Frozen Key Lime Pie on a Stick

Name: Frozen Key Lime Pie on a Stick
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 6 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 graham crackers, crushed; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; pinch of salt; 3 large egg yolks; 4 teaspoons (20g) granulated sugar; 2/3 cup (7 oz) sweetened condensed milk; 3 1/2 limes (68g) juice; 1 tablespoon (2g) lime zest; pinch of salt; 1 cup (170g) dark chocolate chips; 1 tablespoon neutral oil; juice of 1/2 lime; powdered sugar

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These chocolate covered key lime pies on a stick are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The refreshing tanginess of the frozen key lime pie filling is balanced out by a crunchy dark chocolate coating.

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overhead view of key lime pies on parchment paper surrounded by lime zest

Frozen chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick is a welcomed treat on a hot summer day or, really, anytime during the year when you want to transport yourself beachside. I have fond memories of enjoying chocolate dipped key lime pie on my family trips to Florida as a kid and had to recreate it!

The base of the frozen key lime pie was loosely adapted from Ina Garten's frozen key lime pie recipe, which is also delicious if you're looking for a more classic key lime pie!

If you're in a tangy dessert mood but don't have room in your freezer, also check out my passion fruit mango bars! Short on time? Try, my nutella peanut butter blossom cookies!

Continue reading below for more in-depth tips for chocolate dipped key lime pie or just jump right to the recipe. Happy baking!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Equipment
Storage
Top tip
FAQ
Weight vs. volume measurements
Related
Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredients for chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick can be found at almost every grocery store. Nothing too fancy here!

Graham Crackers - Only 4 crackers needed for this recipe. Grind them up in a food processor or pound them in a plastic bag until broken down into crumbs. If you don't have graham crackers, digestive biscuits work too!
Sugar - Normal granulated sugar will sweeten the crust and help balance out the lime in the filling.
Unsalted Butter - Melted butter will help bring the graham cracker crust together. If you only have salted butter, just omit the pinch of salt from the crust.
Egg Yolks - Large egg yolks will add structure to the pie filling. Buy pasteurized if you want to skip the heating step in the recipe!
Sweetened Condensed Milk - Essential to the filling in these frozen key lime pies!
Limes - 4 limes will get you what you need. I've tried with key limes too, but it took so many since they are tiny. Bottled lime or key lime juice could work in a pinch, but fresh is better-- especially since you need the zest too!
Salt - I'm a fan of diamond kosher salt as its not as "salty" as table salt. Just a pinch for this!
Dark Chocolate Chips - Feel free to use any type of chocolate if dark is not your thing!
Neutral Oil - Any neutral oil will work (I used vegetable oil) to thin out the chocolate coating.
Powdered Sugar (optional) - This is just for the optional lime drizzle at the end of the recipe.

See recipe card for quantities.

front view of key lime pie on a stick stacked with a bite taken out of one pie

Instructions

Make the Crust
- Using a food processor or a handy dandy plastic bag, crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs.
- Mix in the sugar, melted butter, and salt. This should create a "wet sand" consistency.
- Distribute the mixture evenly into the bottom of a cupcake tin lined with 6 liners. Use a ¼ measuring cup to press the crust down evenly.
- Bake at 350°F for 5-7 minutes until slightly browned.
Prepare the Filling
- (This step is optional. Only necessary if you're concerned about eating raw egg yolks.) Separate the egg yolks and place them in a glass or metal bowl that will fit over a sauce pan with a bit of simmering water. Whisk the yolks continuously until they reach between 140°-160°F (don't stop whisking or let the bottom of bowl hit the water or they'll fully cook). Remove from heat when the food thermometer reaches your desired temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until smooth and light. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, zest, and a pinch of salt.
- Pour the filling evenly over the 6 crusts and place in the freezer for 6 hours or overnight.
Coat in Chocolate
- Using a heat-proof bowl, microwave the chocolate and neutral oil in 15 second increments, mixing between rounds, until fully melted.
- Pull the key lime pies out of the freezer, remove the cupcake wrappers and place a popsicle stick through one end of each pie.
- Spoon a thin layer of chocolate over each frozen key lime pie and place on a small baking sheet covered in parchment. Return to the freezer until serving.
- (Optional- If you want to add a little "pizzazz") Make a quick lime drizzle by mixing powdered sugar into lime juice until it's thick but still drips off a spoon (measure with your heart 🙂 ). Drizzle overtop the chocolate covered pies with a spoon before returning them to the freezer.

Equipment

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months, but best served within a week.

Top tip

Fresh limes and zest will give you the best flavor! Also, freezing the pies overnight before coating in chocolate will make it easier to keep the popsicle stick solid inside.

FAQ

Can I use regular limes instead of key limes?

Yes! The flavor difference between Persian limes you find in a grocery store and key limes is subtle enough that it will still taste like key lime pie. This recipe actually calls for regular (Persian) limes because key limes are hard to find and it takes a lot of them to get enough juice for a key lime pie.

Can I substitute bottled lime juice for fresh lime juice?

Bottled lime juice is often watered down and lacks the punch that fresh lime juice gives. If you can find undiluted lime juice, it could work in a pinch.

Weight vs. volume measurements

Although most Americans are accustomed to baking with volume measurements, I prefer to use weight measurements for more consistent results and to use fewer dishes. Depending on how ingredients are packed and leveled into a measuring cup, the actual amount of the ingredient can drastically differ and affect the recipe outcome. I develop my recipes using weight, but have tried to convert most to the closest volume measurements for those of you without a scale. You can find a kitchen scale for cheap at most grocery stores or online. I love this one!

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