Key Lime Pie
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Bright, tangy, and ultra-creamy, this key lime pie has just the right balance of sweet and tart—perfect for warm days and easy entertaining.
I use ordinary supermarket limes, also known as Persian limes, to make my “Key lime” pie. Unless you live in the Florida Keys, true 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’re 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
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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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I just made this pie for Easter and it was sooooo good and such a big hit. Super easy to follow hence the fact that I’m only 15. Totally recommend as a nice spring/summer party staple.
Ok. I have never made Key Lime Pie, even though my husband loves it. To my credit, a good friend of ours, claimed it as her specialty, so I never had to try. LOL! All things change during a year when you can get together with others, so why not? I made it Easter (actually the day before and refrigerated overnight) exactly as the recipe states and it was PHENOMENAL!! My husband said it was the best he ever tasted. The texture was fabulous and it was beautiful and super easy to make. Everyone loved it. Thank you so very much for sharing your wonderful recipes.
PS- I used regular limes, Whole Milk Greek Yogurt and stored in fridge with filling in pie shell overnight. 🙂
I’ve always wanted to try making a key lime pie and this recipe was a hit!! I used 2 – 300ml. Canadian size condensed milk which was fine. Thankyou for this crowd pleasing recipe 👍🏻😋
Wish I could add the picture!!
I want to make this in mini pie tins to take on an outing. Do you have a temperature and baking time suggestion? Also, do you know if this freezes well? I like to bake a creamy lemon pie and freeze wedges so I don’t get tempted to consume the whole thing! LOL
Hi Melissa, I’d keep the temperature the same; bake time is likely to be less but not sure by how much so just keep a close eye on them. And while I think you can get away with freezing leftovers if you have them, I’m not sure this would be a recipe I’d make ahead to intentionally freeze. Hope that helps!
I made this pie for Easter and it came out so amazingly delicious! Really easy too! I switched out the Greek yogurt for whole fat sour cream and it was perfect. I also added a bit more lime juice than the recipe recommend I highly recommend this and will be making it again
This pie is so delicious and so easy to make! I made it today for Easter Sunday lunch at my parents.’ Do NOT change anything. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us!
Simple and delicious. We all loved it!
I just make this today. I followed the instructions to the t. Instant success. Gone in 10 minutes! Next time will double the recipe to another one for the next day.
How do I store the crust overnight before making the pie filling? Refrigerator? Covered at room temp? Thank you!
I’d store it in the fridge. Hope you enjoy!
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe for Easter. I’ve heard a suggestion to top a key lime pie with a thin layer of sour cream before adding the whipped cream. Do you think that would be good… I’m afraid to try and ruin it.
Honestly, this is so good as is, I wouldn’t mess with it! 🙂
I am about to make this pie for Easter. I found key limes would I still use the same amount of lime juice or will it be too tart with key limes?
Hi Jo, Key limes will be fine here with no modifications. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
So tasty! I got lazy and made this with a pre made crust. The filling and topping were delicious. Next time I will make my own crust too. Thinking of trying a lower sugar option– Have you ever made it with unsweetened condensed milk?
Glad you liked it! I’ve never tried it with unsweetened condensed milk and not sure I’d recommend it. If you want to make it less sweet, you could use a tad more lime juice, omit the sugar from the whipped cream topping, and reduce the sugar a bit in the crust. Hope that helps!