Key Lime Pie

This classic Key Lime Pie is one I’ve made over and over using fresh key lime juice, a sweet creamy filling, and the simplest graham cracker crust. It’s tangy, smooth, and full of citrus flavor. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make with just a few steps and big results.

Something I can tell you for sure is that we’re a sweet tooth kind of family, so dessert is a must after every meal. This Key lime pie quickly became one of our absolute favorites, right up there with my buttermilk chess pie and my delicious banana pudding. These three never last long in our house, and for good reason.

Key Lime Pie

Firstly, I’ll give a little context about key limes and why they make such a difference in flavor. Key limes are much smaller than the typical Persian limes, they’re known for their intense, aromatic citrus flavor that stands out in both sweet and savory dishes. I can absolutely vouch for that!

Legend has it that Key lime pie originated in Key West, Florida, during the 1930s, inspired by the Borden condensed milk company, which was based in New York. It was the Sunshine State’s take on the classic lemon cream pie, but made with tart, aromatic key limes instead.

This is my take on a classic Key lime pie, and I couldn’t wait to bring it into your kitchen. I make it with a simple combination of sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, fresh key lime juice, and zest. The filling comes together quickly, bakes in a graham cracker crust, and then chills until it’s perfectly set. It’s traditionally finished with either meringue or whipped cream, and I always lean toward a generous swirl of my homemade whipped cream.

If you’ve been looking for a dessert that’s simple to follow, sets perfectly, and makes everyone at the table smile, I’m telling you, this one is it.

Ingredients and Substitutions

I make this creamy and refreshing Key Lime Pie with just seven simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Eggs – I use egg yolks from large eggs. These can be chilled or at room temperature.
• Condensed Milk – Sweetened condensed milk is the base of this pie recipe.
• Key Limes – You can usually find them in bags near the other citrus fruits at the grocery store. If you don’t see key limes, regular limes will work in a pinch. For this recipe, I used both the juice and the zest.
• Graham Crackers – You can use whole graham crackers or pre-ground crumbs, whichever you have on hand. Both work just fine for the crust.
• Butter – I always use unsalted butter to control the salt content in my cooking and baking.
• Sugar – Regular granulated sugar is what I used for this key lime pie.
• Salt – I almost always use coarse salt in my cooking and baking.

How to Make the Best Key Lime Pie Recipe

Make the Crust: I add the graham crackers, melted butter, sugar, and salt to a food processor, then blend everything together until the mixture looks like a coarse meal.

Form the Crust: The crumb mixture gets pressed into a 9 or 10 inch pie pan, packed tightly and shaped evenly up the sides.

Bake the Crust: It goes into a 325 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned and set. I let it cool completely at room temperature before adding the filling.

Whip the Yolks: Egg yolks go into the stand mixer, and I whip them on high speed for 2 to 4 minutes until they’re light and fluffy.

Mix the Filling: I add the sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, and zest to the whipped yolks, then mix everything together until it’s fully combined and smooth.

Fill the Crust: I transfer the mixture to the par-baked pie crust and pour it in.  You may have about a ½ cup left over if you are using a 9” pie pan.

Bake the Pie: The pie goes back into the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until the center is just set. I let it cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before transferring it to the fridge.

Chill the Pie: It chills in the fridge for at least 3 hours until it’s fully set and cold all the way through.

Serve: Once the pie is chilled and ready, I add the whipped cream on top and serve each slice with a spoonful of my favorite sauce.

Chef Tip + Notes

To make the best Key Lime Pie, I recommend taking a few extra minutes to whip the egg yolks until they’re light and fluffy before adding the rest of the filling. It gives the pie a perfectly creamy texture and helps it set just right every time.

• Pan size: A 9 or 10 inch pie pan both work well. The batter will comfortably fill a 10 inch pan or pack tightly into a 9 inch.
• More Lime: I personally love the lime flavor in this. It’s enough for me, especially with the zest. However, if you love a really big, bold lime flavored pie, you can add up to an additional half cup of key lime juice.
• Press the crust: I like to use the back of a spoon to press the crust into the pan. It helps make it nice and even.
• Mix gently: When adding the sweetened condensed milk, zest, and juice, I mix just until everything comes together. No need to overdo it.
• Extra filling tip: If I use a 9 inch pan and have extra filling, I pour it into a small ramekin, bake it, chill it, and top with graham cracker crumbs. It makes a fun little bonus dessert.
• About condensed milk: Sweetened condensed milk is milk that’s been slowly cooked down and sweetened until thick and creamy. It’s kind of like reducing a sauce to make it richer.
• Skip the store: There’s no need to buy this pie from the grocery store. You can absolutely make it at home and enjoy that same restaurant-quality flavor right in your kitchen.

