Key Lime Pie
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Cool, creamy, and bright, this key lime pie is made for warm days and easy entertaining.
I use Persian limes, otherwise known as ordinary supermarket limes, to make my “Key lime” pie. Unless you live in the Florida Keys, key limes are near impossible to find. Furthermore, they’re so tiny that you’d need to juice at least twenty of them for this recipe. No thank you! Ordinary limes make an exceptional Key lime pie, and they are a much better alternative to bracingly tart bottled Key lime juice. This pie tastes every bit as authentic as the real deal—plus it’s easier to make.
Key lime pie can be made with a graham cracker crust or a traditional pie crust. I always opt for a graham cracker crust because it’s quick to prepare. Plus, why fuss with finicky pie dough when a graham cracker crust tastes so good?
“Off the charts delicious! The brown sugar in the crust is *chefs kiss* and the tart, creaminess of this pie is next-level.”
What You’ll Need To Make Key Lime Pie
- Crust: Made from finely crushed graham crackers, light brown sugar, and melted butter, the crust is buttery and lightly sweet, with just enough structure to hold the filling.
- Filling: Sweetened condensed milk gives the pie its creamy texture and sweetness (don’t confuse it with evaporated milk), while Greek yogurt adds a subtle tang. Fresh lime juice and zest provide bright citrus flavor. You’ll need about 8 to 10 plump limes; zest them before juicing and expect roughly 2 tablespoons of juice per lime.
- Topping: Lightly sweetened whipped cream adds a pillowy topping, with a bit of lime zest for freshness and thin lime slices for garnish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Key Lime Pie
Step 1: Make the crust mixture. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Start by stirring with a fork, then use your hands to mix until everything is evenly combined.
Step 2: Form the crust. Using your fingers and the bottom of a measuring cup or glass, press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Aim for a crust about ¼ inch thick.
Pro tip: form the sides first, then press in the bottom.
Step 3: Blind bake the crust. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes, until it’s lightly browned. This quick bake helps set the crust so it stays crisp once the filling is added. Let it cool slightly while you make the filling.
Step 4: Zest and juice the limes. Start by zesting the limes. A rasp grater (the long, skinny kind shown below) works best for this and makes quick work of citrus zest. Then juice the limes using a citrus reamer.
Step 5: Make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, lime zest, and lime juice. With no eggs, it may be hard to believe that this pie will set, but have faith—it will.
Step 6: Fill and bake the pie. Pour the filling into the baked graham cracker crust and smooth the top. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the filling is just set. Let the pie cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill completely, about 3 hours.
Step 7: Make the whipped cream topping. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or beaters), beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until medium peaks form. (Alternatively, the cream can be beaten by hand with a whisk.)
Step 8: Assemble and serve. Within a few hours of serving, top the chilled pie with the whipped cream and decorate with lime slices and zest. Enjoy!
Key Lime Pie Video Tutorial
More Classic Pie Recipes You’ll Love
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs, from about 12 whole graham crackers
- ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
- Two 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole milk)
- 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
- ¾ cup fresh lime juice
For the Topping
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
- 8 to 10 thin lime slices
Instructions
- Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter; stir with a fork first, and then your hands until the mixture is well combined. Using your fingers and the bottom of a glass or dry measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 x 1½-in (23 x 4-cm) pie pan. The crust should be about ¼-in (6-mm) thick. (Tip: do the sides first.)
- Bake for 10 minutes, until just slightly browned. Let the crust cool on a wire rack.
- Make the Filling: Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C). In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour the thick mixture into the warm graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is almost set; it should wobble a bit. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, about 3 hours.
- Make the Topping: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until medium peaks form. Top the pie with the whipped cream. Decorate with the lime zest and lime slices. Store the pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Slice the pie into wedges, wiping your knife clean between slices, and serve cold.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: You can make the crust a day ahead of time, but the filling should be added on the day of serving, otherwise the crust will get soggy.
- The nutritional information was calculated using 2% Greek yogurt.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Def recommend! My husband requested this for Father’s Day and it did not disappoint!! Tart, but not too much so and the crust was DELICIOUS. Finished it in 2 days! The family gets so excited when I tell them I’m trying a new recipe of yours! As always, thank you for sharing!!
AMAZING RECIPE! I used gluten free Graham crackers and the crust was still delicious. I made 2 mistakes as I did not thoroughly read the recipe before cooking. I made the pie ( except for whipped topping ) the day before serving and baked the pie 30 minutes instead of 15. The amazing thing is the pie was still delicious and got raving reviews. I can’t wait to try the right way the next time.😊 Best key lime pie recipe ever and I have made many of recipes.
I made this for friends visiting from Florida as it has been our treat after an evening of playing cards. It is easy to make and received rave reviews from everyone!! I love that regular limes are recommended!! EVERY recipe I have made has been just perfect – they are all company worthy!
Hi Jenn, A nephew gave me your cookbook a few months ago after visiting for a long weekend and enjoying all the meals I made from your amazing recipes. As a ardent follower of your work, I was thrilled to dive right into your book. Since then, I made this recipe three times and each time folks have told me it’s the best key lime pie they’ve ever had. My husband says that after eating your key lime pie as well as your baked salmon with honey mustard, he’s been spoiled from trying any other. Thank you for making me a happy cook!
💗
I made this pie today, and it was easy and excellent. I used one can of fat free eagle brand sweetened condensed milk and one regular, and I couldn’t tell the difference in taste. I will definitely make this pie again. I love all the recipes from this site.
This is one of the first recipes I made from your book and my family has requested it again and again. It’s on the menu for Father’s Day tomorrow, and I am making the coconut cream pie too! xo
So easy to make and it was a hit
Some key lime pies are tart and some are sweet. Which camp does your recipe fall into?
P.S. I LOVE your website! You truly have no fail recipes!
Hi Angela, So glad you like the recipes! I think this one is right in the middle but if I had to pick, I’d say it’s a bit more on the sweet side.
Jenn, you were right. It is perfect! The right combo of sweet and tart. Best key lime pie ever!
A definite hit! I made this last Thanksgiving and this critical review was received, “Why didn’t you make two?” Since it was a hit then, it was also included for the dessert in the dinner club I belong to – A different group, same results, another hit!
I love your recipes, I have made many. I want to try this key lime pie recipe. My daughter, age 30, swears that Greek yogurt does not agree with her stomach. Can I use a plain yogurt that isn’t Greek?
Hi Julie, So glad you like the recipes! I think you could use regular yogurt but should strain it first because it’s not as thick as Greek yogurt. Sour cream or crème fraîche would also work here. Hope you enjoy!
I have made this recipe so many times for different occasions (usually when the weather turns warm). This is a hit every time! People love this recipe. It is so easy to make and freezes well if you are lucky enough to have left overs.
I did. It worked fine.
I’ve never made, or eaten key lime pie before. It’s something my husband really enjoys, so I decided to give it a try.
It was very simple to throw together, and the pie is currently chilling in the fridge.
I did taste the filling and it was SO GOOD!
Thank you for the great recipe.