This easy Key Lime Tart has a sweet vanilla wafer crust, a tart key lime filling and it’s topped with swirls of whipped cream and sprinkled with lime zest! This dessert is light and perfect for spring!
This post was created for Dixie Crystals by BigBearsWife, post and words written are 100%mine as always.
If you’re craving a bit of spring or a vacation to the Florida Keys, this Key Lime Tart is exactly what you need! It’s super simple to put together and bursting with key lime flavor!
Ingredients For Key Lime Tart:
- vanilla wafer cookies, crushed into fine crumbs
- butter, melted
- white eggs
- egg yolks
- sweetened condensed milk
- key lime juice
- lime zest
- Crème Chantilly/whipped cream
Ingredient amounts and recipe directions below with a print option!
How To Make A Key Lime Tart:
- Vanilla Wafer Tart Crust
The first step to making this fantastic Key Lime Tart is to make the crust.
-
Most of the time, you’ll find pie and tart crusts made from graham crackers and melted butter. There is nothing wrong with that but since this is a key lime recipe, which means it is going to be tart, I really wanted the crust to be a bit sweeter than the average tart crust.
-
That is why I like to make a vanilla wafer cookie crust for this tart. Vanilla wafers, melted butter and sugar combined together makes the perfect tart crust!
- Here are some tips for making a vanilla wafer tart crust:
Once mixed, the crumbs, butter and sugar mixture should have the consistency of wet sand.
make sure to really press the crumbs mixture into the pie dish with some force, you want this crust to be as compact as possible.
Bake the shell in a preheat oven to 350F for 10 minutes. Also, make sure to cool it before adding the filling.
This recipe is for a 9 inch round tart dish (or pie dish) - Key Lime Tart Filling
The filling for this tart is super easy to make! A few egg yolks, lime zest, sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice gets a little mixy mixy in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a regular bowl with a hand mixer) and it’s ready to go!
-
Just pour it into the crust and bake in a preheat oven to 350F for 10 minutes. Once done, remove and let cool for 15-30 minutes and then pop it into the fridge for 8 hours or overnight!
The Key Lime Juice:
We don’t have key limes around here. The closest store I’ve found them at is about 2 hours away from us. Our stores do carry limes, and you juice regular limes for a key lime tart but then it’s really just a lime tart.
So, when I can’t get my hands on real key limes to juice for tarts and pies, I use bottled key lime juice. Now, listen, it’s NOT the lime juice in the little green bottle that looks like a lime. No, don’t use that stuff. This is actual key lime juice and the one I use is called Nellie & Joes: Key West Lime Juice and it’s great for all types of key lime desserts.
Crème Chantilly/Whipped Cream Topping:
A homemade whipped cream topping is made by combing whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract and whipping it until it’s stiff and pipeable.
Once the tart is ready to serve, pipe or dollop the topping onto the tart and garnish with lime zest and/or lime slices.
What is the difference in a lime and a key lime?
Key limes are smaller, tarter and smell stronger than regular limes. Also, key limes come from the Florida Keys!
How long does a Key Lime Tart bake?
10 minutes!
Can the crust be made with graham crackers instead of vanilla wafers?
Yep! It the crust can be made with graham crackers.
Can this tart recipe be made in a pie dish?
It sure can! A 9 inch pie dish will work if you can’t find a tart pan.
Key Lime Tart
Key Lime Tart
This easy Key Lime Tart has a sweet vanilla wafer crust, a tart key lime filling and it's topped with swirls of whipped cream and sprinkled with lime zest! This dessert is light and perfect for spring!
Ingredients
Crust:
- 11 ounce box vanilla wafer cookies, crushed into fine crumbs
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
Tart Filling:
- 4 egg yolks
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup key lime juice
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
Crème chantilly:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
Optional Toppings:
- Lime Zest
- Lime Slices
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a bowl combine crushed vanilla wafer cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar.
Mix well until crumbs have the consistency of wet sand.
Press crumbs firmly into a 9 Inch Round Tart Pan. Make sure to press crumbs firmly on bottom and sides of tart pan.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove and Let cool.
Filling:
Add egg yolks and lime zest to bowl of stand mixer, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl.
Whip egg yolks on high for 3-4 minutes, until color becomes pale yellow.
Add sweetened condensed milk and lime juice.
Mix well until everything is combined.
Let filling rest for 15 minutes to thicken.
Pour filling into prepared tart pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool 30 minutes.
Place into fridge and chill for 8 hours or overnight.
Crème Chantilly:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract.
Whip on high until firm peaks form.
Pipe onto cold tart.
Garnish tart with lime zest and/or lime slices.
Serve cold.
If you make this recipe, leave me a comment or snap a picture and share it on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #bigbearswife — I love to see what you’re cooking from the blog!
Love it? Pin it to Pinterest!
Rebecca says
This is so yummy!! I made it and also added a few drops of the key lime juice into the whipped topping. Now mine didn’t turn out as gorgeous as yours but I tried and within 2 days of cutting into it there is now 1 slice left.
Angie says
Oh my gosh! I love the idea of adding key lime juice to the whipped topping! What a fantastic idea. I’m so glad that y’all liked it. <3