Key Lime Pie
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Made with ordinary limes, this “Key lime” pie tastes every bit as authentic as the real deal — plus it’s easier to make.
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.
Similar to coconut cream pie and lemon meringue pie, key lime pie can be made with a graham cracker/cookie 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?
What You’ll Need To Make Key Lime Pie
- You’ll need 8 to 10 limes total for this recipe. Choose plump limes that give a little when you squeeze them; they will be easier to juice. You should get about 2 tablespoons of juice from each lime. Be sure to zest the limes before you squeeze the juice from them, as it’s near impossible to do afterward.
- Sweetened condensed milk is canned milk from which water has been removed, and sugar has been added. Be sure not to confuse it with evaporated milk, which is usually sold right alongside.
- With no eggs, it may be hard to believe that this pie will set, but have faith — it will.
How To Make Key Lime Pie
Step 1: Make The Crust
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Stir with a fork first, and then your hands until the mixture is well combined.
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-in deep-dish pie pan. The crust should be about 1/4-in thick. (Hint: do the sides first.)
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Then let the crust cool a bit while you make the filling.
Step 2: Make the Filling
Begin by zesting the limes.
It’s best to use a rasp grater, which is a long, skinny tool that works well for grating hard cheeses and zesting citrus.
Juice the limes using a citrus reamer, then combine the juice with the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, and lime zest.
Whisk to combine.
Pour the filling into the cooked graham cracker crust.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the filling is almost set.
Let the pie cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, about 3 hours.
Step 3: Make the 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.) Top the chilled pie with whipped cream and decorate with lime slices and zest.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
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Key Lime Pie
Made with ordinary limes, this “Key lime” pie tastes every bit as authentic as the real deal — plus it’s easier to make.
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
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 375 °F 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 1.5-inch (deep-dish) pie pan. The crust should be about ¼-inch thick. (Tip: do the sides first.)
- Bake for 10 minutes, until just slightly browned. Let the crust cool on a wire rack.
For the Filling
- Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
- 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.
For 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.
- 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.
- Note: The nutritional information was calculated using 2% Greek yogurt.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 481
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Sugar: 54 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Sodium: 183 mg
- Cholesterol: 76 mg
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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If I make the crust a day early, do I bake it and put the finished pie crusts in the fridge or freezer till the next day? Or do I just leave it out in room temp?
Thank you
Hi Brittany, You can leave them at room temp. Enjoy!
It came out well, but wow it’s way too sweet for my taste. I can’t eat it, lol.
I am going to try this trick to see if it helps to keep leftovers from having a soggy crust. I am making the Key Lime Pie for Thanksgiving, so won’t have the results until after that.
HOW TO PREVENT A SOGGY GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST: Place graham cracker crust in freezer or fridge until firm. Brush cold crust with egg wash (beat 1 egg white with 1 tablespoon water). Bake pie crust at 350°F for 3-5 minutes to dry. If a sturdier crust is desired, bake a few minutes longer. The dried egg wash creates a protective moisture barrier between the crust and filling. Cool the crust before adding the filling. Proceed with recipe directions for the specific dessert you’re making.
Did this work? 🙏
We loved it!!!!! Made one for my boss as well.
I made this for a friend’s birthday yesterday. I had never made a key lime pie or even tried one. All of the guests raved about how good it was, as well and it being the best key lime pie they had ever had! Everyone asked me to make it again as soon as possible. I think it’s safe to say the name of this recipe is accurate ‘best-ever key lime pie’
Jennifer never disappoints on any recipe. I have both of her cookbooks and use them before any other. Thanks for another hit!
1st attempt very impressed did it in muffin cases and are a perfect size serving going to freeze them and take out as required. Taste and texture perfect. Used digestive biscuits and left out the sugar for the base also didn’t bake the base just did the whole lot all together turned out perfect. Thanks for this great easy to follow recipe.
This is the BEST key lime pie I’ve ever had. I followed the recipe to a tee and it was absolutely delicious!!!!!
Oh my God, this was delicious! So easy to make, set up beautifully. Yes, the crust does get a bit soggy on day 2 but a.) there might not be any pie left for day 2 and b.) the soggy crust is still delicious. 10/10 will make again.
