Cooking and Serving: 40 minutes | 8 slices
Ingredients
And of course, everything but the crust in this key lime pie is naturally | Key lime juice – Depending on local availability (and how much time and | Egg yolks – The egg yolks are what give this gluten free key lime pie all of
Description
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 8 slices
Ingredients
And of course, everything but the crust in this key lime pie is naturally
Key lime juice – Depending on local availability (and how much time and
Egg yolks – The egg yolks are what give this gluten free key lime pie all of
Sweetened condensed milk – The sweetness of the condensed milk
Salt – Just a dash of salt amplifies the sweetness and tanginess in such a
Instructions
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
As a kid, I had the perfect slice of key lime pie while in the Florida Keys.
I’ve been chasing that moment ever since. That first creamy-crunchy sweet-n-sour.
bite, the brightest lime flavor, and that smooth custard.
When I returned to Key West just a few years ago, the pie was just as I’d.
remembered it. But if I’d had my gluten free son with me, there would have been.
no safe gluten free key lime pie for him to eat.
If you’re from Key West, or your family is, you may do things a bit differently.
I’m always happy to learn from someone who knows more than I do.
If you’ve ever shied away from making a key lime pie because you thought it was.
too complicated or would take a long time, I’m here to put your fears at ease.
With my gluten free key lime pie recipe, you only spend about 15 minutes putting.
things together before you can put your feet up while it bakes.
Other reasons I love this recipe?
It really is so incredibly easy to make. Short on time? Just use bottled key.
lime juice and a premade gf graham cracker crust (Mi-Del makes one that looks.
good!)— your secret is safe with me!
Why is this gf key lime piece recipe so easy to make? It only requires a few,.
simple ingredients despite being such a decadent dessert.
And of course, everything but the crust in this key lime pie is naturally.
INGREDIENT EXPLANATIONS
Key lime juice – Depending on local availability (and how much time and.
effort you want to put into this recipe), you can use fresh key limes,.
bottled key lime juice, or a blend of lemon and lime juices.
Egg yolks – The egg yolks are what give this gluten free key lime pie all of.
its structure and creaminess. For the leftover whites, make gluten free angel.
Sweetened condensed milk – The sweetness of the condensed milk.
really tapers the tanginess (and sometimes bitterness) of the lime juice, and.
helps the filling set up beautifully.
Salt – Just a dash of salt amplifies the sweetness and tanginess in such a.
Overhead image of baked key lime pie filling in graham cracker crust in metal.
pie plate with blue and white striped towel on top of round wire rack.
image of baked key lime pie filling in graham cracker crust in metal pie plate.
with blue and white striped towel on top of round wire rack.
WHAT MAKES KEY LIME PIE SPECIAL
Key limes are a type of lime. Their juice is brighter and more tart than.
conventional limes. Key lime pie is made with the juice of this tiny,.
The recipe for the filling has only 3 main ingredients: lime juice, egg yolks,.
and sweetened condensed milk. It’s named for Key West, Florida, but the origin.
story of key lime pie.
For every 6 eggs in the recipe I use, below, there’s an entire cup or 8 fluid.
ounces of juice. The acidity in the juice helps to “cook” the egg yolks, which.
we finish in the oven for a clean-slicing pie.
Because you need the acidity of the citrus juice, you can’t make this pie.
without an acidic liquid. But if you can’t find key limes or bottled key lime.
juice, you can come close to the taste with equal parts fresh lemon juice and.
fresh conventional lime juice.
WHERE TO FIND FRESH KEY LIMES (AND HOW TO KNOW THEY’RE AUTHENTIC).
There are some companies that sell what they call fresh “key limes,” but seem.
inauthentic to me. Key limes are small, for limes. And they’re not as dark as.
conventional limes, and they have a yellow-ish cast.
Of course, with any fresh fruits, there can be a lot of variation in color and.
size. They typically come in a mesh bag, and they’re really quite small.
HOW TO JUICE KEY LIMES
size makes using a juice reamer impractical.
To juice them, slice them in half, and squeeze as hard as you can with your.
fingers over a bowl. Then strain out the pits and any pulp.
Key limes on black table with one sliced in half and bottles in background.
limes on black table with one sliced in half and bottles in background.
IS NELLIE AND JOE’S KEY LIME PIE JUICE GLUTEN FREE? IS MANHATTAN?
The only 100% certain way to get pure key lime juice is But they can be difficult to find, and you need a lot of them to make enough.
The ingredients listed on the bottle of Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice are:.
filtered water, Key West lime juice from concentrate, sodium benzoate.
(preservative), and lime oil. There is no statement on their website about.
whether the product is officially gluten free.
