If you love a classic cocktail, this creamy and refreshing Margarita Pie is about to become your new favorite dessert. It's a zesty, tequila-infused treat that brings a fun, boozy twist to any party or summer get-together.
Also included in this post is a kid-friendly, nonalcoholic version.
This creamy and refreshing Margarita Pie is a total fusion of key lime flavors and your favorite cocktail. It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that will have everyone asking for the recipe at your next Cinco de Mayo party or summer luau.
What makes this recipe truly unique is the secret meringue folded directly into the base rather than spread on top. This creates a wonderfully sweet, light, and fluffy texture infused with citrus and libations. Seriously, what's not to love about a dessert that doubles as a drink?
You can easily customize this margarita pie with your favorite crust, whether you prefer a classic graham cracker or a salty pretzel rim. There's even a kid-friendly, nonalcoholic version included (see below) so the whole family can join the fun.
Top it with some Easy Homemade Whipped Cream and indulge, because it's 5 o'clock somewhere!
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🥘Ingredients
Please note: pie crust and alcohol aren't pictured.
- baked, cooled pie crust- feel free to make your own; 9 inch deep dish is best
- unflavored gelatin- used for solidifying purposes; do not use lime flavored gelatin
- sugar- half is mixed into the lime mixture, with the rest being mixed into the meringue
- salt
- eggs- the eggs get separated; we use the yolks in the lime mixture and the whites for the meringue
- fresh lime juice & zest- freshly squeezed is key for that bright, zesty Margarita taste; avoid the bottled stuff!
- tequila- Blanco or Reposado Tequila (use a quality brand for the best tequila-infused flavor)
- orange liqueur/triple sec- Cointreau or Grand Marnier work perfectly to balance the citrus
- optional garnishes- flaky sea salt (for that margarita rim vibe), extra lime wheels, or Easy Homemade Whipped Cream
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪How to Make Margarita Pie
- Step 1: Combine gelatin, sugar, salt; add egg yolks and lime juice; cook until gelatin dissolves and mixture thickens; remove from heat and stir in lime zest & liquor; chill.
- Step 2: Beat egg whites until peaks form; add remaining sugar and beat until stiff.
- Step 3: Fold the meringue into the chilled gelatin mixture; mix thoroughly.
- Step 4: Turn mixture into baked and cooled pie shell and chill until firm; garnish with lime twists and whipped cream before serving.
Hint: One sleeve of unflavored gelatin is all you need for this margarita pie recipe. That's only .25 ounce. Flavored gelatins typically come in 3 oz. boxes, plus have a ton of added sugar, and of course, food dye. Stick with unflavored gelatin for best results.
🍋🟩Creative Margarita Pie Variations
Nonalcoholic Margarita Pie - To make this a family-friendly treat, simply omit the tequila and orange liqueur. Replace the alcohol with a mixture of ¼ cup fresh lime juice and additional water to reach a total of ½ cup extra liquid. This swap ensures the gelatin sets perfectly without making the pie overly tart.
Custom Crust Options - While a standard 9-inch deep-dish crust works great, you can easily elevate this dessert with different flavors. A graham cracker crust adds a lovely sweetness, while a salty pretzel crust perfectly mimics the classic salted rim of a margarita.
For more refreshing lime desserts, see my easy no bake Key Lime Pie and Mini Key Lime Cheesecakes!
🍽Equipment
- 9 inch deep dish pie plate
- citrus juicer & zester
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- small saucepan
- stirring spoon
- small mixing bowl
- hand mixer
- medium mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
- rubber scraping spatula
🍶Storage
This Margarita pie is at its best when served the same day it's made.
If you have leftovers, loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Because of its aerated texture, freezing isn't recommended.
💭Betty's Top Tip
Working with gelatin is all about the timing! Remove the mixture from the stove as soon as it starts to thicken, then chill and check it every 30 minutes. Once it's slightly set (usually 30-60 minutes), fold in your meringue immediately to avoid a chunky or solidified base.
❓Margarita Pie FAQ
While some desserts freeze well, freezing this specific Margarita Pie isn't recommended. Because of its light, aerated texture from the folded meringue, the consistency can change and become compromised once frozen and thawed. It is best enjoyed fresh the same day or stored loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days!
A traditional 9-inch deep-dish baked pastry crust works wonderfully and allows the filling to shine. For a fun flavor twist, a graham cracker crust adds a lovely honey sweetness, or you can use a salty pretzel crust to perfectly mimic the salted rim of a classic margarita!
For the best results, stick with unflavored gelatin! Flavored lime gelatins usually come in large 3-ounce boxes and contain a lot of extra sugar and artificial food dye. This recipe only requires a single .25-ounce envelope of unflavored gelatin to help the pie set perfectly while letting the fresh, zesty lime juice provide all the flavor.
Yes, please! Freshly squeezed lime juice is the key to getting that bright, zesty, authentic margarita taste. Bottled lime juice can often taste flat, bitter, or overly preserved, which will alter the flavor of your pie. Grab a few fresh limes and your citrus juicer-it is worth the extra step!
🥄More Pie Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these or head over to our Pies and Cobblers page:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite Mexican inspired dishes to enjoy with this Margarita Pie. You can find even more on the Easy Meals page!
📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions
Fluffy & Creamy Margarita Pie (With Nonalcoholic Option)
Equipment
- 9 inch pie plate
- mixing bowls
- citrus juicer
- small saucepan
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Ingredients
- 1 baked, deep dish 9-inch pie shell cooled
- 1 envelope (.25 oz.) unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs separated
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice you will need additional lime juice if choosing to make the nonalcoholic version
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- ⅓ cup tequila omit and replace with ¼ cup lime juice plus water to equal ⅓ cup for nonalcoholic version
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur or triple sec omit and replace with water for nonalcoholic version
Instructions
- Bake pie crust and allow to cool.
- Mix the gelatin, ½ cup of the sugar, and salt in a small saucepan.
- Beat the egg yolks and lime juice together and add to the gelatin mixture.
- Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved and mixture thickens; about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in lime zest, tequila and liqueur (or extra lime juice and water--see notes).
- Chill in fridge until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon (check in 30 minute intervals...see notes below).
- Using a hand mixer on its highest setting, beat egg whites until peaks form; add remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the meringue into the gelatin mixture; fold thoroughly.
- Turn into pie shell and chill until firm.
- Garnish with lime twists and whipped cream before serving.
- This tangy meringue based pie is at its best when served the same day it is made. If you have leftovers, loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.
Steph D. says
Wow! What a pie! Made this for my Cinco de Mayo party, and let me just say, it was all the rage! I'm trying it with a pretzel crust next time!
Kitchen Ready Betty says
Oh yeah! Sounds like it was definitely a hit! Come back and let me know how you liked it with the pretzel crust!
Barbara K. says
Wow! Now you can have your cocktail and eat it too.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
That's right! This refreshing lime pie is just as good as the drink, if not better ;)!