Copycat Publix Key Lime Pie Recipe is a homemade buttery graham cracker crust filled with a sweet and tangy key lime filling and adorned with homemade whipped cream and slivered almonds. SO delicious!
Have you ever had Publix Key Lime Pie? Publix is known for their ever-popular Pub Subs, fried chicken, apple crumb pie, delicious bread and their amazing Publix Key Lime Pie.
Publix Key Lime Pie has a yummy graham cracker crust, an amazing key lime pie filling (I make mine with regular limes and it’s perfect), piped whipped cream and slivered almonds. Super delish! I had to duplicate it and I think I did pretty good if I do say so myself. This pie is heaven on a plate my friends.
You can make this pie completely homemade down to the crust and whipped cream, or you can do a semi-homemade version as I will explain below. Either way, it will be a hit!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
For the crust
- graham cracker crumbs or graham crackers (You will have to crush.)
- butter, melted
- sugar
For the filling
- regular or key limes (You can also use bottled key lime juice, instead, if you prefer. But you will still need limes if you want to add zest. It gives the pie extra flavor.)
- egg yolks
- sweetened condensed milk
For the whipped cream topping
- heavy whipping cream
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- slivered almonds
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
For the crust
(If you don’t want to make your crust from scratch, feel free to use a store-bought pre-made graham cracker crust.)
Step 1: Add graham cracker crumbs and sugar to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Or, if you are going to crush the graham crackers yourself, break up graham crackers and add to a food processor.
Pulse until the graham crackers turn into crumbs.
If you do not have a food processor, you can add the graham crackers to a sealed storage bag and use a mallet or a rolling pin to crush them.
Step 2: Mix together until combined.
Step 3: Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl or cup in 20-second increments until melted.
Pour butter onto crumbs.
Step 4: Stir until combined.
Step 5: Pour the crumbs into your pie plate.
Using a small measuring cup or your hands, press crumbs down evenly into the bottom and up to the sides of the pie plate.
Step 6: Once you have your crumbs pressed evenly into your pie plate, refrigerate the crust for 15-20 minutes.
For the filling
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350° F.
Zest limes with a zester until you have 1 tablespoon and set aside. Juice limes until you have 1/2 cup of juice.
(You can use bottled key lime juice, instead, if you prefer.)
Step 2: Add egg yolks to a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
Step 3: Add lime juice.
Step 4: Add sweetened condensed milk.
Step 5: Whisk together until combined.
Step 6: Add zest.
Step 7: Mix well until zest is evenly incorporated.
Step 8: Remove pie plate from refrigerator and pour filling into the crust.
Step 9: Smooth filling evenly with a rubber/silicone spatula.
Step 10: Let pie cool for about 30 minutes and then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
For the whipped cream topping
(You can skip this step and use store-bought whipped cream or topping and omit piping the border onto the pie.)
Step 1: Add heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer.
Step 2. Using a wire whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed until thick peaks form. (I scrape down the bowl when I see soft peaks form and then beat the rest of the way.)
Hint: If you’re using a stand mixer, make sure to use the plastic shield so the cream doesn’t splatter while whipping.
If you’re using a hand mixer, you can partially cover your bowl as best you can with a dish towel to keep from splattering.
Step 3: Using a large disposable piping bag or a large reusable piping bag, insert your 1M piping tip into the bag to the end.
Step 4: Using scissors, mark about halfway up the tip on the piping bag. (Doing this shows you where to cut the bag.)
Step 5: Cut the bag using the mark you made with the scissors.
Step 6: Push the tip all the way down into the bag.
Step 7: Holding your piping bag in one hand, cuff the bag onto your hand to form an opening.
Fill the piping bag about halfway full with whipped cream. Refill as needed.
Step 8: Twist the bag closed. You can use a decorating bag tie if you have one.
Step 9: Decorate the outer edge of the pie with a shell border, if you know how, or a star border.
To pipe a star border, hold the bag straight up, with the tip just slightly above the surface of the pie.
Squeeze the bag to form a star. Use light pressure to form a small star; add more pressure to make a bigger star.
Stop squeezing before pulling tip away. Repeat all around the pie.
Step 10: Sprinkle slivered almonds onto the whipped cream border.
Step 11: Slice and enjoy!
Hint: When pressing my graham cracker crumbs into my pie plate, I like to use a metal 1/4 or 1/2 cup measuring cup. It works great and helps to get the crumbs pressed in there nice and even.
Substitutions
- Crust – you can use a store-bought, pre-made graham cracker crust and your pie will still be delicious. I do love a homemade crust, though, because it comes out so buttery and more flavorful.
- Lime juice– for this recipe, you can use regular limes or key limes and juice them. Or you can buy key lime juice already made. Either way, your pie will taste delicious!
- Topping – you can make homemade whipped cream for this pie, or you can purchase store-bought whipped cream or topping. I personally LOVE homemade whipped cream. And the pie looks closer to the Publix version when you pipe the whipped cream.
