Key Lime Pie
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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)
You May Also Like
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Well, it’s not key lime pie then.
I agree. It may be delicious, but the point of key lime pie is that it IS super tart, and you use a very sweet crust (eg Graham cracker crust) to balance out the tart. That’s why we use key limes: it’s BECAUSE of how tart they are.
Best Key Lime Pie I’ve ever had
This was just so easy to make. Worked out perfectly using normal limes. Thank you for sharing.
I made this for my mom for her birthday. My parents and family could not stop talking about how delicious this pie recipe was. This was my first homemade key lime pie. I almost went out and bought one. So glad that I came upon this recipe. I followed your directions and it did not disappoint. Thank you!
I’ve made this several times and get rave reviews. Thanks SO much for sharing.
OMG (again) Jenn..
All I can say is that I followed every single step and it was perfect! The textures, the flavors, the all (lol)
I’ll keep making your recipes, they’re worth!!!!
I have never been a sweets guy, but recently I have been trying new things. This recipe is ridiculously AWESOME. I have stopped eating ice cream until this pie is outa the fridge. I am gearing up for a summertime menu and this will be there. Thank you, I love it! From a new cooking kinda guy I appreciate this…V/R
Absolutely loved this recipe. Worked great and tasted fantastic. Did not use key limes, regular limes and made too much lime juice which was used up on some margaritas! I did make the pie Friday and served on Saturday evening. My crust did not get too soggy and was even good Monday when we finished it off! The birthday girl was thrilled with the pie!
Just found this recipe a couple of days ago and made it last night for my family. It was a huge success! I followed the recipe exactly as written and it was simple to follow and put together. All of the Key Lime Pie lovers in the family said it was fantastic. I managed to put aside a slice for myself before the rest was gobbled up and I’m glad I did! Thank you for the recipe. Definitely a keeper!
So delish and easy!
Yes, yes, yes, absolutely fantastic! The texture, flavour and ease of preparation cannot be beat.
I personally find it to be a little too sweet but a small slice with unsweetened coffee/tea hits the spot beautifully.
A friend’s husband sheepishly admitted to me that he loved the pie, and that although his wife makes lime pie every year for an event he has “never truly enjoyed it like this one.”
Thank you, Jenn!
This recipe is 5 stars+. I have made it numerous times. Always comes out perfect. Now people ask me to please bring my key lime pie to whatever the occasion might be. And when someone asks for the recipe I am embarrassed to tell them how easy it is,
Really the best key lime pie I’ve ever made. I would probably just decorate the outside of the pie (instead of spreading the cream all over the top) BUT it was amazing!
Delicious recipe! Everyone loved it! It will definitely be my go to for all upcoming gatherings! Thanks!!
Delicious! Made this for a friend’s bday (in February) whose favorite is key lime pie. She said it was the best she ever had, so the recipe’s title is apt! Happy to have found this website as well – planning to try some other thing soon.
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I made this for my uncle’s 90th birthday celebration and the family loved it!
This pie is delicious. Made it yesterday for a Valentine’s Dinner dessert. Planning on another slice as a breakfast dessert today! Can leftovers be frozen?
I made this pie for a pie auction at church and it went for $400! My family asked me to make one for them, and it turned out perfect. Thank you for a timeless recipe that we will use again and again!
I never had key lime pie before and I’m an old California girl. Love lemon meringue. New friend happens to have a key lime tree and I tried this recipes. Oh my dear Lord in heaven this is a special recipe. It’s def different than lemon meringue. I’m gonna propagate a branch of their tree, grow the dang thing just to make this recipe.
Hi, just done making it. And only now read that the crust can get soggy if made ahead. It’s about 7 pm and I’m making for a lunch tomorrow. Hopefully it holds up that long…🤞🏻
Hi Sarah, It should be fine! Enjoy 🙂
Could I substitute something in this recipe with key lime rum?
Hi Allison, you could replace a tablespoon or two of the lime juice with the rum. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Looks amazing, wondering if this is a custard style pie? Asking because I’m a fan of firm pie and would like to know : )
I’d say it’s got the texture of a firm pudding. Hope that helps!
