What Is Key lime juice and How Can I Use It?
Key lime juice rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 34 recipes to cook with it.
Key Points
- Key limes are smaller, more tart, and more aromatic than the common Persian limes.
- The juice plus condensed milk and egg yolks is what sets a key lime pie.
- Bottled juice like Nellie & Joe's is fine for pie; buy the unsweetened kind.
- Swap regular lime juice one for one, or add a splash of lemon for a closer match.
What is key lime juice?
Key lime juice comes from key limes, the small golf-ball-sized limes also called Mexican or West Indian limes. They are sharper and far more aromatic than the big Persian limes you usually find at the store.
The juice is the whole reason key lime pie tastes the way it does. It is more perfumed than regular lime juice, with a slightly bitter edge that cuts the sweetness of condensed milk better than anything else.
Key limes are tiny and full of seeds, so juicing enough for a pie by hand is real work. Many cooks reach for a good bottled key lime juice instead, and for once that is a defensible call.
How to Use Key Lime Juice
Key lime pie is the classic, and the method is almost too simple: whisk the juice with sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks, and the acid thickens the filling without much baking at all. "Real" Key Lime Pie and Key Lime Pie-Low Fat both run on that same juice-to-dairy reaction.
It carries past pie, too. Mini Key Lime Meringue Tartlets use it in small batches, and a spoonful sharpens a curd or a cheesecake that would otherwise taste flat and oversweet.
In savory cooking, treat it like an intense lime. A little goes a long way in a marinade or a ceviche, since it is more pungent than ordinary lime.
Buying It Fresh or Bottled
Fresh key limes give the truest flavor, with a floral aroma bottled juice cannot fully match. Pick ones that feel heavy and give slightly when pressed; a yellow blush is normal and means ripe, not spoiled.
Bottled key lime juice is the practical choice for pie. Nellie & Joe's is the standard on most shelves, and because pie buries the juice in sugar and dairy, the gap between fresh and bottled nearly disappears.
Read the label and buy the unsweetened bottling. Some products add sugar or preservatives, which throws off a recipe built around the acid doing the thickening.
Substitutes
Regular lime juice is the everyday swap, one for one. The pie will still set and taste good; it just loses a little of the floral, extra-tart edge that sets key lime apart.
For a closer match, blend regular lime juice with a splash of lemon juice, roughly three parts lime to one part lemon. The lemon adds back some of the extra tartness key limes bring.
Either way, fresh whole key limes squeezed that day beat any substitute.
Storing
Whole key limes keep about a week on the counter and two to three weeks in the fridge crisper. Their thin skin dries out faster than a Persian lime, so use them while they still feel heavy.
Fresh-squeezed juice holds two to three days in a sealed jar in the fridge, or freeze it in an ice cube tray and keep the cubes for months. An opened bottle keeps in the fridge for the time printed on the label, usually a few weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup (242g)Quick facts
Where to find key lime juice: Key lime juice is usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group: Key lime juice is a member of the Fruits and Fruit Juices US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 关键青柠汁
- British (UK) term
- Key lime juice
- en français
- jus de citron vert
- en español
- jugo de lima
How much does key lime juice weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 242 grams |
| 1 fl oz | 30 grams |
| 1 lime yields | 44 grams |
Related
Fruits and Fruit Juices
Recipes using key lime juice
There are 34 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Delicious Key Lime Pie
A key lime chiffon pie: tart key lime curd lightened with gelatin, fluffy meringue, and whipped cream, set in a graham crust. An airy, cloud-light take on key lime pie, far lighter than the condensed-milk version.
Key Lime Pie with Tropical Fruits
A light and delicious key lime pie is topped with fresh strawberries and star fruit, and drizzled with key lime syrup. It' not only an eye-pleaser, but also a belly pleaser.
Key Lime Pie with Tropical Fruits
A light and delicious key lime pie is topped with fresh strawberries and star fruit, and drizzled with key lime syrup. It' not only an eye-pleaser, but also a belly pleaser.
Key Lime Cake (Lighter Version)
By using mostly whole wheat flour, a combination of applesauce, butter and olive oil makes this key lime cake much healthier and lighter than your regular key lime cake. It still tastes absolutely delcious, will for sure satisfy your palate without guilt.
Key Lime Cake (Lighter Version)
By using mostly whole wheat flour, a combination of applesauce, butter and olive oil makes this key lime cake much healthier and lighter than your regular key lime cake. It still tastes absolutely delcious, will for sure satisfy your palate without guilt.
Key Lime Cake with Lime Syrup
A very citrus and moist key lime cake, you don't have to be in the keys, you can still have a slice or two of this delicious cake.
Key Lime Cake with Lime Syrup
A very citrus and moist key lime cake, you don't have to be in the keys, you can still have a slice or two of this delicious cake.
Mini Key Lime Meringue Tartlets
If you can't find key lime juice, use lime juice instead. The crust is buttery and flakey, the filling is creamy, lime-y and smooth, and the meringue topping is light and fluffy. Perfect balance of the flavor and the texture.
