Something Bright for Your Table
Marcia Smart's Key Lime Pie and other great ideas!
Friends, hi—
It feels especially sweet to introduce you to this week’s guest because she’s not just a brilliant cook—she’s essentially my neighbor. Marcia Smart of Kitchenette Farm is just down the road from The Bakehouse Texas here in Bellville, and from the moment I first stepped into her culinary farmhouse, I knew she was my kind of person.
Marcia has that rare gift of making you feel instantly at ease in the kitchen. Like you can loosen your shoulders, pour a glass of something cold, and trust that dinner (or dessert) is going to come together just fine. She’s a natural teacher (see her Smart Knife Skills course for home cooks): warm and practical in a way that makes you feel more capable after just one conversation.
Which is exactly why I love that she’s bringing us a Key Lime Pie. It’s classic, bright, and the kind of dessert that feels like a little celebration without asking too much of you. Very Marcia.
She’s spent years teaching home cooks how to make dinner happen without the stress (or a sink full of dishes), and I have a feeling this recipe for Key Lime Pie will slide right into our lives in the easiest, most delicious way.
I’m so glad she’s here with us this week. Be sure to subscribe to Marcia’s Smart In The Kitchen Substack, follow her on Instagram, and get a copy of her cookbook Dinner is Done. Now, let’s make pie!
xo Joy
Now, here’s Marcia!
Key lime pie has always tasted like sunshine to me, maybe because the first time I ever tasted it was my senior year of college, on spring break in the Florida Keys. My roommates and I borrowed a family friend’s beach house just north of Key West and spent our days sitting on the dock or cooking dinner together. We ventured into Key West for dinner one day, and I can still remember that first bite of what would become one of my favorite desserts: creamy but sharp, tangy but sweet.
I find myself reaching for this recipe every spring as the weather in Houston starts to warm up. There’s something about a dessert that can hang out in the fridge after it’s baked that feels like a lifeline, especially when I’m entertaining a crowd. It’s become my go-to Easter dessert for the exact reason: make it the night before and take the pressure off the timing of the egg hunt and brunch schedule.
What makes this version my go-to is the crust. I’ve learned from teaching hundreds of cooking classes over the years that traditional pie dough intimidates home cooks. If that’s you, this is your moment. The coconut and Biscoff cookie crust comes together quickly in a food processor and gets pressed into the pan—no chilling the dough, rolling or pie weights. It’s a low-lift dessert for a little bite of sunshine.
Key Lime Pie with Coconut Biscoff Crust
You can make this pie with regular lime juice or lemon juice instead of Key Lime juice. If you’re short on time, use a store-bought graham cracker crust. Yield: 12 slices
For the crust:
30 Biscoff cookies
¼ cup coconut flakes or shredded coconut
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the pie filling:
1 cup key lime juice or regular Persian lime juice
28 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon key lime zest or regular lime zest
4 egg yolks
Whipped cream, for serving
Preheat oven to 350°F.
To make the crust: In a food processor or blender, combine the Biscoff cookies, coconut flakes and melted butter. Pulse to combine well. Turn out onto an 8- or 9-inch pie plate or tart pan and press into the pan. Bake the crust, uncovered, for 8 minutes. It will be easier to transfer it in and out of the oven on a rimmed sheet pan. Set the crust aside.
To make the filling: Whisk the lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, zest and egg yolks together (or use an electric mixer). Pour into the par-baked crust.
Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until set. Let cool completely at room temperature and then transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least one hour. Serve topped with whipped cream.
Notes:
+ For a shortcut, use Nellie & Joe’s brand key lime juice, available at most grocery stores. And yes, it will turn out great with regular fresh squeezed lime juice.
+ To make a delicious whipped cream, combine ¼ cup mascarpone, 2 cups of heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean or the scraped beans from a vanilla pod and 2 teaspoons sugar. Whisk until soft peaks form. Will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for 2-3 days.
+ If you need the pie to be gluten-free, use GF graham crackers to make the crust. Or purchase your favorite gluten-free frozen pie crust.
Or you can download and print the recipe below!
A Few More Things To Bake
Almond Flour Lemon Raspberry Bars - Bright, citrusy, and just the right amount of sweet, these lemon bars are made with almond flour for a tender, nutty base and topped with a creamy lemon layer studded with fresh raspberries. They feel a little fancy, a little wholesome - that’s what I love about them so much.
Brown Butter Chess Pie - This is the pie you make when you want something classic but just a little extra. Nutty browned butter meets that signature silky chess pie filling with a whisper of citrus to keep things balanced.
My Favorite Strawberry Crumble Pie - When the strawberries are in season - this is the pie! Juicy, jammy fruit set with tapioca for the perfect slice, tucked under a buttery crumble that feels delightfully low-maintenance. It’s like an oatmeal cookie meets strawberry pie in the best way!
Have a great week, friends!
xo
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