Tequila Lime Pie
This light and creamy tequila-spiked lime pie with a macadamia nut cookie crust is unique and delicious!
Today I’m taking this pie off of the archive shelves, dusting it off, and giving it a little love with new photos and better recipe instructions. Because this pie is AWESOME! And I thought we could all use a little extra encouragement to bake it. Like, right now.
Did I mention this pie is awesome?
It’s not your typical lime pie recipe, however. It’s light and creamy, has plenty of lime tartness, and comes with a familiar cookie crust, but that’s where the similarities end. Two things set this apart— tequila and macadamia nuts. It might sound like an odd combination, but it works. It’s a grown up pie with lots of fun tropical flavor!
Does this pie taste like a margarita? Yeah, kinda. Should you drink margaritas while sharing this pie with your friends? Most definitely.
This pie is great for sharing! And perfect for the upcoming summer season.
baking tip:3 ways to make cookie crumbs
- Place whole cookies in a food processor and pulse until cookies are reduced to crumbs.
- Place whole cookies in a zip top plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Place whole cookies in a large bowl or zip top plastic bag and crush with the bottom of a heavy glass or jar.
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Tequila Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 8 ounces vanilla wafers (226 grams, approximately 3 cups)
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts (75 grams)
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted (85 grams)
For the filling:
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (400 grams)
- 1/2 cup lime juice (125 ml)
- 1/4 cup tequila (60 ml)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tablespoon sugar
For the topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (250 ml)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Lime slices or zest for garnish (optional)
- Additional crust crumbs for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9-inch pie or tart pan.
- To make the crust, combine the vanilla wafers and macadamia nuts in a food processor until ground up and uniform in size. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined.
- Press into the prepared pie or tart pan. Bake for about 8 minutes, until it just beings to brown.
- Set aside to cool.
Filling:
- In bowl whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, tequila and egg yolks until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high until foamy, then add the tablespoon sugar gradually while still beating. Continue to beat to soft peaks.
- Carefully fold in the egg whites into the filling mixture until just combined.
- Pour into the pie crust and bake for 25-30 minutes until set and barely wobbly in the middle. Allow it to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes or so, then transfer to the fridge to cool completely, about 3-4 hours or overnight.
Topping:
- Beat the heavy whipping cream until it starts to thicken. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat to medium peaks. Spread on top of cooled pie and chill in the refrigerator at least one hour before serving.
- Garnish with reserved crumbs and lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
- You can make this dessert in either a pie pan or a tart pan. A 9-inch pan is the ideal size, though you could probably get away with either a 10-inch (pie will be thinner) or 8-inch (pie will be thicker, be careful not to overfill crust as it will rise a bit as it bakes).
- You can use either fresh squeezed lime juice (from about 4-6 limes) or bottled lime juice.
- You may have leftover crust crumbs. Save them as a garnish on the finished pie, if desired.
This recipe was originally published July 2011.
I too love how summer brings people together, unlike any other season! This dessert looks fabulous…you can't go wrong with a pie that has tequila in it!
Amazing! I must make this. I've already made 2 pies this summer. Why not one more?
LOVE, all grown up and made for me!
Ooooo idea!
A) This looks beyond awesome.
B) Start your evening with a shot.
C) Make these with the tequila: http://bevcooks.com/2011/06/tequila-glazed-chicken-thighs/
D) Take another shot.
E) End with your dessert!
D) WINNER!
perfect for spring! Love the macadamia nut addition!
Hello there, yummy pie. I might have to make you soon. 🙂
I made this yesterday. It tastes as great as it looks! The consistency of the filling was so airy and light, much like a soufflé. Highly recommend!
Thanks for the feedback Cheryl, so happy you enjoyed this pie!