Atlantic Beach Pie

A creamy lemon or lemon-lime pie baked in a crisp, buttery saltine cracker crust. Serve it thoroughly chilled with lightly sweetened whipped cream and optional flaky sea salt.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 33

Total Time 35

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 sleeves Saltine crackers, about 60 crackers
1/2 cup (1 stick/113 g) Unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons Granulated sugar

Filling

1 can (14 ounces/396 g) Sweetened condensed milk
4 large Large egg yolks
1/2 cup Fresh lemon juice, lime juice, or a combination
1 lemon or lime Finely grated lemon or lime zest, optional

For Serving

as needed Lightly sweetened whipped cream
as needed Flaky sea salt, optional

Method

Step-by-Step

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate. Crush the saltine crackers into coarse crumbs rather than a flour-like powder.
Combine the cracker crumbs with the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture holds together when pressed. Firmly press it over the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
Bake the crust for about 18 minutes, until lightly browned and set. Let it cool briefly while you prepare the filling.
Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and fresh citrus juice until smooth. Stir in finely grated lemon or lime zest if using.
Pour the filling into the warm or cooled crust. Bake for 15–16 minutes, until the center is just set but remains slightly soft or gently wobbly.
Cool the pie, then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours; 4 hours or overnight gives the cleanest slices. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream and an optional small sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Notes

Use freshly squeezed citrus juice and avoid overbaking the filling, since residual heat continues to set it as the pie cools. Keep the chilled pie covered in the refrigerator and serve cold.