Serving Suggestions

I love bringing out this key lime pie with a swirl of fresh whipped cream on top as the centerpiece of a summer dinner, especially after my grilled BBQ chicken or alongside a cold glass of iced tea.

And a drizzle of my raspberry coulis? Yes, please! It brings just the right touch of fruity contrast that makes every bite of the tart filling pop even more.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this key lime pie recipe up to 3 days ahead of time for maximum freshness.

How to Store: Place it in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 5 days. The pie does not freeze well because when it thaws, it can liquify. However, it is tasty eaten frozen, so feel free to do that while storing it in the freezer for up to 2 months.

More Dessert Recipes

• Torta Caprese Recipe 
• Baked Apple Slices
• Chocolate Mousse
• Churros
• Loaded Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Key Lime Pie

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5 from 36 votes

This classic Key Lime Pie is one I’ve made over and over using fresh key lime juice, a sweet creamy filling, and the simplest graham cracker crust. It’s tangy, smooth, and full of citrus flavor. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make with just a few steps and big results.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the Crust:

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 5 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• pinch sea salt

For the Pie:

• 6 egg yolks
• 28 ounces of condensed sweetened milk
• ½ cup of fresh key lime juice
• 1 tablespoon of key lime zest

For the Toppings:

• 1/2 whipped cream recipe
• 1/2 raspberry coulis recipe

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°.
• Add the graham crackers, butter, sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse on high speed until combined.
• Transfer the mixture to a 9” or 10” pan and form it completely into the pan.
• Par bake at 325° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned and slightly firm. Cool to room temperature.
• Add the egg yolks to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed for 2 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Next, on medium speed, mix in the condensed milk, key lime juice, and zest just until combined.
• Transfer the mixture to the cooled pie crust and pour it in. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, just until set.
• Cool at room temperature for 10-12 minutes then transfer the pie and completely cool in the refrigerator for 3 hours or until firm.
• While the pie is cooling, add heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on high speed until stiff peaks are formed about 3 to 4 minutes. Add to a piping bag or keep in a bowl and chill.
• Raspberry sauce: Add all ingredients to a small-sized pot over medium heat and cook until thick and jammy, about 15 minutes. Strain and chill.
• Garnish the pie with whipped cream and serve with raspberry sauce.

Notes

To make the best Key Lime Pie, I recommend taking a few extra minutes to whip the egg yolks until they’re light and fluffy before adding the rest of the filling. It gives the pie a perfectly creamy texture and helps it set just right every time.

Pan size: A 9 or 10 inch pie pan both work well. The batter will comfortably fill a 10 inch pan or pack tightly into a 9 inch.

More Lime: I personally love the lime flavor in this. It’s enough for me, especially with the zest. However, if you love a really big, bold lime flavored pie, you can add up to an additional half cup of key lime juice.

Press the crust: I like to use the back of a spoon to press the crust into the pan. It helps make it nice and even.

Mix gently: When adding the sweetened condensed milk, zest, and juice, I mix just until everything comes together. No need to overdo it.

Extra filling tip: If I use a 9 inch pan and have extra filling, I pour it into a small ramekin, bake it, chill it, and top with graham cracker crumbs. It makes a fun little bonus dessert.

About condensed milk: Sweetened condensed milk is milk that’s been slowly cooked down and sweetened until thick and creamy. It’s kind of like reducing a sauce to make it richer.

Skip the store: There’s no need to buy this pie from the grocery store. You can absolutely make it at home and enjoy that same restaurant-quality flavor right in your kitchen.

Make-Ahead: You can make this pie up to 3 days ahead of time for maximum freshness.

How to Store: Place it in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 5 days. The pie does not freeze well because when it thaws, it can liquify. However, it is tasty eaten frozen, so feel free to do that while storing it in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 795kcalCarbohydrates: 93gProtein: 13gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 281mgSodium: 261mgPotassium: 518mgFiber: 3gSugar: 79gVitamin A: 1570IUVitamin C: 15.6mgCalcium: 362mgIron: 1.4mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Chef Billy Parisi