Sara Forte Says Her 'Classic' Key Lime Pie Recipe 'Requires No Skill' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Sara Forte’s Key Lime Pie.Photo:Morgan Hunt Glaze

Morgan Hunt Glaze

Sara Forteknows not to mess with a good thing — especially when it’s key lime pie.“This dessert is more ‘classic’ than the way I usually cook, but that’s how my Dad likes his food,” says the blogger and author of her newAround Our Tablecookbook. “So I included it in the book for nostalgia’s sake.“Forte’s recipe is “so easy,” she says. “It requires no skill besides following directions. The sweetened condensed milk also helps spare you any casualties that could happen when making a traditional custard.”“Creamy, tart, sweet — it has it all!” she adds.Sara Forte’s Key Lime Pie12 graham cracker sheets (from 1 [14.4-oz.] box)7 Tbsp. (3½ oz.) salted butter, at room temperature2 Tbsp. granulated sugar4 large egg yolks3 tsp. grated lime zest, plus ½ cup fresh juice, divided (from 4 limes)1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk2 cups cold heavy whipping cream1 cup (4 oz.) unsifted powdered sugar1 tsp. vanilla extract¼ tsp. kosher saltThin fresh lime slices, for serving1.Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor to a fine crumb, about 18 pulses. Add butter and granulated sugar; pulse until mixture is damp-looking and sandy, about 12 pulses. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie dish, using bottom of a measuring cup or damp fingers to press firmly. Bake in oven until fragrant and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Using bottom of measuring cup, press crust again to pack it down a little more. Let cool slightly on wire rack, about 30 minutes.2.Whisk together egg yolks and 2 teaspoons of the zest in a large bowl until combined and aerated, about 30 seconds. Whisk in condensed milk and ½ cup lime juice until well-combined. Pour lime mixture into cooled crust; bake at 350° until filling is set but not brown, about 12 minutes. Let pie cool to room temperature on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled and set, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. (If refrigerating more than 2 hours, loosely cover with plastic wrap.)3.Whisk cream in a large bowl until beginning to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt; whisk until medium-stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Spoon whipped cream in a large pile over cooled pie, leaving a ½-inch border around edge of pie. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon lime zest. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled and whipped cream is set, about 1 hour. Slice and serve, garnished with lime slices.Serves:8Active time:30 minutesTotal time:5 hours, 25 minutes (includes 4 hours, 30 minutes chilling time)

Sara Forteknows not to mess with a good thing — especially when it’s key lime pie.

“This dessert is more ‘classic’ than the way I usually cook, but that’s how my Dad likes his food,” says the blogger and author of her newAround Our Tablecookbook. “So I included it in the book for nostalgia’s sake.”

Forte’s recipe is “so easy,” she says. “It requires no skill besides following directions. The sweetened condensed milk also helps spare you any casualties that could happen when making a traditional custard.”

“Creamy, tart, sweet — it has it all!” she adds.

Sara Forte’s Key Lime Pie

12 graham cracker sheets (from 1 [14.4-oz.] box)

7 Tbsp. (3½ oz.) salted butter, at room temperature

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

4 large egg yolks

3 tsp. grated lime zest, plus ½ cup fresh juice, divided (from 4 limes)

1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups cold heavy whipping cream

1 cup (4 oz.) unsifted powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. kosher salt

Thin fresh lime slices, for serving

1.Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor to a fine crumb, about 18 pulses. Add butter and granulated sugar; pulse until mixture is damp-looking and sandy, about 12 pulses. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie dish, using bottom of a measuring cup or damp fingers to press firmly. Bake in oven until fragrant and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Using bottom of measuring cup, press crust again to pack it down a little more. Let cool slightly on wire rack, about 30 minutes.

2.Whisk together egg yolks and 2 teaspoons of the zest in a large bowl until combined and aerated, about 30 seconds. Whisk in condensed milk and ½ cup lime juice until well-combined. Pour lime mixture into cooled crust; bake at 350° until filling is set but not brown, about 12 minutes. Let pie cool to room temperature on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled and set, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. (If refrigerating more than 2 hours, loosely cover with plastic wrap.)

3.Whisk cream in a large bowl until beginning to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt; whisk until medium-stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Spoon whipped cream in a large pile over cooled pie, leaving a ½-inch border around edge of pie. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon lime zest. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled and whipped cream is set, about 1 hour. Slice and serve, garnished with lime slices.

Serves:8Active time:30 minutesTotal time:5 hours, 25 minutes (includes 4 hours, 30 minutes chilling time)

source: people.com