key lime pie mini parfait recipe

There is nothing quite as delicious as a key lime pie! The tart key lime filling mingles well with the sweet and buttery graham cracker crust, but let's not forget the whipped cream! Mounds of freshly whipped cream is an essential component to the perfect key lime pie. But let's be honest, unless you plan on eating the pie directly from the pie plate (which is perfectly acceptable), or you are hosting a beautiful plated dinner, hauling around a plate of pie at a party that is constantly slipping to the edge is a bit cumbersome. I have a solution! Mini key lime pie parfaits!

Portable and easy to eat in just a few bites, this mini parfait recipe has all the components of a traditional key lime pie in a very easy to serve size.

Key lime pie has a very long and rich history in the southern states, primarily in Key West, Florida. The story goes that Aunt Sally (a cook) was asked to create a pie for a wealthy ship salvage employer. William Curry (Florida's first self-made millionaire) asked the cook to create a pie using an overabundance of key limes in storage. The result was the traditional pie now known as key lime pie. Although known as the birthplace of key lime pie, the key lime is not indigenous to the region. The first key lime tree has roots in Malaysia, and were most likely brought over to Florida in the 1500's by the Spanish.

Traditional key lime pie consists of very little ingredients. Limes, egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk are the three main ingredients in this mini parfait recipe, but we are a vanilla company, and no dessert can escape the addition of our beautiful products.

Tahitian vanilla beans have a sweet floral flavor that perfectly complement the boldness of the key lime juice. There are two types of Tahitian vanilla beans; those from Tahiti and those from Papua New Guinea. Beanilla sells the real deal. Our vanilla from Tahiti is incredible!

Key Lime Pie Mini Parfaits Recipe

Yields 6-8 parfaits

Key Lime Filling

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup key lime juice (concentrate is available in most grocery stores)
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 Tahitian vanilla bean (split and scraped)

key lime mini parfait ingredients

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until incorporated together. Spoon into a small baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and chill in refrigerator  for 4-6 hours. Once chilled place in a piping bag with no tip. Place back in the refrigerator.

Crust

Ingredients:

  • 9 graham crackers
  • 1/3 cup butter (melted)
  • 1/4 cup sugar

ingredients

Directions:

Place the graham crackers in a food processor, process until fine crumbs. Add the butter and sugar, pulse until well combined.

Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp. sugar

Directions:

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, place the cold heavy cream. Beat on medium speed until peaks begin to form, add the sugar and continue beating until medium peaks form.

Assembly

Spoon a layer of graham cracker crust into the bottom of a mini parfait glass, pipe a layer of key lime filling on top, spoon a layer of whipped cream onto the key lime filling. Continue the process until you reach the top of the glass. Serve the key lime pie parfaits immediately or place in refrigerator to chill.