This key lime pie recipe is better than any key lime pie I’ve had from any bakery or restaurant, bar none! The instructions were very easy to follow and the taste was absolutely amazing! I will be making this again and again! Thank you for this recipe!
Hi, I’ve made this pie before and it was delicious, but I was thinking about puréing some strawberries and mixing them in as well. Do you know if this will affect the turnout of the pie?
Glad you like it! Unfortunately, I don’t think it would with the added strawberry puree — sorry!
Unfortunately you do not mention how much graham, yogourt, brown sugar and confectioned sugar to use for this recipe! Would you please let me know? Thank you in advance, I’m excited about making my first Key Lime Pie!
Hi France, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions underneath. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, to the right of the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy the pie!
I’ve made this three times now to rave reviews! It’s fantastic. I forgot the sugar for the topping the 3rd time, but everyone still loved it! (I think the large meal beforehand contributed to that ;-p).
I do have a question – the “bake until the filling is almost set; it should wobble a bit” is still confusing! I’m used to doing the knife/toothpick into the centre of a pie/cake to determine doneness. Just wondering if there’s any other way to determine if it’s cooked enough. I’ve cooked it longer than 15min every time and it did set. But if I happen to only cook it for 15 minutes or longer , wondering how I will know if it’s sufficient until I pull it out of the fridge after 3 hours of chilling.
Thanks!
Hi Marie so glad you’ve enjoyed this! Unfortunately, because it’s a custard you really can’t tell whether or not it’s done if you stick a knife or toothpick in it. If you’ve cooked it for a few additional minutes every time and have had good luck with that, I’d just keep doing exactly what you’re doing. 🙂
Before I discovered Jenn’s amazing recipe I often made a Fine Cooking version that happened to included the internal temp of the key lime pie filling when done, 140 degrees. So I always check it with my Thermapen before taking it out of the oven, eliminates any wondering!
Loved it!
The instructions were easy to follow and the pie was so creamy and delicious. It was just what I needed 🙂
Hi Jen~ I have made this recipe and it’s fantastic. I am having a party with passed desserts. I would like to figure out a way to put this in individual dessert cups. Would it be possible? If so, could you provide suggestions/directions?
Hi Jamie, So glad you like this! I haven’t tried it but think you could make this into smaller individual ones. I’d keep the temperature the same; bake time is likely to be less but not sure by how much as it depends on the size of your minis so just keep a close eye on them. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jamie I made these in muffin cases as individual portions so I can freeze them Cheers Lynne
Hi Jen,
Question: Can I use an ordinary pie dish.
I made your delicious choc. cream pie in a regular pie dish.
Making this for clambake. Thank you, Rose
Hi Rose, I recommend a deep dish pie pan for this but if you only have a regular pie pan, you could use it — you may just have some filling left over. Please LMK how it turns out if you make it!
Hi Jen,
Huge success!!!
I see why a deep dish is necessary. Thanks so much, Rose
So glad it came out well — thanks for reporting back!
I made it in a regular pie dish and had enough for two pies!
Wow, good to know — thanks for the follow up!
Decided to make this recipe read all the instructions the way it said went to the fridge to cut a piece and the whole pie fell apart runny and soggy where did I go wrong!?
I even went back and read the whole recipe trying to see what I did wrong… nothing
Hi Paje, I’m sorry you had such a problem with this! Did you make any ingredient substitutions? Did you use traditional yogurt in place of Greek?
Easy, excellent recipe. Received a lot of compliments.
I run a vacation rental business. I make this for my guests but serve them in little, clear wine cups. With a spoon then freeze and put in a cellophane bag with a cute ribbon. I use Stabilized Whipped Cream for topping. One thing i have learned is it is best to under cook the filling. It won’t get lumpy when i scoop it into the cups. These are a huge hit. Purchasing a juicer on round 2 was the best purchase to date. I love these and they make great parting treats at any gathering. Thanks for all you do for us. I love this recipe.
Sami Grace
Lake Ouachita Vacation Realty
Mt Ida, AR
I have a lot of experience in both baking and eating. I am rarely able to taste anything without having to make at least one suggestion,
When my daughter in law made this pie for us two days ago, I was speechless. This is the best pie I have ever tasted. It goes in the front of my recipes collection.
THANK YOU!
I followed the recipe to a T. I came up short a few graham crackers, probably due to variance in size of pie plate.
