Last summer, in a frenzy to find a suitable pie recipe for a gathering, I created this recipe. All the other ones I’d tried in the past were either overly eggy, soggy or simply bland, so I set out to find a better alternative. Thus, the ginger-macadamia crust was born: crunchy and full of spicy flavor that pairs well with the rest of the pie. Paired with a light and fluffy sour cream filling, it takes the cake (or pie, in this case). To save time, use bottled key lime juice in your filling: juicing a bunch of tiny key limes is a pain, and no one will ever be able to tell the difference. No matter the occasion, everyone will love a slice of this reimagined summer classic.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 ½ cup crushed ginger snaps (about 22-24 cookies)

½ cup macadamia nuts, ground 

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup butter, melted

For the filling:

1 cup sour cream

3 ½ cups condensed milk

¾ cup key lime juice

Zest from 2 limes

For the topping:

1 cup heavy cream, cold

3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 sliced limes

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pulse the ginger snaps, brown sugar and macadamia nuts in the bowl of a food processor until finely ground. Gradually add the melted butter in 1-2 tablespoon additions, pulsing in between each. Check the crust after every addition; it should be able to hold together when pressed between your fingers. Once the crust has reached this point, press it firmly into a 9-inch pie dish, smoothing the edges with a measuring cup or another flat object.
3. Bake the crust at 350 for 12-15 minutes. It should be slightly browned at this point. Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside to cool while you prepare the filling.
4. In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, condensed milk, key lime juice and lime zest until smooth. Carefully pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust. 
5. Bake pie at 350 for 15-17 minutes, being sure not to over-bake it. The filling should still be slightly soft and wobbly in the center. Take the pie out of the oven, then transfer it to the counter to cool for half an hour. Then, move the pie to the fridge to set for at least four hours.
6. Right before serving, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl on high speed. Gradually add the vanilla extract, being careful not to overbeat. Once the cream has reached stiff peaks, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe a spiraling border around the pie. Alternatively, spoon the cream on top of the pie and create small swips using the back of a spoon. Garnish with lime slices and zest, if desired. Enjoy!