While visiting family in California I found this recipe while looking for a use for some of the limes from their lime tree. The directions were simple and easy to follow and the pie came out absolutely delicious! I’ll be making this again.
Could I substitute nonfat Greek yogurt? It was all my store had in plain? I have made before to rave reviews but with 2 or 5% fat.
Hi Patricia, Yes, you can get away with nonfat — it just won’t be as rich and creamy.
Thank you Jenn. I am going to check another store then. It’s such a great recipe I don’t want to compromise it!
Delicious pie. I will make this over and over again. Everyone loved it at my son in law’s birthday party.
I did the ultimate cheat on this recipe. I used the 6 pack store mini graham cracker crusts in tins. First I did an egg white wash and baked for 5 minutes, cooled then filled the cups, baked for 10 minutes and let them set up in the fridge. Some extra batter. not wasted! used butter cookies for dippers another time.
Have made this several times and has become a favorite!!
Curious if anyone has tried messing around and using lemon juice and lemon zest to make a lemon pie? Would you add lemon curd to the filling?
Hi Cody, Glad you like it! I’ve never tried it with lemon but some other readers have commented that they have and have enjoyed it (and I don’t think you’d need to add lemon curd to the filling). Please LMK how it turns out!
This recipe for key lime pie is by far the easiest and best key lime pie ever! The guests thought it was exquisite. We at the whole pie. The best part was tasting the filling and whipped topping together. IF YOU LIKE KEY LIME PIE THIS IS A MUST TRY! ❤️❤️🥧🥧
I did mess around with a combo of lime and a little lemon juice. Although I LOVE lemon anything (usually), I found it did not enhance the filling at all. I find limes are somewhat more fragrant and the lemon really detracted from the filling.
I believe I used about 3 T of lemon juice when I tried it.
For my family, I’m sticking to the original.
I made this pie exactly as described for NY Eve and didn’t have key limes, lots of regular though. This is one of the best pies I have ever tasted. I was skeptical about the crust being too dry as it was difficult to make stick to the sides of the pie pan but with a little patience, it’s crumbly nature makes it an even better compliment to a custard pie. SO good with the subtle almond. Also, the home made whip cream is a MUST. My kids went bonkers for the leftovers while having movie night. Thank you!
I made this the other day with Bearss Limes. It was so good and really easy. Everyone loved it. Bearss Limes are yellow when ripe so they look like lemons. Definitely a keeper.
Made the filling and topping exactly as directed and my family loved it. Perfect ratio of tang vs sweetness, and I’m glad I made the topping instead of using store-bought whipped cream. I used a pre-made graham cracker crust and it worked just fine. I didn’t want to buy confectioners sugar, so I blended some granulated sugar in my blender to make confectioners sugar. Saved me from buying a bag of confectioners sugar that I’m not going to use. It does take a little bit of time to juice and zest the limes, but it’s worth it and I will definitely make this again.
Made it for New Year’s Eve dinner everyone loved it!!
This is a wonderful and easy recipe that I’ve made 4 times! However, I think the lime flavor is a little lacking when sticking with the way the recipe is written, so I have used the juice of an additional lime (sometimes more) and added an additional 1-2tsp of zest. This has not affected the baking time nor consistency of the pie at all, and the flavor is a good balance of zing and sweetness. It also gives me an excuse to make the pie crust a little thicker, which I like because it adds more textural contrast with each bite, and also helps cut through the tartness of the lime.
Fabulous! Per suggestions I used 1.5 cans of condensed milk, and reduced sugar a bit in crust. Pie was tart and delicious and not too sweet. I also used regular pie pan as volume was less. Fit just fine. Put whipped cream on individual slices. Leftovers stored easier. So yummy!
a great pie and sooooo easy!
Amazing recipe! Made for thanksgiving and it was everyone’s favorite pie so making again for Christmas. I made a grain free crust and I didn’t even make the whipped topping. Just offered a can of whipped cream as a topper but it was all about the best key lime filling! Easy and delicious.
