Desserts Pies Custard and Cream Pies Lemon Pies Atlantic Beach Pie Be the first to rate & review! 1 Photo This salty-sweet treat will take you straight to the coast. By Julia Levy Julia Levy Julia Levy is an experienced cook with a demonstrated history of working in the publishing industry. She is skilled in catering, food & beverage, event planning, and menu development. She tests and develops recipes in the DotDash Meredith Test Kitchen for Southern Living. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on August 29, 2024 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 1 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Freeze Time: 10 mins Cool Time: 1 hr 10 mins Chill Time: 2 hrs Total Time: 3 hrs 55 mins Servings: 8 (serving size: 1 slice) Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Atlantic Beach Pie is a quintessential Southern summer dessert—sweet, tangy, and just the right amount of salty. Like a cross between a key lime pie and a lemon meringue pie, this refreshing treat has been a staple on coastal seafood restaurant menus for decades. However, Chef Bill Smith of Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, brought the pie to fame, naming it after his favorite nearby beach town. The beloved beachside dessert features a buttery saltine cracker crust, a creamy citrus filling made from lemons and limes, and a generous topping of fresh whipped cream. With every creamy, tangy bite, it’s guaranteed to transport you straight to the Atlantic shore. “The vanilla in the lemon-lime curd filling is reminiscent of a creamsicle, and against the salty-sweet cracker crust, it’s delectable,” said recipe developer Julia Levy. “This pie is very easy to make, and doesn’t take all night to chill—you’ll want to make this for all your get-togethers.” Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 8 (serving size: 1 slice) servings 1 (4 1/2 ounce) sleeve saltine crackers (about 38 crackers) 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 large egg white, lightly beaten cooking spray 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 4 large egg yolks 3 large limes, divided 2 large lemons, divided 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided 1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup powdered sugar flaky sea salt, for sprinkling Directions Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Crush saltines so that they resemble coarse meal, not dust (about 1 1/2 cups crumbs). Stir together crushed crackers, melted butter, sugar, and egg white in a medium bowl until combined. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Transfer mixture to a 9-inch glass or ceramic standard pie plate greased with cooking spray; firmly press on bottom and up the sides. Freeze for 10 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake in the preheated oven until crust is lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios While crust cools, whisk together condensed milk and egg yolks until smooth. zest 1 of the lemons and 1 of the limes to yield 1 teaspoon each. Juice zested lemon and 2 of the limes to yield 1/4 cup juice each. Whisk lime juice, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla into condensed milk mixture until smooth. Pour mixture into warm crust. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until center is just set, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool 1 hour at room temperature. Refrigerate, uncovered, until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios When ready to serve, beat cream, powdered sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Spread whipped cream topping over chilled pie, leaving about a 1/2-inch border of custard showing around crust. Thinly slice remaining lemon and lime into rounds. Twist slices and arrange decoratively over whipped cream. Sprinkle with reserved lemon and lime zest. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios How to Store, Freeze, or Make ahead The saltine crust goes stale more quickly than a graham cracker one, so be sure to gobble up any leftovers quickly. Pie can be stored, covered, without whipped cream topping, in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Spread with topping and sprinkle with flaky sea salt just before serving. Tips, Tricks, Shortcuts Use a rolling pin to crush your saltines in a ziptop bag, or use your handsMake sure your cream is as cold as possible when getting ready to whip it – chill the bowl and beaters, if necessary! Chilling the crust briefly before baking the pie enables it to hold its structure better.Make sure to combine the filling ingredients very well and pour them into the crust just after blending, then bake immediately. Substitutions, Variations, and Serve With Suggestions Use a graham cracker crust instead of a saltine one – it is suggested to add a little extra salt to the grahams, though. Use all lemon or all lime juice instead of the mixture Dotdash Meredith Food Studios I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 684 Calories 40g Fat 76g Carbs 14g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 684 % Daily Value * Total Fat 40g 51% Saturated Fat 22g 108% Cholesterol 235mg 78% Sodium 361mg 16% Total Carbohydrate 76g 27% Dietary Fiber 5g 16% Total Sugars 54g Protein 14g 27% Vitamin C 74mg 83% Calcium 305mg 23% Iron 2mg 13% Potassium 603mg 13% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.