Blueberry Key Lime Pie
intro
A bright, tangy summer twist on classic Floridian key lime pie, layered with juicy blueberries, buttery graham cracker crust, silky citrus filling, and fluffy whipped cream.
Ingredients
Steps
Make graham cracker crust
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter, stirring until all crumbs are evenly moistened and clump when squeezed. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch (23cm) glass pie dish, using the flat base of a dry measuring cup to compact crumbs into a smooth, even layer. Bake for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining components.
Cook blueberry compote layer
In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine 1 cup of the fresh blueberries and 1 teaspoon cornstarch, stirring to coat every berry evenly. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until berries burst, release deep purple juice, and the liquid thickens to a syrupy, jam-like consistency. Remove the pan from heat, and spread the warm compote in a thin, even layer across the bottom of the cooled graham cracker crust, then set aside.
Mix key lime filling
In a large mixing bowl, whisk 4 room-temperature large egg yolks and 1 tablespoon key lime zest for 1 minute until the mixture is pale yellow and slightly frothy. Pour in the full 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk, whisking continuously for 2 minutes until the mixture is fully combined and silky smooth. Slowly stir in ¾ cup fresh key lime juice, mixing just until incorporated—do not overmix, as this can cause the filling to curdle. Gently fold in ½ cup of fresh blueberries, taking care not to crush them fully so they leave faint purple streaks in the filling.
Bake and chill the pie
Pour the key lime filling evenly over the blueberry compote layer in the crust, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes, until the outer 1 inch of the filling is fully set but the very center jiggles slightly like Jell-O when the dish is gently nudged. Remove from oven and let cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack for 1 hour, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours (or up to 24 hours) until the filling is fully firm.
Whip cream topping
When you are ready to serve the pie, prepare the whipped cream: in a chilled medium bowl, combine 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until soft, billowy peaks form that hold their shape without drooping when the beaters are lifted.
Top and serve pie
Dollop the freshly whipped cream over the top of the fully chilled pie, spreading it in loose, decorative swirls with a spatula, or piping it for a more polished look. Scatter the remaining ½ cup of fresh blueberries over the whipped cream, and add a light pinch of extra key lime zest for garnish if desired. Slice the pie into 8 even wedges and serve immediately while cold.
Tips
2.Do not slice the pie before it chills for the full recommended time; warm or partially chilled pie will have a runny, loose filling that does not hold clean, neat slice edges.
3.For extra-stable, fluffy whipped cream, chill your mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes before whipping, and use ice-cold heavy cream to prevent the topping from deflating quickly.
Made this for our post-hike potluck with the trail group last weekend and people were scraping the pan clean! The balance of tangy key lime and juicy blueberries is perfect for hot summer days, no cloyingly sweet filling like so many other key lime pie recipes I’ve tried. Will 100% be making this again for our 4th of July cookout.
Super straightforward recipe even for someone who burns toast half the time! My kids loved it, even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds. I used frozen blueberries because that’s all I had on hand and it still turned out great, though next time I’ll grab fresh for that extra pop. Only note is I wish the crust recipe was a little crisper, but that’s probably me not pressing it hard enough into the pan.
As someone who grew up eating key lime pie straight from the Keys, I was skeptical about adding blueberries. Y’all. This is a game changer. The blueberry swirl cuts the richness of the condensed milk perfectly, it doesn’t feel heavy at all. My grandma even asked for the recipe, which is the highest compliment possible in my book.
Brought this to my office potluck earlier that day and not a single slice was left! People kept coming up to ask me if I bought it from a fancy bakery, little did they know it took me 45 minutes max to prep. The purple swirl from the blueberries looks so pretty on a dessert table too, total eye candy.
Made this for my daughter’s high school graduation party a few days back and it was a hit! I accidentally used regular limes instead of key limes because the grocery store was out, and it was still delicious. Pro tip: top with a little extra whipped cream and a lime wedge for serving, makes it look super fancy with zero effort.
Just popped this into the fridge to chill! Swapped the condensed milk for coconut condensed milk to make it dairy free for my roommate, and the leftover filling I scraped from the bowl is insane. The kitchen smells like lime and sweet blueberries, I already know it’s going to be a new summer favorite.
SO good. My partner and I just had our first slices after letting it chill all day, we made it last night for our date night in and ended up eating half the pie while watching a movie. No regrets. The graham cracker crust is buttery and perfect, I could eat that alone tbh.
Taste was great, but I had a little trouble with the blueberry layer sinking to the bottom of the filling when I baked it. Did I do something wrong? I followed the measurements exactly, just maybe my oven runs hot? Not a total disaster, just didn’t look as pretty as the photos.
As a college student with basically zero kitchen equipment, I was shocked how easy this was! I didn’t even have a pie dish, I used a square baking pan and it still turned out amazing. My dorm mates are already begging me to make it again before finals week.
I swapped the regular graham cracker crust for a gluten free graham cracker crust and it came out perfectly! This is the first dessert I’ve made in months that my whole extended family could eat, since we have a few celiac relatives. No weird texture or aftertaste at all.
Made this for my neighborhood block party over the weekend and people were asking for the recipe before I even set the pie down on the dessert table! The tart lime is so refreshing when it’s 90 degrees out, way better than heavy chocolate cake or cookies.
I prepped this on Sunday to have as a little treat throughout the work week, and it held up perfectly in the fridge for 4 days! The crust didn’t get soggy at all, which is usually my biggest issue with cream pies. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I wish there was a little more blueberry flavor, I might add extra berries next time.
I’ve been baking pies for over 40 years, and I’m always looking for fun twists on classic recipes. I baked this earlier today for my grandkids’ visit, and it’s a keeper! I added a tiny pinch of sea salt on top right before serving, and it made all the flavors pop so much more. Highly recommend that little hack.
Made this for my sister’s baby shower over the weekend and it was the perfect color scheme for her blue-themed party! The light purple and pale yellow swirl looked so cute next to the blue cupcakes and decor. Everyone raved about how light and fresh it was, perfect for a daytime shower.
Wait, quick silly question — I loved this pie when my cousin made it last month, so I’m making it for my dad’s Father’s Day dinner this weekend! Do I need to use key limes specifically? My local grocery store only has regular Persian limes right now, would that totally mess up the recipe?
Game. Changer. I had a slice of this at a friend’s house last weekend and immediately hunted down the recipe because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The creamy filling, the buttery crust, the bright blueberry swirl? I’m never making regular key lime pie again. 10/10
This was so tasty, but my blueberry swirl turned out more of a solid purple than pretty distinct swirls like in the photo. I think I over-mixed it when I was dragging a knife through the filling! It still tasted incredible, just not as Instagram-worthy as I hoped. Any tips for getting that clean swirl next time?
Made this for our weekly friend brunch and it was the perfect sweet end to our spread of eggs, bacon, and mimosas! It’s light enough that you don’t feel stuffed after eating a slice, even after a big heavy brunch. My friends already requested it for next week’s brunch too.
Wait a second, I thought this was a no-bake pie? I was confused when I saw it needed 20 minutes in the oven! I almost skipped the baking step entirely, glad I read the instructions twice. It was delicious, just not what I was expecting when I clicked on an ‘easy’ pie recipe.
Random pro tip: I made the graham cracker crust in my air fryer instead of the oven! 8 minutes at 350 degrees and it was perfectly toasty and buttery, no heating up the whole kitchen in this brutal summer heat. The rest of the recipe I followed exactly and it turned out chef’s kiss.