Luscious, creamy, tart, sweet, potent, toasty, and nutty, just a few ways to describe this Key Lime Pie recipe! The sweet & salty coconut-macadamia crust combined with the bright, tangy lime make for a dangerously tempting Key Lime Pie!
Real life: I nicked the top of this Key Lime Pie getting it into the fridge to chill! Believe it or not, it’s the first time I’ve done that to a dessert. Can you even see it?? It wasn’t worth redoing the whole pie…
Most recipes for Key Lime Pie are super simple, and require only a handful of ingredients. This isn’t incredibly different than a typical key lime pie recipe in that respect: you don’t need a ton of ingredients, and the pie is easy to make overall.
So then how does this Key Lime Pie recipe differentiate itself from others?
Two key ways! #1: It’s taller. Almost deep-dish. Well, maybe not quite, but it’s a lot thicker than a typical Key Lime Pie. Your life was definitely missing a near deep-dish Key Lime Pie recipe, and now you have one! It’s got much more filling than other key lime pies.
The filling itself is a breeze. Whisk together a few things, and pour in the pie shell. That’s it. Okay, okay….. it does take a little work to zest the limes and squeeze them. Do you have a juicer? Get a juicer. Game-changer, for sure!
The filling is potent, because that’s how I like all things citrus to be (do you?). I like my citrus desserts to be very potent and bursting with tang. It’s also exceptionally silky and luscious because I used extra yolks! A few less whole eggs, and a few more yolks will yield a more rich, creamy filling.
And #2 (did you forget what we were counting?): The crust! Graham cracker crumb crusts are very ho-hum in my book, though I’ve grown to appreciate them, but if I can amp up a regular graham cracker crust, I will. This crust is embedded with finely ground macadamia nuts and coconut.
I used roasted, salted macadamia nuts, and I love how they provide contrast to the sweetness of the coconut and the graham crackers. The sweet and salty crust with the bright, tangy lime makes for a dangerously tempting pie!
How else to describe this easy Key Lime Pie? Luscious, creamy, tart, sweet, potent, toasty, nutty. All come to mind! Quick and simple to put together, and big-time reward. Key Lime Pie is one of my favorite desserts of all-time, and I had to make sure you got one of my favorite versions.
Other key lime desserts on the blog? Check out these: Coconut Macadamia Key Lime Thumbprints, Key Lime Angel Food Cupcakes, Key Lime Whoopie Pies with Macadamia Nut Buttercream, White Chocolate Key Lime Pots de Creme, Key Lime Cheesecake with Pretzel Crust, and Key Lime Crepes with Blueberry Sauce. LOTS of options!
Key Lime Pie with Coconut Macadamia Crust
The sweet & salty coconut-macadamia crust combined with the bright, tangy lime make for a dangerously tempting pie!
Ingredients
For crust:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 12 full sheets
- 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted, salted macadamia nuts
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
For filling:
- 2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup fresh key lime juice
- 1 whole large egg + 2 yolks
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For topping:
- 1 cup whipped topping
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted macadamia nuts
- 1/4 cup toasted coconut
Instructions
For crust:
- In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, macadamia nuts, coconut, brown sugar, and melted butter.
- Press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare filling.
For filling & topping:
- In a large bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, whole egg, yolks, and vanilla.
- Pour into pie crust.
- Return to oven, and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until set.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Chill thoroughly, at least 2 hours.
- Garnish with whipped topping (I used a star tip to pipe it onto the pie), macadamia nuts, and toasted coconut.
- Cut and serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
Best key lime pie crust I have had in my life! The entire pie is good, but I have never had a crust that good! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Omgosh, yay!! I’m so happy to hear that!
OK this pie is spectacular. I had regular (not deep-dish) 8-inch pie plates and got two full pies out of the recipe — plenty of both filling and crust. Perfect after a taco bar with a pitcher of margaritas! It was a Father’s Day celebration and my dad fully approved.
The recipe made two whole regular-sized 8-inch pies?? Omg! Wow, that’s amazing. Thank you for letting me know. I think I’ll go add that as a reader note in the recipe, in case anyone else wants to use smaller pie plates too. Thanks so much for your feedback, and I’m sooooo glad you liked the recipe! And your Dad too. 🙂