I let it cool, and chilled for 3 hours before I left the house and then it chilled again for another 1.5 hours while we had dinner. It had set up when we cut into it, and it was tasty. We split the leftovers, and I was surprised to find the next day it had set up even more and was more like I had expected it to be. Almost cheesecake like. It did turn a little soggy.
For me it was more work than I wanted to put into it, but it was good. Wish I could fix the soggy crust problem so it can sit for a full 24 hours. It was night and day difference in consistency and flavor.
I have made this so many times now I know the recipe by heart. Best Key Lime pie ever.
question: how many smaller, 5” pies would this make? 2? 3? what about baking time or temp adjustment?
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Richard, I’d guesstimate that it would make 3 pies. The baking temperature will remain the same; the bake time may be a bit shorter, but keep a close eye on them.
Outstanding . Sets up beautifully and has the most perfect lime flavor. Every time I make this everyone breaks out in a smile, asks for seconds and wants to take whatever might be left home with them. Another home run, Jenn!
This is the first pie I’ve ever made.( I’ve eaten a bunch).The recipe is easy to follow, and our new Mexican lime tree is loaded with limes. So it only seemed logical to look for a Key Lime pie recipe and go for it.
I’m an old white guy who loves smoking Brisket, bar-b-que, cooking and eating Mexican food.
This recipe is easy to follow, the pie has the perfect balance between tart and sweet. I will be making it again, I need to practice my frosting skills. The frosting tastes great, I didn’t get the peaks as nice as I’d like. I’m going to keep practicing.
Perfect recipe. It tasted and looked amazing and was very easy (other than zesting and juicing limes being a bit tedious). Excellent!
Easy to make. Very yummy! I used a few more graham crackers and extra butter to make the crust thicker. Very pleased with the result. Like you mentioned in the recipe I was surprised it set up but it did.
Another winning dish. Never fails to elicit tons of compliments. It’s my go-to summer dessert.
Made this pie and brought it to a potluck. it was a big hit.
going to try lemons next time
This is the best ever Key Lime pie. Easy to make and u can’t stop eating it.
This is such an ingenious way to lighten the traditional key lime pie. Jenn substitutes Greek yogurt for egg yolks and it’s so wonderful. I like the egg version too but this is soft and light as a feather and still has as much great lime flavor. Beautiful too. My family ate it to the last graham cracker crumb.
Made this pie this weekend. It was truly delightful and delicious. We loved it. I would definitely make it again. It was sweet yet light. Highly recommend.
My first ever key lime pie attempt and boy did I pick the right recipe! I used 16 key limes from my friend’s tree, which were so juicy btw. And the only thing I changed was to dark brown sugar, only because that’s all I had in the pantry. Other than that, I followed this recipe step by step and it came out perfect the first time! My husband is a huge key lime pie fan and he especially loved it! Yay!
Many kudos for this wonderful recipe! Thanks for sharing!🙌🏻
Best Key Lime pie ever . I had so many compliments when I made this pie
Best key lime pie ever! I love making this for my son’s August birthday! Thank you 😊
Delicious…made mine with real key limes. Also I used vanilla yogurt because that’s what I had on hand. Couple of spoons of sour cream to get measure correct. Extra zest! ❤️❤️❤️
This is the ONLY key lime pie recipe I will make now. Delicious! It is so good that one pie is never enough. Can this be doubled and made in a 9×13 casserole? If so, what would the baking time be?
So glad you liked it! I’ve never doubled it, but one other reader commented “I made this in a 9 x 13 with great success! I did 1.5 x the recipe and cooked the filling just 2 minutes longer than the recipe said (because I wasn’t sure exactly what it was supposed to look like coming out of the oven) and it came out perfectly! Sliced it into squares.” Hope that helps and I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it yourself!
This is exactly what I wanted to know! I am making it for a large group and thought the 9×13 would be a perfect size. Thank you!
This is so much better than the egg and lime juice recipe! It’s the only one I use now. Thanks!
Best key line pie we’ve ever made. We used limes from our backyard tree. It waa simple enough for my 10 year old twins to help. I used a GF pecan pie crust and this was out of this world. Thank you!
Persian lime juice will work in a pinch I guess, but there is no real substitute for key lime juice. I’ll stick to the condensed milk and egg yolks. I can see yogurt giving the filling the correct texture or taste. The traditional key lime pie recipe is fast, simple, and is always a crowd pleaser. But you do need to use a mixer.
