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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This is easily one of the most refreshing pies I have tasted. I am adding this to my list of favourite desserts!
My dearest friend of 30 years has always told me her favorite pie is Key-lime. I decided to try from scratch and found your recipe. Donna’s birthday was January 3rd. My boyfriend, Randy helped me make it by zesting and juicing the limes. The hard part was waiting to taste it with Donna and her husband, JR. “This is the best Key-lime Pie I have ever tasted!” she said to me. Even won over my boyfriend who never cared for Key-lime pie before. He and I have a new thing going on in the kitchen now. It’s making the best Key-lime pie ever!!! It’s so smooth and creamy that you want to eat it slowly and enjoy all the decadent flavors. Got to go! On my way out again for more limes. It’s a 10 in my book!
I can’t rate this recipe, because I chose not to make it in favor of an “authentic” key lime pie recipe. Nearly two hours later, curious about what is so great about the tiny, green, hard-to-zest, hard-to-juice “key limes” I was able to get ahold of here in Wisconsin, I found this article from Serious Eats: https://www.seriouseats.com/are-key-limes-worth-the-price.
Next time I want to make a ‘Key Lime’ Pie and I’m not in south Florida, I’m going to save myself the time and money and make this version. It may not be truly authentic, but neither is the version that I’ve got in the oven right now. Sometimes we just need to do the best we can with what is available to us — thanks for the recipe!
I’ve made key lime pie before, but wanted to try a recipe without eggs for a family member with a dietary restriction. I was skeptical that the filling would set, but I was proven wrong! It set beautifully and the slices were picture perfect. I tasted the filling as I was mixing it and felt like it needed more lime flavor, so I added an extra teaspoon of zest and the juice of an additional “regular” lime. I used Pamela’s gluten-free graham crackers for the crust (using the recipe on the box…and the crust was just as good, if not better than when I’ve made it with regular graham crackers). This pie got rave reviews from everyone, even people who didn’t think they liked key lime pie!
This is the first Key lime pie I have ever made . I used to get it when I went diving in the Keys a long time ago . I cooked Christmas dinner ( Detroit style pizza ) and decided to take a shot at a key lime pie . I could not believe how good it was ! The compliments were endless . I did omit the topping so we could enjoy the taste of the limes . There is nothing I would change . Thanks for posting this recipe !
Loved this pie!! I made it for dessert after Christmas dinner and it was so good!! I’m trying to think of another reason to make it again!! Yummm!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
terrible recipe. The amount of condensed milk obliterated the tartness of the lime.
It’s no wonder heart disease and obesity are the number one banes for Americans. The amount of fat and sugar is truly egregious. The taste is so unpleasant it is not worth all the lard and
sugar!!!!!
Wow, was that necessary??
Accordingly to multiple people, this pie was perfect!
no lard
All year long we had the parents/grandparents talk about this pie! Best Key Lime Pie ever!
I’m gluten free and dairy free and I can not eat it.
But it is such a winner with everyone we are making again!
Wow was that necessary!?
Pie Was perfect.
Spot on! Wouldn’t change a thing. Turned out perfectly. Smooth, right amount of tartness and sweetness, and raving reviews at the table!
I have made this pie several times. It is hands down the best key lime recipe I have come across. Thank you so much!