Gluten free Key Lime Pie in a jar is an easy winter dessert when limes are in season. If cornstarch is already your go to thickener then it's just a simple swap for gluten free graham-style crackers and you've got yourself a great dessert. By serving it in a jar you avoid the need to bake the crust.
If you are not in love with Mason jars yet, check out Organize for Success with Mason Jars. My system involves seven different jar sizes with only two lids and just telling you this idea makes me happy.
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🍋 Ingredients
Winter is citrus season so make the best of all your favourites; lemon, limes and oranges.
- gluten free graham-style cracker crumbs (I used Kinnickinick)
- butter
- limes (juice and zest)
- cornstarch
- sweetened condensed milk
- whipping cream - the perfect finish with a little lime zest and icing sugar
- eggs
See recipe card for exact amounts.
🍊Key Limes vs Persian Limes
The usual grocery store limes where I live are the Persian variety. They're slightly smaller than a lemon with a similar shape and smooth, green skin.
Key limes are tiny in comparison and are prized for their higher acidity levels. Among my friends key limes are prized for their ability to fit inside a bottle of Mexican beer. 🤣
Round in shape and often sold in bags, key limes flourished in the Florida Keys in the early 1900’s. Around the same time canned sweetened condensed milk was newly available and the Key Lime Pie was born.
Sadly a hurricane wiped out the crop and key limes are no longer commercially grown in Florida. Yet Key Lime Pie became a favourite dessert and is still popular today.
🍋Substitutions
Key Limes - Feel free to use Persian limes. For this recipe I bought tiny key limes and juiced them, thirty of them! It was tedious and I'm not sure I could appreciate the difference.
Real Limes vs Lime Juice Concentrate - I keep bottled juice in my fridge and enjoy the convenience of it for salad dressings, marinades and everyday cooking. When I make dessert, especially when the citrus is the star, I will definitely buy real fruits and juice them. In your kitchen if it's no dessert vs Key Lime Pie with lime juice concentrate, you'll be able to make that decision in the moment.
🍊Variations
I tried a few variations of Key Lime Pie when I visited Florida for an Allergy Conference. I have no idea if they used Persian or Key limes but they were all delicious. Here are some ideas.
Baked Key Lime Pie - You can make this recipe in a standard 9-inch pie plate but the crust needs to be baked for it to hold up when serving. Baking the filling also results in clean cut edges like you want when you serve pie. For this variation check out Karen's baked Key Lime Pie over at Healthy GF Family.
Whipped Cream vs Meringue - Some recipes top this pie with whipped cream while others use a baked meringue. I chose fresh whipping cream for my version which was quick and easy.
Key Lime Pie Shooters - The uncooked crumb base makes this dessert easy to scoop up with a spoon. That means it's the perfect recipe to make tiny dessert shooters.
🍋Equipment
- Half-cup size jam jars were perfect for this dessert. I think it's better to end wanting more than to have too much.
- Buy shooter glasses with little spoons for a tiny portion size and a fun presentation.
Top Tip: Desserts That Travel
Seasoned celiacs love anything served in individual portions. No one else needs to know that you're doing it to avoid cross contact. Whether it's dessert for a family dinner, a picnic or any event, be the person who brings dessert-in-a-jar.
Gluten Free Key Lime Pie in a Jar
Ingredients
CRUMB CRUST
- 1¼ cups gluten free graham style cracker crumbs (I used Kinnickinick)
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoon sugar
FILLING
- 1 cup lime juice from 30 key limes or 8-10 regular limes (Persian)
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (300ml)
- grated lime zest from 6 key limes or 1 regular lime
- 2 tablespoon whipping cream
- 2 eggs
WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
- 1¾ cups whipping cream
- ¼ cup icing sugar
- grated lime zest
Instructions
CRUMB CRUST
- In a bowl combine graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
- Divide crumb mixture among 8 ½-cup size Mason jars.
LIME FILLING (makes 2 cups)
- In a medium saucepan whisk together lime juice and cornstarch.
- Add sweetened condensed milk, lime zest, whipping cream and eggs.
- Place over medium-low heat and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil carefully stirring so it does not burn around the edges. By the time it comes to a boil it should be nice and thick.
- Pour filling over crumb crust in Mason jars. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
- In a small bowl beat whipping cream to soft peaks.
- Add icing sugar and lime zest and beat to stiff peaks.
- Top each jar with sweetened whipped cream and garnish with a slice of lime.
Notes
Nutrition
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More Citrus Desserts
- These Orange Cupcakes with Orange Icing made with sorghum flour and potato starch are bursting with citrus flavour.
- My childhood favourite was homemade lemon curd, we ate it warm.
- Once you've mastered gluten free pastry then Lemon Meringue Pie is another winter favourite.
Steshni Corea
delish!!