Absolutely amazing pie always asked to make for family gathering.
This is my go to recipe for key lime pie. I sprinkled gold sugar on top and made it for Christmas. A crowd pleaser. It’s not just a summer desert.
This pie is so super simple to whip up! It is beautiful and tastes perfect.
I got 3/4 cup of juice from 3 1/2 regular limes. And I used the last 1/2 for decorating. If you want really simple… use a store bought crust and top with canned real whipped cream. The filling could not be easier. Mine sliced cleanly like a dream and the flavors were perfect.
I plan to make more- especially since I have 6 limes left!
Truly the best ever key lime pie…I cheat on the crust and use the diamond pecan crust…the pie is outstanding and so easy!
I like topping it with blueberries rather than lime slices. I don’t think my guests would eat a lime slice but they love berries, so why not make those fruit dollars count.
This pie was amazing. My fiancé loves key lime pie and he raved about it.
This was really easy to put together but unfortunately it was a bit too sweet for me and overpowered all the flavours. It didn’t have the balance of tart, sweet and sour.
I just realized I read the recipe wrong and I only added 1/4cup of lime….. so with that said it probably would have tasted good with the right amount.
I don’t cook, let alone bake. I was forced to make this because someone gave me 12 limes and I hated the idea of letting them rot. I made 2 (one for them and one for my family).
Thank God that life gave me limes, because everyone loved the taste of this pie! Thanks to this recipe, everyone is extremely surprised and impressed with my cooking skills, which is a double-edged sword. Still, I hope they don’t have expectations of me now to make yummy things because I really don’t want to cook or bake more than I have to.
Pie turned out amazing. It makes more than what can fit in a standard sized pie crust, but that was fine with us-we ate the filling while our pie was in the refrigerator🤣. If you’re pregnant and have sweet and sour cravings, this is the recipe for you!
Is there a replacement for the yogurt?
Jackie, you can use sour cream in place of the yogurt.
The most disgusting key lime pie I’ve ever made. It was so sickly sweet and far too rich. There was not enough acidity to balance out all the sweetness, put a little more effort in and make a true classic key lime pie, your efforts will be rewarded.
Lol you clearly made it wrong. I’ve made this exact recipe 3 times in a row because it’s so good we can live without it. If you can’t bake get outta the kitchen!
Wow. There’s always someone. Maybe you left the Love out…💁♀️
Hi this looks delicious. Any way to make this dairy free?
Hi Chaya, based on the amount of dairy it has, I’m not confident that it would turn out well with dairy-free alternatives. I’m sorry!
Maybe try coconut yogurt?
This recipe is great. I modified it by using whole milk regular yogurt and putting slightly less sugar in the crust (about 2-3 tablespoons less) and only using a can and a third of condensed milk. It was the perfect sweetness, and even with the regular yogurt the pie set well and it had a silky texture. My pan was slightly bigger at 9.5 inches so my crust was thin, but it wasn’t much of an issue. Delicious pie!
Oh my gosh… this pie. It left two of my friends without words haha it was so good! I even substituted lime once and a lemon juice. It is amazing and easy. My go to citrus pie recipe now! I want to do an orange next ❤
I never leave comments on anything, but I have to for this pie. It was SO SO SO good!!! I made it for Thanksgiving and it was the first pie to go. I’ve already had requests to make another one. Absolutely amazing!
Absolutely the best pie recipe ever retrieved online. Superb directions and taste. It’s all in there.
Absolutely delicious! Lovely, tart lime flavor and creamy texture. The homemade Graham cracker crust is a must and the whipped topping was perfect. I made this for Thanksgiving and my brother in law went back for seconds AND took a slice home! My husband loved it. I will definitely make this again. Followed the recipe and instructions as written. Easy as pie!
Only added 14oz of condensed milk and tasted just fine, if I added more I feel like it’d be too sweet, turned out really good!
I just made this pie for Thanksgiving and it was everybody favorite. It was SOOO good. You won’t be disappointed.