Key Lime Cake with Lime Cream Filling
If you like key lime pie, you will definitely like this key lime cake, instead of using whipping cream, we use meringue, it is much lower fat and calories, and the flavour is absolutely delicious!
Easy Key Lime Pie
Easy key lime pie with sweetened condensed milk, softened cream cheese, key lime juice, and vanilla in a graham cracker crust. The 4-ingredient no-bake Florida classic that sets in the fridge.
"Real" Key Lime Pie
The REAL Key Lime pie. At least according to some folks. It's the one I personally prefer. (I'm a sucker for Graham cracker crust.)
Key Lime Slice
Came up with this delicious key lime slice recipe while in Key Largo, Florida. Similar to the Aussie Lemon slice but with a twist of the keys.
Key Lime Pie-Low Fat
This Key Lime Pie was so much lighter, and the meringue topping was fluffy, creamy and super light. Enjoy this delicious key lime pie without feeling guilty!
Pillowy Key Lime Pie
Pillowy key lime pie: tangy real-key-lime custard filling on a pie shell, crowned with a tall, glossy baked meringue. The classic Florida Keys dessert done properly.
Low Fat Yogurt Key Lime Pie
Low fat yogurt key lime pie made with strained yogurt cheese, powdered sugar, and fresh key lime juice. Three ingredients, no eggs, no condensed milk. A no-bake pie that tastes shockingly close to the classic. Optional graham cracker crust.
Key Lime Meringue Pie
Key lime meringue pie tops a tangy condensed-milk lime filling with a billowing cloud of toasted meringue in a graham crust. The Florida classic with the bonus of swooping peaks.
Easy Yummy Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie blends fresh key lime juice with sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks in a graham cracker crust. No-bake refrigerator version with the iconic Florida Keys tang. Make ahead for a crowd.
Easy Yummy Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie blends fresh key lime juice with sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks in a graham cracker crust. No-bake refrigerator version with the iconic Florida Keys tang. Make ahead for a crowd.
Easy Yummy Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie blends fresh key lime juice with sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks in a graham cracker crust. No-bake refrigerator version with the iconic Florida Keys tang. Make ahead for a crowd.
Lazy Aunt's Key Lime Pie
Lazy Aunt's Key lime pie: a classic 4-ingredient Florida dessert with sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, egg yolks, and a meringue top. The original old-Florida recipe, no fuss required.
Key Lime Cream Pie
Key lime cream pie cooks the egg yolks with fresh key lime juice for a custard-thick filling, then crowns it with billowy sweetened whipped cream on a buttery graham cracker crust.
Chicken Key Lime Curry
Crispy-skinned chicken simmers in a Madras curry sauce with a ginger-garlic-onion paste and sliced key limes. Tangy, aromatic, and on the table in under an hour.
Lisa's Best Key Lime Pie
Lisa's Best key lime pie folds whipped egg whites into the classic condensed milk and lime filling for a lighter, almost soufflé-like texture. Tart lime, fluffy clouds, in a graham crust.
Key Lime Cheese Pie
Key lime cheese pie: a creamy no-bake key lime pie with a tangy cream cheese filling, sweetened condensed milk, real key lime juice, and a fluffy whipped cream top. Florida sunshine in a slice.
Key Lime Cheesecake Pie
No-bake Key lime cheesecake pie with cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and sour cream in a baked graham cracker crust. Tangy, creamy, and sets in the fridge.
Key Lime Coconut Cookies
Key lime coconut cookies made with condensed milk, shredded coconut, and key lime juice. Tangy, chewy, and tropical with just five ingredients and no butter or eggs.
Key Lime Cheesecake with Strawberry-Butter Sauce
Key lime cheesecake with strawberry butter sauce, made with a graham cracker crust, tangy fresh key lime juice, and separated eggs folded in for a lighter texture. A Florida-style dessert finished with a bright pink berry sauce.
Pierhouse Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie from the Pierhouse in the Florida Keys, a custardy filling of sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and tart key lime juice in a graham cracker crust. Finished with a reduced lime syrup glaze.
Pierhouse Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie from the Pierhouse in the Florida Keys, a custardy filling of sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and tart key lime juice in a graham cracker crust. Finished with a reduced lime syrup glaze.
Islamorada Key Lime Pie
Islamorada key lime pie is the no-bake Florida Keys classic: tart key lime juice and egg yolks folded into sweetened condensed milk, topped with a fluffy meringue cap. Bright, creamy, and built for hot weather.
Key Lime Pie - No Eggs
Key lime pie without eggs, made with sweetened condensed milk, fresh key lime juice, and folded-in whipped cream. No-bake, no-bake-and-chill, just whip and fridge in a graham cracker crust.
Marco Island Key Lime Pie with Pecan Crust
Marco Island key lime pie features a butter-sautéed pecan and graham cracker crust under a creamy filling of seven egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and key lime juice. Baked in a water bath for the silkiest custard.