The ingredients on the bottle of Manhattan key lime juice are: water, key lime.
concentrate, and less than 1/50 of 1% sodium metabisulfite (preservative). I.
feel comfortable using either bottled juice based on the ingredient list. Please.
make whatever decision is appropriate for your family, based on your own risk.
MAKING A GLUTEN FREE PIE CRUST FOR KEY LIME PIE
I won’t go into too much detail here on making the gluten free graham cracker.
crust as I discuss my two options at length on the gluten free graham cracker.
If you have the time to make your own crust, I highly recommend you do that.
Whether you choose the baked version or go the no-bake route, a DIY crust really.
contributes to the freshness of this homemade gluten free key lime pie.
For the no-bake crust, you only need gluten free graham crackers and unsalted.
butter. If you opt for the baked crust, you’ll need gluten free graham crackers,.
Of course, if you want to save time or just aren’t a fan of crust, you can.
always go crustless — that just means more soft, creamy, delicious key lime pie.
filling with every bite.
MERINGUE TOPPING
Many Key lime pie recipes call for topping the pie with whipped cream (including.
the bottle of Nellie & Joe’s Key West lime juice). That’s how I remember it.
being served whenever I was in Key West.
But there’s a lot of chatter on the web about how the only “right” way to serve.
Key lime pie is with an Italian meringue topping. Of course, there’s no reason.
you shouldn’t serve it however you prefer.
If you’re interested in Italian meringue, I’ve linked to two recipes from other.
sources below. It’s nearly the same as our recipe for homemade marshmallow crème.
To make Italian meringue, you simply cook sugar and water to the “softball.
stage,” then whip it together with egg whites into stiff (but not dry) peaks.
You can then pipe the mixture in mounds and bake it at a very low temperature,.
or just serve it as is on top of your pie.
If you make baked meringues (which are amazingly delicious, make them weeks ahead of time and store them in a single layer, in a sealed.
container in the freezer. They will retain their crispness that way.
Either way, don’t top the pie until you’re nearly ready to serve it. The soft.
meringue will begin to weep, otherwise, and the baked meringues will lose their.
Key limes on table with two brands of bottled key lime juice.
limes on table with two brands of bottled key lime juice.
CHOOSE INGREDIENTS CAREFULLY
There are only three ingredients in key lime pie filling, so each one plays a.
pivotal role in the overall taste of the pie.
Whenever you’re making a recipe that has so few ingredients, you should really.
try to go all out quality-wise.
For the best taste, I recommend making your own sweetened condensed milk. If you.
can swing fresh key limes, go that route; otherwise, choose a quality brand of.
the bottled stuff. And for the eggs, grab the freshest ones rather than the ones.
that have been sitting in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
PLACE THE PIE PLATE ON A BAKING SHEET
Right before and after baking, your gluten free key lime pie will be delicate.
The uncooked filling will be runny, and the baked filling will be soft and.
Because pie pans have such thin rims, it can be difficult to transfer your pie.
to a hot oven, not to mention remove it after baking without accidentally.
dipping your oven mitt into the pie.
To make it easier to handle the pie before and after baking, try using a baking.
pan under the pie dish. You’ll have a larger handhold for keeping errant fingers.
out of the filling and maintaining balance as you move through the kitchen.
LET IT SET
When you pull your baked gluten free key lime pie from the oven, you’ll notice.
it’s a bit wobbly. It won’t be runny per se, but it could feel that way if you.
were to dig in right away.
To ensure the right texture and consistency, you have to give the pie time to.
firm up. Let the pie cool completely, and then transfer it to the refrigerator.
to cool down further so that it can set.
Overhead image of whole key lime pie with meringues and key limes on table.
image of whole key lime pie with meringues and key limes on table.
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
For substitution information regarding the cookie crust, please click over to.
the gluten free graham cracker crust recipe.
filling, here’s how to swap ingredients if you need to avoid other allergens:.
DAIRY FREE
You must use sweetened condensed milk in this recipe. You can make a different.
sort of recipe with the flavors of key lime pie, and without sweetened condensed.
milk (try our no-bake key lime pie.
you can also make this recipe dairy-free.
There are companies that actually sell cans of non-dairy sweetened condensed.
milk, usually made with coconut milk. They’re relatively expensive, but I’m glad.
You can also make your own sweetened condensed milk.
easily than you might think. That recipe (please click the link in the previous.
EGG FREE
I’m afraid I don’t know how to replace this many eggs in a single recipe.
SUBSTITUTE FOR KEY LIMES
If you can’t find fresh key limes at your local grocery store, use key lime.
juice. Otherwise, use one part freshly-squeezed lemon juice and one part.
freshly-squeezed lime juice. You can also use all lemon juice for a gluten free.
GLUTEN FREE KEY LIME PIE RECIPE
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins.
