Key Lime Pie ALL DAY

It’s the best pie. Don’t @ me.

So I was recently in Key West for a gorgeous wedding of my equally gorgeous friend and we spent the weekend drinking and eating and tanning. Yep, it was terrible. Not.

Anyway, if you didn’t know, Key Limes are the thing down there and they make some pretty dang good pie, if you ask me.

To clarify, a Key Lime is literally a lime that was first grown in the Keys of Florida and is common in the southern parts of the world but if you want them in the US, Florida is pretty much the only place to go. They’re more aromatic and smaller than a regular ol’ lime and they bring a uniquely floral flavor that goes beyond just the sour citrus of the standard green fruit.

So let’s discuss this magical pie. If you haven’t had it, fix that. Now.

First of all, it’s got a graham cracker crust which is literally crumbs of graham crackers glued together with melted butter. Just picture that. It’s crunchy and sweet without being overbearing and buttery and ohhhh man it’s so good.

Then that’s topped with a rich but tart custard made from these fabulous key limes that has to be balanced in a way that doesn’t make your teeth don’t fall out from the sugar but your mouth also doesn’t suck in a picker from the tartness of the citrus. It’s a pretty delicate art form to create a perfect key lime custard.

Finally, it should be topped with whipped cream, ideally one that is homemade by the way, so it’s perfectly delicate with just a hint of a sweetness but a lovely rich fat content from the cream that cuts right through the acid of the custard.

I’m actually drooling right now thinking about it. It’s THAT good.

Honestly, I wouldn’t even consider myself a pie person, as I generally prefer cakes or cookies but this stuff is just gold. I don’t love overly sweet desserts which is probably why I’m super into this pie, and it’s one of the first things I go for when I’m in Florida.

If you’re in New York, the only place, and I mean only place that sells worthwhile key lime pie is Steve’s in Red Hook which is insanely good considering it’s made in a weird corner of the city that’s practically impossible to get to. In the summer, he dips them in chocolate and freezes them which is probably the only way a KLP could get even better. Just trust me on this- it’s worth the journey.