Low carb Key lime pie with meringue crust
Meringue crust? Yes! It’s much lower carb than nut flours or any other low carb crust you can make. The meringue has a wonderful texture, especially with the macadamia nuts, and is the perfect backdrop for the tangy, but creamy key lime filling. You will need to make this a day ahead, but it's totally worth it!
Ingredients
meringue crust
- 3 eggs white
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup powdered extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 oz macadamia nuts, choppped
key lime filling
- 4 oz unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered erythritol
- 1/2 cup key lime juice
- 6 key limes, the zest
- 6 large eggs yolks
- 1/1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Meringue crust
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Generously grease a 9” (23 cm) pie pan.
- Whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a hand mixer until frothy.
- Whip in the powdered sweetener and vanilla extract until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold in the macadamia nuts.
- Carefully spoon the whipped meringue into the pie pan. Be sure to push the meringue gently up the sides of the pan, creating a crust with the meringue.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned and set. Set aside to cool.
Key lime filling
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the powdered sweetener, Key lime juice, and lime zest. When the sweetener is dissolved, whisk in the egg yolks.
- Keep the heat low and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine sieve to remove the zest. Refrigerate until cool, at least 1 hour.
- In a separate large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the heavy cream. As it begins to thicken, add the vanilla extract and continue whipping until the mixture is thick and creamy.
- Gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the chilled lime juice mixture so that the filling remains fluffy.
Filling, chill and garnish
- Use a spatula to fill the crust with the filling and smooth the filling edge to edge.
- Place the pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
- Garnish with lime slices, lime zest, and/or additional whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
Important!
You will need to make this a day ahead of time as the crust must cool before filling and the key lime filling needs time to set. Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!