Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe
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This Key Lime Pie combines everything a great summer dessert should have: a tangy, creamy filling, a crunchy graham cracker crust, and a cloud of whipped cream on top. The filling needs only three ingredients and comes together with little effort.
Table of Contents
- Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- In Photos: How To Make Key Lime Pie
- Recipe FAQ
- More Lime Recipes
I go through phases where I can't stop making pie, and key lime is always near the top of my list. It's tart, cool, and creamy all at once, pairing perfectly with the buttery graham crust underneath. You can serve it in summer, but I reach for it year-round.
Key lime pie was born in Key West, a small island off the southern coast of Florida. It's actually Florida's official state pie! It can be found on menus all over the south, and beyond.
The star ingredient of key lime pie is the juice from key limes. Key limes are a special kind of lime. They are tiny, and round, much different from the Persian limes we usually find at the grocery store.
Key lime pie is always made with sweetened condensed milk, because the island of Key West was so remote they could not get fresh dairy there.
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's genuinely easy. The filling has just three ingredients, and the crust is a simple stir-and-press.
- You can use bottled key lime juice. If fresh key limes aren't available, it still tastes great.
- It's a make-ahead dessert. Since it needs to chill, you can make it a day in advance.
- It's endlessly adaptable. Turn it into bars, swap the whipped cream for a stabilized version, or adjust the tartness to your taste.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
For the Graham Cracker Crust:
- Graham cracker crumbs: The base of the crust. You can buy boxed crumbs or pulse whole graham crackers in a food processor.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor.
- Ground cinnamon: Brings warmth to the crust.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Melted to bind the crumbs together. If you only have salted butter, that's fine. Just reduce the added salt slightly.
For the Key Lime Pie Filling:
- Sweetened condensed milk: The base of the custard-like filling.
- Egg yolks: Help the filling set as it bakes.
- Key lime juice: The star of the recipe. Bottled juice works well if key limes aren't available near you.
For the Whipped Cream Garnish:
- Heavy whipping cream: Keep it cold! It whips up faster and holds its shape better.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the whipped cream without making it grainy.
In Photos: How To Make Key Lime Pie
Step 1: Make The Crust
Whisk graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter until evenly moistened.
Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a pie pan. Chill for 1 hour before filling.
Step 2: Make The Filling
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and key lime juice together until smooth. Pour the filling into the chilled crust and bake for 25 minutes until set around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center.
Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Step 3: Make Whipped Cream
Whip cold cream and powdered sugar together until soft peaks form.
Spread or pipe over the chilled pie just before serving.
Step 4: Enjoy
This pie is perfect to make a day ahead of time. Just remove and slice right before serving.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Want it more tart? Cut back on the sugar in the filling or add more key lime juice.
- Turning it into bars? Press the crust into an 8x8-inch pan, then pour the filling in. Since the layers are thinner, start checking for doneness after about 10 minutes.
- Storage: Keep the pie chilled in the fridge where it stays fresh for a few days. It can also be wrapped tightly and frozen for a few weeks. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge before serving.
Recipe FAQ
Can I use regular limes instead of key limes?
You can, though the flavor will be a little less tart and floral. Bottled key lime juice is the closest substitute if fresh key limes aren't available.
Does the lime juice curdle the condensed milk?
No. The acidity helps the filling set as it bakes rather than curdle.
Can I make this pie ahead of time?
Yes! In fact, it's better to make it ahead. Since it needs to chill for at least 2 hours, making it the day before serving works perfectly.
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust
- 1 ½ cups (126 g) graham cracker crumbs, *
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar, loosely packed
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) kosher salt
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
For the key lime pie filling
- 28 ounces (793.79 g) sweetened condensed milk, (2 14 ounce cans)
- 6 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (121 g) key lime juice
For the whipped cream garnish
- ¾ cup (178.5 g) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
To make the graham cracker crust:
- Place the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Pour the melted butter into the bowl, and stir the mixture together until mixed.
- Tip the mixture into the pie or cake pan, and press into the bottom and up the sides.
- Chill for 1 hour.
To make the key lime pie filling:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and key lime juice together until smooth.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 25 minutes, or until set around the edges but still a little wobbly towards the center.
- Chill for 2 hours, garnish with whipped cream, and serve cold.
To make the whipped cream garnish:
- Whip the cream and powdered sugar together until it holds soft peaks.
Notes
Great recipe for make-ahead whipped cream here: Stabilized Whipped Cream. A few more great pie recipes for summer:
I'm really excited to try this, I'm thirteen and been compiling a bunch of recipes to bring with me when i leave home and a lot of them are yours. My brother is turning 19 soon and he LOOOOVES Key Lime Pie. I'm hoping I'll be able to do it well. I have one question: Can you sweeten your own condensed milk? Seeing as I'm in quarentine becauce of COVID-19, I can't get to the store very easily. I have regular condensed milk and evaporated milk but not sweetened. Any ideas?
I wish I could help you but I'm afraid I've never heard of condensed milk that's not sweetened. Maybe this is something that is available in other parts of the country or world, but I am not familiar with the product. So sorry!
Another excellent recipe. We cheated a bit and used a store bought graham cracker crust, other than that we followed the recipe and it was simple and really great. I do have one question. If we wanted to make the pie more tart, should we reduce the sugar or up the key lime juice? Thanks so much, again!
So happy you enjoyed Blakeney! Feel free to experiment to get the exact flavor you're looking for. I think either of those options or both would make a difference! Good luck!
Hi.. tx for this recipe ! Any advise on how to make an eggless pie instead..and doesn’t the milk curdle with the lime juice..?
Tx a heap!
Upma
No condensed milk does not curdle when mixed with lime juice.
Key lime pie is the best!! Love how sweet and tart it is!
One of my favorite recipes! Love how easy this is!
You just can't go wrong with a classic key lime pie! I love this recipe!
Key lime pie is one of my favorite desserts! This is so easy to put together 🙂
One of my favorite desserts and your recipe is the BEST!