{ Coconut Key Lime Tartlets }

Key Lime Pie is a staple in South Florida. Growing up, we even had our very own key lime tree—and my Mom made these pies all the time. So in search of a reason to use my new, fun little tart pans, it’s no wonder my thoughts went in this sweet & tangy direction.

With a hint of coconut for a slightly unconventional twist, and topped with a sky high pile of toasted meringue…I give you my Coconut Key Lime Tartlets :

Begin by making the crust.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and coconut flakes in a bowl. The consistency should be like wet sand and hold its shape if you pinch it together!

Push about a handful of this mixture, very tightly, into eight little tart pans {if you have them, or a regular pie pan if you don’t}. It might take a few minutes to get the crumbs packed in tightly, but it’s worth the effort. Your crust will crumble apart otherwise!

Bake the crusts at 350 F for about 10 minutes, or until a deep golden brown.

If you’ve never seen a key lime, they’re tiny! I picked up a few from the farmer’s market to use for zest and garnish.

If you’re feeling real dedicated, go ahead and juice the key limes fresh {or take the easy route—like I did—and pick up a bottle at your grocery store}.

While the crusts are baking, get to work on the filling. Pour the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and key lime zest into a large bowl.

Beat them on medium speed till they’re completely combined.

Then, very slowly drizzle in the key lime juice until everything is together {add more juice if you like your key lime pie super tart, and less if you’d prefer it sweeter}.

Once the crusts are done, fill them up to the top with your pie filling. Yeah, just like that! ^

Bake these for another 10-15 minutes at 350 F—until they no longer jiggle. {You might have to increase the baking time by 5 minutes if you’re making an entire pie, rather than tartlets.}

Next, whip up the meringue topping.

In a metal bowl, beat your remaining egg whites on high with the cream of tartar. Once the egg whites begin to stiffen up, you can slowly pour in the sugar.

Be sure to try it as you go—you may not need the full ¼ cup of sugar! Continue to whip until the meringue is white, shiny, and forms stiff beaks on the beaters.

Once the tartlets are done, take them out of the oven and let them cool completely before topping with the meringue {CRUCIAL}!

Once cooled, dollop a bit of the meringue onto each tartlet, tapping your spoon on and off of the fluffy stuff to form pretty little peaks. It’s ok if they’re a bit messy, the “homemade look” is charming!

Pop the tartlets into a 400 F oven for about 5 minutes, until the meringue is slightly toasted. Keep an eye on them—they could burn quite quickly.