This key lime pie has a tangy and sweet flavor that is refreshing and light, making it a perfect dessert for warm weather! A homemade graham cracker crust is filled with a creamy key lime filling and topped off with a fluffy whipped topping! This pie is a popular Florida dessert that is great for enjoying in the summertime!
Best Key Lime Pie Recipe
When the warm weather begins to creep in, I know it's time to start whipping up some tasty and refreshing treats! This key lime pie is perfect for the summertime, springtime, or really any time!
Don't worry if you can't find any key limes, because you can definitely get away with making this pie using standard limes from the grocery store. However, if you can get your hands on some key limes then go ahead and grab them for the authentic experience!
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🥘 Key Lime Pie Ingredients
This tangy pie has three elements: the crust, the filling, and the topping. All three of these components use minimal ingredients and are easy to make!
Crust
- Graham Cracker Crumbs - 1½ cups of graham cracker crumbs. Simply place some graham crackers into a bag and crush them with a rolling pin or skillet.
- Sugar - ⅓ cup white granulated sugar.
- Butter - 6 tablespoons butter (unsalted, melted) however, salted butter works wonderfully too.
Key Lime Filling
- Egg Yolks - 3 large egg yolks.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk - One 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. Don't get this confused with evaporated milk, as they are not the same thing!
- Key Lime Juice - ½ cup freshly squeezed key lime juice (about 20 key limes).
- Key Lime Zest - 1 tablespoon key lime zest (freshly grated). Make sure to zest your limes before you squeeze them!
Whipped Cream Topping
- Heavy Cream - 1 cup of heavy cream.
- Confectioners' Sugar - 2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar.
- Vanilla Extract - ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie is actually shockingly easy to make! You'll need a 9-inch pie pan, some mixing bowls, a whisk, and a hand mixer (or stand mixer).
This recipe makes one 9-inch key lime pie, which can be cut into about 8 slices.
Make The Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Combine. In a mixing bowl, combine 1½ cups of graham cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup of sugar, and 6 tablespoons of melted butter. Stir until the mixture is evenly moistened.
- Press into the pan. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Make sure you press the mixture into the bottom and then up the sides of the dish. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the surface.
- Parbake. Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool while you make the filling.
Make The Key Lime Filling
- Whisk. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk 3 large egg yolks until pale yellow in color.
- Add. Add 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk, ½ cup of key lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of zest to the bowl with the egg yolks. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour into the pan. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth out the surface with a spatula.
- Bake. Bake the pie for 15-17 minutes, or until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center. Let the pie cool to room temperature.
Make The Whipped Cream & Chill
- Whip. In a mixing bowl, whip 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Add. Add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract to the bowl, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Spread. Spread the whipped cream over the cooled pie, making swirls with a spatula.
- Chill. Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours, or until the filling is fully set.
- Serve. Slice and serve chilled.
Key lime pie is a popular dessert in the United States, especially in Florida, and is often served during the summer months! Pair it with a refreshing Malibu cocktail and get ready to soak up the warm air! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- When you are picking out your key limes, make sure to choose ones that are plump and have a little give when squeezed.
- Each lime will yield about 2 tablespoons of juice, but make sure to zest them first!
- If you can't find key limes or key lime juice, you can still make this pie using standard limes (although the flavor will be slightly different). Simply swap 1 lime per 6 key limes.
- For extra convenience, you can definitely make this pie using a storebought graham cracker crust and whipped cream, however, the homemade version is much tastier!
🥡 Storing
Keep this pie tightly covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. This is a pie that should be served chilled, so there is no need to reheat it!
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Key lime pie is a popular dessert that originated in the Florida Keys. It is a creamy, tart, and sweet pie made with a graham cracker crust, a tangy filling made from key lime juice, condensed milk, and egg yolks, and topped with whipped cream.
You can, but the flavor won't be quite the same. Key limes are a small, round citrus fruit that is native to Southeast Asia but is now commonly grown in the Florida Keys.
They are smaller and more acidic than regular limes and have a distinct flavor that gives the key lime pie its unique taste. Of course, if they are hard to find, you can still achieve a super tasty pie with regular limes!
Yep! Leave off the whipped topping and double-wrap the pie in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months, simply allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight and then add the whipped topping before serving.
🍋 More Fruit Desserts
- Blueberry Dump Cake - This sweet and simple cake is completely beginner-friendly!
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread - Tender orange shortbread cookies that are studded with cranberries!
- Sugar Cookie Cherry Cobbler - Delicious cherry cobbler that uses sugar cookie dough!
- Pineapple Pie Bars - A fun and tasty tropical bar that is perfect for serving a large group!
- Blueberry Galette - A stunning dessert that has all of the elements of a pie but is easier to make!
- Apple Crisp - A dessert with a crumbly oatmeal streusel topping, fresh apples, and tons of flavor!
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📖 Recipe Card
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 6 tablespoon butter (unsalted, melted)
Key Lime Filling
- 3 large egg yolks
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup fresh key lime juice (about 20 key limes make ½ cup of juice)
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon confectioners sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Prepare the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture is evenly moistened.
- Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie dish, making sure to press the crumbs up the sides of the dish. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the surface.
- Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool while you make the filling.
Prepare the Filling
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale yellow in color.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, and zest to the bowl with the egg yolks. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth out the surface with a spatula.
- Bake the pie at 350°F (175°C) for 15-17 minutes, or until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center. Let the pie cool to room temperature.
Make the Topping
- In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream over the cooled pie, making swirls with a spatula.
- Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours, or until the filling is fully set. Slice and serve chilled.
Notes
- When you are picking out your key limes, make sure to choose ones that are plump and have a little give when squeezed.
- Each lime will yield about 2 tablespoons of juice, but make sure to zest them first!
- If you can't find key limes or key lime juice, you can still make this pie using standard limes (although the flavor will be slightly different). Simply swap 1 lime per 6 key limes.
- For extra convenience, you can definitely make this pie using a storebought graham cracker crust and whipped cream, however, the homemade version is much tastier!
- To store: Keep this pie tightly covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ramona says
Love the recipes! Convenient weeknight dinners that my family loves!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thanks, Ramona, I appreciate that!