This is just wrong. It’s so bizarre to me that people comment on recipes without trying them. I mean – why??
LOVE your recipes! Following up on your answer to Toni below on 7/31/22. I too have time constraints so am planning to make the crust and filling 24 hours in advance of event and store each separately–the crust on the counter overnight and the filling in the fridge overnight. Can I make the whipped cream the morning of the event, top the pie with it, and then transport it 60 minutes to the event? Or, should I bring the whipped cream with me in a separate container and finish the pie onsite? I would prefer not to have to make the whipped cream at the host’s home unless absolutely necessary. Thanks so much in advance for your advice! (My husband’s made this pie before at our own home so I know it’s another winner.)
Hi Leslie, what you’re proposing is fine — hope everyone enjoys!
Sorry, but I’m still a little confused. I’m skipping the baking of the filling in the crust for 15 minutes?? Just making the filling and keeping it in the fridge overnight? Then putting the cold filling in the crust without baking? I feel like I’d be missing something, i.e., the baking part and that the pie wouldn’t turn out properly. Thanks again for your advice.
Hi Leslie, I must’ve misunderstood your question. The filling does still need to be baked. I’d do that part at home, make the whipped cream before leaving your house, and top the pie with it when you get to your destination. Hope that clarifies!
Absolutely delicious!! So easy to make and was a huge hit. Everyone was moaning as they ate it. Once again, Jenn, you gave us a winner!!
Made it this past Friday. I have never made crust or homemade whipped cream so I was not sure what to expect. It came out fantastic.
Jenn Segal – this is an excellent recipe and I appreciate it. My wife thought it was “divine”.
I was given some key limes by my neighbor who has a tree so I will try and compare that next week.
Again thank you so much. We really enjoyed it.
I made this key lime pie (using a different crust). It is the bomb! It couldn’t be easier to make and it is so delicious we just had it for breakfast! The filling is thick and silky. When eaten with the light and fluffy whipped cream, it is a perfect combination. It is a giant pain to zest those tiny key limes though!
Made this today and it was fabulous! I used Nellie and Joes Key West Lime juice in a bottle and it worked out perfectly. So easy ! A keeper for sure.
I made this yesterday and it was wonderful. I only had enough limes for 1/2 cup of the required Lime Juice and used 1/4 cup of Bottled Key Lime Juice.
I also had to add extra butter to the crust.
A recipe that I will make again,
Well I did make a mistake and picked up one can of sweetened condensed milk and one can of evaporated milk.
I decided to make the recipe anyway as I had all the other ingredients.
Guess what? It was delicious!!
Not as sweet, but better!
Can this be frozen and then the whip cream added at serving time? I have made this numerous times before
Love all your recipes
So glad you like the recipes, Sue! Unfortunately, I don’t think this is a great candidate for freezing — sorry!
I actually never bake this one and just serve it as a frozen pie. It’s delicious!
Really? Good to know – I’m sure other readers will appreciate your comment!
I’ve been making this now for at least 2 years and everyone who has it goes CRAZY for it. This is the best recipe!
Do you think it taste like “key lime” when using the regular limes instead?
I really do!
Amazing pie and so easy to make! I was curious, has anyone tried freezing te leftover pie?
This recipe is amazing & I love how easy it is to make (love the use of Greek yogurt, which makes any recipe better). The only issue is that it’s far too sweet–American sweet. I had the perfect KLP in Honduras, where I could taste the zingy, pungent, astringent limes & creamy custard–which creates the perfect mouthfeel–more than I could taste the sugar. Too much sugar changes the mouthfeel, so I think a slight adjustment will improve this. Planning to make it again with 1 1/2 cans of sweetened condensed milk instead of 2, which will also solve the issue of leftover filling.
I have frozen it a couple times, either leftovers or in one case an entire pie – both were made in a regular pie dish, not deep dish. The crust may have been a little soggy compared to the first go round, but everyone loved it and did not know the difference.
This is the best keylime pie. First time making a keylime pie. Great recipe!!
The recipe is fine, but better with key limes. The “impossible to find” comment is nonsense, but you can also buy key lime juice.
Alan – I just made it with the Persian limes but I just received about 10 key limes so I’ll try that next week and compare.