Cook Time: 25 minutes mins.
Chilling time: 2 hours hrs.
overhead image of whole gluten free key lime pie with white meringues.
image of whole gluten free key lime pie with white meringues.
Experience the tart, tangy flavor of gluten free key lime pie when you try this.
easy recipe. This gf key lime pie requires just three ingredients for the.
EQUIPMENT
Handheld mixer or stand mixer.
FOR THE CRUST
1 ¾ cups (350 g) gluten free graham crackers.
8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, melted.
FOR THE FILLING
1 cup (8 fluid ounces) key lime juice, (juice of about 2 pounds key limes).
FOR THE FILLING
1 cup (8 fluid ounces) key lime juice, (juice of about 2 pounds key limes).
Notes
* 6 (150 g) egg yolks, at room temperature
* 2 14-ounce cans (28 ounces total) sweetened condensed milk
* ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
* Grease well a 9-inch pie plate and set it aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
* In a medium-sized bowl, place the cookie crumbs and melted butter, and mix
until the crumbs are moist and begin to hold together. Scrape the crust into
the prepared pie plate.
* With plastic over your hand to prevent the crust from sticking, press the
crust firmly and evenly over the bottom of the pie plate, and halfway up the
sides. Set the pie crust aside.
* In a large bowl, place the lime juice, egg yolks, condensed milk and 1/8
teaspoon kosher salt, and beat with a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted
with the whip attachment until smooth.
* Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Tap the pie plate flat on the
counter a few times to break any air bubbles that have formed.
* Place the pie in the center of the preheated oven, and bake for 18 to 22
minutes, or until the filling is mostly set, but jiggles a bit when moved
gently from side to side.
* It’s a controlled shake, not like it’s still liquid. The filling will have
darkened in color a bit.
* Remove the pie from the oven, and place it on a wire rack. Allow the pie to
cool to room temperature.
* Cover the cooled pie, still in the pie plate, and place it in the
refrigerator and cool at least 2 hours or up to overnight before slicing and
* If you are serving with Italian meringue, do not top the pie at all until
you’re nearly ready to serve it. The soft meringue will begin to weep, and
the baked meringues will lose their crispness after about an hour.
If you don’t have enough fresh key limes to juice or bottled key lime juice, you
can substitute 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) freshly squeezed conventional lime juice
+ 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) freshly squeezed lemon juice.
For soft Italian meringue
For baked Italian meringues
Nutrition information is without meringues.
Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 205mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber:
1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 545IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron:
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an
A key lime pie isn’t the type of pie you can leave out on the counter. It must
stay refrigerated to maintain its texture. That’s actually a good thing because
1) the consistency of a cold slice of key lime pie is absolutely divine 2)
refrigeration lets you store your pie longer.
When storing your gluten free key lime pie in the fridge, wrap it with plastic
wrap to keep it from drying out or taking on fridge odors.
For longer storage, you can freeze the pie. Let it cool completely, and then
wrap it with plastic wrap or aluminum, just as if you were storing in the
fridge. After that, give it a bit more protection from freezer burn it into a zip-top bag.
While the pie will technically last up to three months in the freezer, I find
that the texture starts to change after about a month. When you’re ready to eat
the pie, remove the zip-top bag and place the pie in the fridge to defrost
Is lime juice gluten free?
Yes, unadulterated lime juice is naturally gluten free. If you’re purchasing a
bottle of it rather than squeezing your own, be sure to check product labels
carefully. While the lime juice is unlikely to have gluten-containing
ingredients, it could be subject to cross-contamination at the factory.
Is key lime pie gluten free?
Classic key lime pie filling is typically gluten free. Assuming a baker is
following a traditional recipe, the main ingredients are just eggs, sweetened
condensed milk, and key lime juice.
Where you run into problems is the graham cracker crust. Most store-bought pies
will use graham crackers made from wheat.
Is there flour in key lime pie?
There’s rarely flour in key lime pie filling, but you’ll usually find it in the
How many key limes do you need to make this pie filling?
If you’re squeezing key limes to get the juice for this recipe, you’ll want to
do some hand stretches beforehand. That’s because you’ll need to squeeze roughly
two pounds of limes — or about 40 in total.
Can you make key lime pie with regular limes?
If you absolutely cannot get your hands on anything else, yes, you can use
regular limes to make this gluten free key lime pie recipe. But if you can find
limes at the store, you can probably also find lemons, so I suggest buying equal
parts of both to make a faux key lime juice.
Can you make key lime pie with bottled key lime juice?
Yes! I prefer Nellie & Joe’s brand Key Lime Juice. I find it tastes almost
exactly the same as fresh-squeezed key lime juice. With a lot less fuss!