Lime Pie with Gingersnap Crust (via Magnolia Bakery) | Pie Month

This is the 11th entry in our Month of Pie. Pie Month is a celebration of things we love. Because life is hard, and there should always be more pie. Have a look at the other entries. Really. 

Pie #1 - Lemon Cream Icebox Pie

Pie #2 - Malted Crisp Tart

Pie #3 - Apple Green-Chili Pie with Cheddar Crust and Walnut Streusel

Pie #4 - Peanut Butter Cream Pie with Chocolate Whipped Cream

Pie #5 - Butterscotch Cream Pie with Gingersnap Crust and Cashew Brittle

Pie #6 - Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust

Pie #7 - Chocolate Kahlua Pie

Pie #8 - Bacon and Egg Pizza

Pie #9 - Pork Confit Pie with Creme Fraiche Potatoes and Puff Pastry

Pie #10 - Raspberry Pie and the Perfect Pie Crust 

I love key lime pie. 

I also hate making key lime pie. I know those little green balls of tart demand I get rhapsodic about them, about slicing them in half and squeezing out their life force and making a giant wonderful something something. 

But, honestly, I despise them, truly. So much work. So little juice. So inappropriately expensive here in New Jersey. Cutting them open, getting a wee bit of juice from each key lime, wondering how I’ll ever get enough juice for a pie, while the Pyrex measuring cup seems to be unimpressed with my juicing endeavors.

And so I’ve given up on them. They’re dead to me, those key limes. The citrus name we shall not speak.

However...

As long as the world keeps making gin, this house will always have limes in it. And if there are limes here, there must also be pie.

We love this lime pie recipe from Magnolia Bakery. It has two things working hard for it. First is the gingersnap crust, which pushes back against the sweetened condensed milk, it’s spicy playfulness taunting and finally making friends with the filling.

The second thing that sends this pie over the top is the lime zest. We used our microplane to get a fine cut from the lime, spreading the goodness throughout the filling without letting giant wads of peel destroy the fun.

This pie is no effort at all. Isn’t that nice? Make this pie. Sometimes easy is perfect.

recipe | Lime Pie with Gingersnap Crust (via Magnolia Bakery)


For the crust

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 ½ cups gingersnap cookie crumbs from cookies blitzed in the food processor 

Turn on the oven to 325 F.


In a bowl, combine the butter and cookie crumbs until evenly coated. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Press it harder. Go back again and press the whole bit harder against the sides and bottom of the plate. Slide it into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Go zest and squeeze your limes (not a metaphor). Once the crust is done, take it out and cool it on a rack for 10 minutes.


For the filling

• 21 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup lime juice 
• 1 tablespoon lime zest

In the bowl of your electric mixer, throw in the milk, yolks, and lime juice. Turn on low until its all mixed together. Add the zest and turn on low until you see the flecks throughout the mixture. 


Pour the filling into the crust. Bake for 25-30 minutes. You’re looking for a solid center with no wiggle.


Cool the pie down a bit, between another 20-30 minutes. Then throw it in the refrigerator for 2 hours at least (sorry you have to wait). 

Serve with unsweetened whipped cream and a slice of lime zest if you’re feeling fancy.