This Lime Pie with Shortbread Crust is absolutely addicting.

It may seem a little out of place to create such a summery pie recipe as we say hello to fall, but I guess I’m just having a hard time letting summer go!

Actually, here in Southern California, the beginning of fall often feels more like summer than fall.  October can be one of our warmest months of the year.  So I’m using this as yet another excuse for sharing this delicious lime pie with you today.

The Shortbread Crust

This pie filling is sweet and tart, and pairs perfectly with my press-in shortbread crust.

That’s right, no rolling out dough, just press the crust right into your pie dish.  Technically, my shortbread crust doesn’t follow the traditional definition of “shortbread,” but that buttery, shortbread flavor is so apparent, I’m sticking with the shortbread name!

The Perfect Lime Pie Filling!

Freshly squeezed lime juice and freshly grated lime zest are necessary in this pie filling to really get that lime taste.  But it’s the lime extract that really enhances the lime flavor, and puts it over the top. 

You may remember from my Lime in the Coconut Mini Cakes recipe that I love lime extract.  As with those delicious cakes, the lime extract is absolutely necessary in this pie filling.  Here is my favorite lime extract on Amazon [aff. link].  

The lime flavor in this extract is so fresh and natural, it may taste more like a lime than an actual lime does. !!!

My favorite lime extract! The flavor is so fresh and natural. Click to view or purchase on Amazon [aff. link].

I think my favorite part about this pie filling is that it doesn’t taste “egg-y.” 

Do you know what I’m talking about?

When I developed this recipe, my main goal was to create a filling that would have all my favorite traits of lemon or lime bars—sweet, tart, firm but not overly so—but without that overpowering “egg” taste that so many citrus bar desserts have.

So if you’re also sensitive to that “egg-y” taste, then this lime pie is for you!

A Taste of Summer!

Make my Lime Pie with Shortbread Crust for a sweet, tart, and truly addicting dessert.  Enjoy this pie any time you crave a taste of summer!

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lime pie
5 from 2 votes

Lime Pie with Shortbread Crust

My Lime Pie with Shortbread Crust is sweet, tart, and absolutely addicting! Enjoy this delicious pie any time of year when you crave a taste of summer!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Servings: 8
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp lime zest, about 3 limes
  • 3/4 cup corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 3 limes)
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tbsp lime extract

For the crust:

  • 1/2 cup butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup almond milk, cold

Instructions

Make the crust

  • In a large a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, and sugar. Whisk together until everything is incorporated.
  • With your hands, a fork, or a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the sugar/flour/salt mixture. Keep incorporating the butter until the dough starts sticking together in small clumps, about the size of peas.

Add the almond milk

  • Now add the almond milk. Mix (I prefer to use my hands exclusively at this point) until everything comes together, and you can form the dough into a ball.
  • The dough will be a little sticky, and that’s ok. It should stick to your hands a little bit. If it sticks too much, to the point you can’t work with it, add a little bit of flour, just a Tbsp or so.

Press the dough into the pie dish

  • Oil a standard-sized pie dish (9 inches or 9.5 inches), and press the shortbread crust dough into the dish.
  • Press the dough into the dish as evenly as you can. Remember, pie crust does shrink in the oven during baking, so be sure to press the dough up the sides of the pie dish until you almost reach the very top of the dish.
  • Set the pie dish in the refrigerator while you prepare the lime filling. (Refrigerating the crust will also help lessen shrinkage while baking.)

Make the lime filling

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt and lime zest.
  • Add the corn syrup, melted butter, lime juice, lime extract, and eggs, and whisk until everything is incorporated and smooth.
  • (Note: At this point, if you would like to add just a SMALL half drop of blue food coloring to make this lime pie a very light green color, go ahead and do it now. The blue food coloring with the yellow from the egg yolks will make a lovely light green as long as you don’t use too much food coloring! Again, I can’t stress enough how LITTLE food coloring to use here. Or else you’ll end up with a blue pie!

Compile the pie

  • Take the pie crust out of the refrigerator, and pour the filling into the crust.

Bake the pie

  • Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 37-40 minutes, until the filling is mostly set in the middle (there will still be a little bit of a jiggle) and the pie crust is golden brown on the edges.

Serve and enjoy!

  • Let the pie cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator for at least two hours before cutting. The filling needs to cool down completely to reach its final, solid state.
  • Serve at room temperature, or chilled. Enjoy!