Key Lime Pie with Pretzel Graham Cracker Crust is my dream summer dessert. This pie has a tasty crust of both graham crackers and pretzels.
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This Key Lime Pie with Pretzel Graham Cracker Crust has an appealing steep angled crust through using a cake pan instead of pie pan. It was made for a summer pool event one year and it was inhaled by all the guests. I took home just the dessert setting with a big smile. I used Rold Gold Pretzels for this recipe and this is definitely the secret ingredient. The pretzel crumbs gave it a salty element that balanced the sour and sweet in the key lime pie so well. This pie is a refreshing dessert with a beautiful meringue trim garnish.
Meringue garnish calls for 2 eggs instead of a full recipe of 4 eggs. You will still have leftover meringue mixture unless you decide to decorate your pie with more meringue which I think will be beautiful as well! The smaller the meringue floret stars, the less chance for any egg white liquid to come out of the floret stars when the pie is cooling in the refrigerator. So go with less meringue floret stars or take a chance and can always dab away the egg liquid on the key lime tart before serving!
Key Lime Pie with Pretzel Graham Cracker Crust
Equipment
- 1 electric mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Pretzel Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs food processed into crumbs
- 1/2 cup pretzel crumbs food processed into crumbs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter melted
Key Lime Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 can condensed milk 300 ml can
- 3/4 cup key lime juice
- 1 Tbsp key lime zest
- 2 cups half and half cream
Meringue Garnish
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Pretzel Graham Cracker Crust
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, pretzel crumbs, and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 10'' springform cake pan.
- Bake at 350 F for 8 minutes. Let the crust cool completely before spreading pie filling. Set aside to make pie filling.
Key Lime Pie Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer or stand mixer on medium speed, beat heavy cream until slightly thickened.
- Add sugar and beat until soft peaks are formed.
- Add condensed milk and beat until stiff peaks are formed.
- Beat in lime juice, lime zest, and half and half until mixture is smooth.
- Spread pie filling evenly into cooled crust.
- Cover and refrigerate pie for at least 2 hours so it is cooled down and firm enough before piping meringue on top.
Meringue Garnish
- In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, sugar, and salt until firm peaks are formed.
- Fill meringue in an icing piping bag with an open star tip. Pipe small floret stars on the filling around the pie crust edge.
- Bake for 3-5 minutes at 300 F until meringue is slightly browned. Monitor closely to prevent over baking.
- Cover and refrigerate pie for 4 to 6 hours until firm before cutting into slices. Serve cold.
If you loved this pie, you will likely love the upcoming pies I will be posting! Stay tuned!
There are to types of creams used in this recipe. If you need more information for the creams, check out BC Dairy’s page.
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