 cup
    • butter – 1/4 cup, melted
  • FILLING
    • sweetened condensed milk – 1 can
    • egg yolks – 4
    • lime juice – 1/2 cup, fresh is best [about 9 key limes]
    • salt – 1/4 tsp
  • ADD IN OPTIONS:
    • lime zest – very finely grated
    • 2-3 TBS light rum
Using Keebler Brand Graham Pie Shell

Serve with Whipped Cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 325º
  2. Crust: process cookies into fine grind, mix in sugar and melted butter
  3. Pour into 9″pie pan and press in using a measuring cup and fingers
  4. Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly browned in spots; cool
  5. Pie filling: Combine milk, yolks, juice, and salt
  6. Pour batter into pie shell and bake for 15-20 minutes, until it is set near the edges and still jiggles in the center
  7. Cool, and refrigerate

LEMON PIE Enjoy a similar pie using lemons and exchange sour cream for the egg yolks. Note: if using Meyer lemons, you need to boost the tart level by adding 1-2 tsp rice vinegar to produce a sharper complexity.

L: Mixing Filling for Either Pie R: Lemon Squares with Yogurt Topping

Note: to Create a “Lemon or Lime Squares” Double the Recipe and Use an 8 x 10 pan

INGREDIENTS: Choose a crust. This recipe is a version of North Carolina Lemon Pie that uses the saltine cracker crust below. I enjoy it as a mirror version of Key Lime with graham cracker crust

  • sweetened condensed milk – 2 cups
  • sour cream – 1/2 cup
  • 3/4 cup lemon juice
  • lemon zest – 2 TBS
  • salt – 1/4 tsp

INSTRUCTIONS : Follow the directions above to complete and bake off.

Crumb Crust Options:

Enjoy any number of crust options

Pie Crust Options: Here are No-Roll Crusts that will Beautifully Support Your Pie

Partially Baked Crusts

These crusts are partially baked and then finished after adding the filling

North Carolina Cracker Crust This is the crust traditionally used with the Lemon Pie filling

  • saltine crackers – 6 oz,  [36 crackers)
  • salt – pinch
  • butter – 10 TBS, melted
  • light corn syrup – ¼ cup 
  1. In a food processor combine salt and crumbled crackers and pulse into coarse texture
  2. Pour in the butter and syrup and pulse until like coarse sand
  3. Butter a pie pan and place contents onto plate and press evenly using a measuring cup [and up the sides]
  4. Preheat the oven to 350º and bake the pie crust about 15-17 minutes
  5. You’re now ready to add the pie batter and bake off

Nut Crumb Crust

  • almonds, raw – 1 cup, finely ground
  • rolled oats – 1/2 cup, finely ground
  • salt – 1/8 tsp
  • neutral oil – 3 TBS
  • maple syrup – 1 TBS
  • water – 2 TBS 

  1. Preheat oven to 375º  
  2. In a food processor add the nuts and oats and grind finely
  3. Combine nut mixture with other ingredients and mix well
  4. Press into a 9 inch pie plate. Should the crumbs want to stick to your hands, keep them barely moist with water. Start at the center and methodically work the excess to the edges and up the wall of the pie pan. Try to keep the thickness uniform, including the side crust. 
  5. Bake for 12 minutes.
  6. Add the pie filling and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes 

No Bake Crust

Cookie Crumb Crust

No Bake Crust – Makes One 8-inch Tart or Pie Crust If using a larger tart pan or deep dish pie pan, use one-and-a-half times the recipe

  • Chocolate, Graham, Vanilla, or Ginger Snap Crust: 
    • Crunch 1-1/2 cups of either Chocolate Graham Crackers, Graham Crackers, Vanilla Wafers, or Ginger Snaps
    • butter 4 TBS melted 
  1. Crush the cookies and place in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you develop a fine crumb
  2. Melt the butter and mix into the crumbs
  3. Lightly oil pie pan and press the mixture up the sides and firmly on the bottom 
  4. Chill for about an hour or more to set the crust before baking
  5. Add the pie filling and bake off

There are few desserts that will give you such success with so little effort. It’s entry level baking that will bring you glory!

Recipe for Lemon Filling adapted from Alex Guarnaschelli

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