This weekend I had — not one — but two good friends turn 30!!!
Actually, it will be my turn next May. (Which I am strangely really excited about!)
But for my friend Christy’s 30th, which coincided with my monthly rockin’ book club, the birthday girl requested some sort of key lime pie dessert to celebrate. I was going to go with a traditional pie, but after passing by one of my favorite ingredients at the store (these adorable mini phyllo cups), thought it would be fun to try “bite-sized”.
And sure enough, these were SO delicious! Seriously. I’m pretty sure I may have accidentally eaten a handful when garnishing them. :) There was something about the smooth, citrusy custard paired with the flaky, crispy shells that just seemed like the perfect combination. And thankfully, it looks like the birthday girl and friends thought so too, as they totally dug in at our book club bday celebration.
So for those of you who love key lime pie, or those who love a quick 20-minute dessert, you really, really, really should try these.
Really.
Key Lime Tartlets
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 30-45 Tartlets 1x
Description
You’ll love this key lime tartlets recipe! These delicious and adorable individual little treats are ready to go in less than 20 minutes. Try them today!
Ingredients
- 2-3 packages frozen mini phyllo tarts
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, plus zest from two limes
- 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups whipped cream
- 8-10 key limes, sliced into thin coins for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks until blended. Add in sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, sugar, and lime zest. Whisk together until smooth and blended.
- Spoon batter into mini tarts so that they are nearly overflowing. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until custard has set. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Then top with whipped cream and key lime coins.
Notes
This recipe makes a lot of custard! Feel free to use 2 packages of phyllo tarts and then use the leftover custard to make a small batch of plain custard or an extra medium-sized tart. Or use 3 packages, and make even more little tartlets!
Should the cups be frozen, chilled, or room temp when I fill them and bake them ?
Looks delicious
This recipe is a keeper! I have a Mexican lime tree (Key limes grown outside Florida Keys) and used some to make these. I’m serving them today along side chocolate mousse pie for a not-so-heavy alternative. Let’s just hope they last until after dinner! It made exactly 45 tarts. Maybe it was because I used Mexican limes and not traditional, but I don’t think the 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar are necessary. Regardless, these are delicious and just hoping everyone can stay away from them for a few more hours!
i like the recipe
Can these be frozen?
These are great! I just made one for hubby and myself. YUM YOU rock!
Thanks, we’re so glad you enjoyed them!
Hi! These look brilliant! However when it says to whisk the egg yolks until ‘blended’ does it mean just lightly until they start to foam or properly until peaks form?
Thank you, Kim, we hope you enjoy them! And yes, just whisk the egg yolks lightly.
I had never even attempted key lime ANYTHING! i made these for my sister’s wedding reception. It actually made 75! It was a small gathering, but all but 12 of them were eaten!!
I give this recipe 5 stars PLUS. Easy to prepare and I shared this website for the guests that were savoring them. Lol.
The toughest part of the recipe was zesting the limes. So that tells you how easy the rest was.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!
Wow, thank you for your stellar review, Annette! We’re so happy these were a hit! :)
Will the shells get soggy if made day ahead?
Hi Cathy! Yes, we’re afraid they would be soggy, so we wouldn’t advise that. We hope you enjoy these though!
Can these be made the day before and refrigerated? I am worried about the soggy factor. I would, of course, add whipped cream/lime circles just before serving.
Hi lynn! We’re a little worried as well, that they might get soggy, but we haven’t tried making them a day in advance, so we can’t say for sure. We’re sorry we can’t be more helpful!
This pin for key lime tartlets caught my eye – then I was so excited to see that it was by you, pinned by Williams Sonoma! I’m a Kansas City gal too, and I’ve found that anytime I try one of your recipes, it’s always a slam dunk! I’ll have to give these a try, but tell me… do you have a favorite way to juice limes? 1/2 cup?! Omg, I can barley make it to 4 oz when I’m making a mojito! What’s your lime juicing secret?
Hi Lindsay! Very cool that you’re from KC as well! I know Ali LOVES this juicer, and says it’s worth every penny!
Or you can also just buy a bottle of key lime juice at the store. ;)