Variations
- Mini pies – to change things up, you can make mini key lime pies using cupcake tins or store-bought Ready Crust Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crusts. Perfect for a dessert table or brunch.
- Pie crust flavors – if you don’t want to use a graham cracker crust, you can make a shortbread crust or buy a store-bought, ready-made shortbread crust.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie plate
- zester
- juicer
- large disposable piping bag or a large reusable piping bag
- 1M piping tip
- measuring cups and spoons
- medium and large mixing bowl
- stand or hand mixer
- rubber/silicone spatula
- scissors
- whisk
Storage
Store key lime pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Key lime pie can be frozen for up to 3 months wrapped in plastic wrap and stored inside an airtight container or sealed freezer bag.
Top tip
If you’re using a stand mixer to make your whipped cream, make sure to use the plastic shield so the cream doesn’t splatter while whipping.
If you’re using a hand mixer, you can partially cover your bowl as best you can with a dish towel to keep from splattering.
Related
Looking for other pie recipes? Visit my pie page!
Copycat Publix Key Lime Pie Recipe
Equipment
- stand or hand mixer
- 9-inch pie plate
- zester
- juicer
- large disposable piping bag or a large reusable piping bag
- 1M piping tip
- measuring cups and spoons
- medium and large mixing bowl
- Rubber/silicone spatula
- scissors
- whisk
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups (210g) graham cracker crumbs or 14 full sheets of graham crackers if you're crushing them yourself
- 1/2 cup (114g) butter melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
For the filling
- 4 regular (Persian) or 20-25 key limes For 1/2 cup of lime juice and the zest from two of the limes. (You can also use bottled key lime juice, instead, if you prefer. You will still need limes if you want to add zest. It gives the pie extra flavor)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 14 ounces (396g) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon lime zest About 2 limes
For the whipped cream topping
- 2 cups (454g) heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup (28g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (57g) slivered almonds
Instructions
For the crust
- Add graham cracker crumbs and sugar to a medium-sized mixing bowl. (Or, if you are going to crush the graham crackers yourself, break up graham crackers and add to a food processor. Pulse until the graham crackers turn into crumbs. If you do not have a food processor, you can add the graham crackers to a sealed storage bag and use a mallet or a rolling pin to crush them.)
- Mix together until combined.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl or cup in 20-second increments until melted.
- Pour butter onto crumbs. Stir until combined.
- Pour the crumbs into your pie plate.
- Using a small measuring cup or your hands, press crumbs down evenly into the bottom and up to the sides of the pie plate.
- Once you have your crumbs pressed evenly into your pie plate, refrigerate the crust for 15-20 minutes.
For the filling
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Zest limes with a zester until you have 1 tablespoon and set aside.
- Juice limes until you have 1/2 cup of juice. (You can use bottled key lime juice, instead, if you prefer.)
- Add egg yolks to a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add lime juice and sweetened condensed milk.
- Whisk together until combined.
- Add zest. Mix well until zest is evenly incorporated.
- Remove pie plate from refrigerator and pour filling into the crust.
- Smooth filling evenly with a rubber/silicone spatula.
- Bake pie in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven
- Let pie cool for about 30 minutes and then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
For the whipped cream topping
- Add heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer.
- Using a wire whisk attachment, beat cream on high speed until thick peaks form. (I scrape down the bowl when I see soft peaks form and then beat the rest of the way.)Hint: If you're using a stand mixer, make sure to use the plastic shield so the cream doesn't splatter while whipping. If you're using a hand mixer, you can partially cover your bowl as best you can with a dish towel to keep from splattering.
- Using a large disposable piping bag or a large reusable piping bag, insert your 1M piping tip into the bag to the end.
- Using scissors, mark about halfway up the tip on the piping bag. (Doing this shows you where to cut the bag.)
- Cut the bag using the mark you made with the scissors.
- Push the tip all the way down into the bag.
- Holding your piping bag in one hand, cuff the bag onto your hand to form an opening.
- Fill the piping bag about halfway full with whipped cream. Refill bag as needed.
- Twist the bag closed. You can use a decorating bag tie if you have one.
- Decorate the outer edge of the pie with a shell border, if you know how, or a star border.To pipe a star border, hold the hold the bag straight up, with the tip just slightly above the surface of the pie. Squeeze the bag to form a star. Use light pressure to form a small star; add more pressure to make a bigger star. Stop squeezing before pulling tip away. Repeat all around the pie.
- Sprinkle slivered almonds onto the whipped cream border.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
This copycat Publix key lime pie recipe is so much like the Publix pie you will want to make it ALL the time! We really can’t resist it in our house. Whether you want a yummy Spring or Summer dessert or a pie for Thanksgiving, this one is a winner.
If you make my recipe, I would love to hear from you in the comments below. And for another delicious pie recipe, try my No Bake Peanut Butter Pie!
Sweet regards,
Michele
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