Ginger Key Lemon Pie with Teddy Graham Crust (Easy)

Ginger key lemon pie is such a fun twist on a classic key lime pie. It’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet, the ginger is subtle and refreshing, and the filling is smooth and creamy. Plus the Teddy Graham crust is a nostalgic as heck.

I adapted this ginger key lemon pie recipe from my favorite Atlantic Beach Pie by James Beard award-winning southern chef Bill Smith. I actually lived around the block from him in college and would give him a big smile as he biked to helm Chapel Hill’s infamous Crook’s Corner. I adapted this ginger key lemon pie from his great recipe for a lime-lemon filling. It’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet and is nice and creamy thanks to the egg yolks in the batter.

Now to the ginger. If you’re nervous about the ginger in this key lemon pie, I promise it’s a supporting actor and it’s not overwhelming. The ginger adds great warmth and a little spice to the key lemon pie. I’ve had even self-proclaimed ginger haters try this pie and they did indeed love it.

I first made Teddy Graham crust back in June 2020 – when I couldn’t get the graham crackers I needed for my now-fiance’s birthday pie due to supply chain issues – and I’ve been obsessed ever since. Teddy Graham crust is not that different from a regular graham cracker crust – it’s a little sandier, and the Teddy Grahams are sweeter so the crust needs less sugar. I’ve been saying I have a recipe for Teddy Graham crust on my “about” page for 3 years, so it’s about time I delivered!

This post is all about refreshing ginger key lemon pie with a Teddy Graham crust.

What is key lemon pie?

Key lemon pie is basically the same as key lime pie, but with lemons instead of limes. Key lime pie is said to have originated in the Florida Keys in the 1800s when early settlers lacked refrigeration and used condensed milk. The pie is a simple combination of sweetened condensed milk, juice from key limes or regular limes (technically called Persian limes), egg yolks, and sometimes sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Key lemon pie is the same sitch, but with lemon juice instead of lime juice. For ginger key lemon pie, we add a little ginger in the filling to add some warmth, spice and unique flavor. We top it with whipped cream and lemon zest instead of lime zest. You can also feel free to top it with meringue instead to make it a lemon meringue pie if that’s your jam.

There is no such thing as a “key lemon” so don’t go trying to look for one in the grocery store. The “key” in key lemon pie is just to harken back to classic key lime pie!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This key lemon pie is adapted from simply the BEST key lime pie recipe – Bill Smith’s Atlantic Beach Pie. It has the perfect sweet – tart balance and I’ve had SO many people tell me it’s the best key lime / lemon pie they’ve ever had.

• This is such an easy pie to make. The filling has just four ingredients and comes together oh so quickly.

• Lemon and ginger are a match made in heaven: paired together, they taste complex, tart and warm. If you’re not a huge fan of ginger, I promise the ginger is not overwhelming. It’s a supporting-actor role to the lemon 🙂

• You can make this pie ahead of time. Actually, you should make this pie ahead of time. Key lemon pie only needs 2-3 hours to chill and set, but I find the lemon flavor is even stronger after it’s in the fridge for a day.

Ingredients

• Lemons (duh!). Key lemons aren’t a thing, so don’t try looking for them. Just get quality, preferably organic lemons. Meyer lemons – which are a little sweeter than regular lemons and have a hint of orange – would be really fun here, too. You’ll need 3-5 for the filling and to add zest to the top of the pie.

• Fresh ginger. You want fresh, not powdered ginger for key lemon pie.

• Egg yolks. We need four full egg yolks to make this pie so creamy and custardy (save the egg whites for breakfast!). Again, a quality egg will make for a better-tasting pie since we use so many of them.

• Sweetened condensed milk. One 14-ounce can.

• Teddy Grahams. We’ll use three-quarters of a box, so you have leftovers to snack on. You can easily sub in regular graham crackers to make graham cracker crumbs if you’d like.

• Unsalted butter

• Granulated sugar

• Heavy cream

• Vanilla extract

• Flaky sea salt. This is the BEST topping for a key lime pie!! It makes the pie truly taste like a beach day.

• Lemon zest to top the pie

How to make ginger key lemon pie with a Teddy Graham crust

1. Make the Teddy Graham crust. You’ll crush Teddy Grahams in a food processor and stir together with melted butter and sugar. You’ll press the crust into a pie tin or springform pan and bake it until it’s just slightly brown.

2. While the crust cools, make the filling. Mix together the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk, and then stir in the lemon juice and ginger. Pour into the crust and bake until the filling is set through most of the pie and middle jiggles slightly.

3. Let the key lemon pie cool on a wire rack until it’s at room temperature, and then chill in the fridge until it’s completely set, about 2-3 hours. Top it with homemade whip cream (recipe below!), flaky sea salt and lemon zest, and enjoy!

Tips for the best ginger key lemon pie

• Chill overnight for the most prominent lemon flavor. Like a lot of things, key lemon pie tastes even better the next day. The lemon flavor is a little stronger.

• Don’t bake the pie more than one day in advance, or the crust may get soggy.

• Make your own whipped cream (recipe below)! Homemade whipped cream is so easy and it makes any dessert feel more special and impressive.

FAQs

More great recipes from loaves & such

• If you’re looking for more fruit-inspired recipes, check out berry crisp cake (with fresh berries), fudgy bakewell blondies (with raspberry jam) and raspberry-stuffed dark chocolate chip cookies.

• If you’re on a pie kick, make chai apple pie next!

• If you want some quick and easy single-serve desserts, try the TikTok viral half-baked single-serve chocolate chip cookie skillet or peanut butter cookie dough for 2.

If you make ginger key lemon pie with teddy graham crust, please leave a rating and review below and tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @loaves.and.such!