Bright, tangy, and irresistibly creamy, this Key Lime Pie recipe is the ultimate treat. The zesty lime filling is irresistibly smooth with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the buttery, crunchy crust adds the perfect bite. Topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream, it’s the kind of dessert that hits all the right notes, no matter the occasion!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Key Lime Pie is the perfect mix of tart, creamy, and sweet—it’s one of those desserts that’s hard to resist. Whether you’re a citrus lover or just looking for something fresh and tasty, this pie will definitely hit the spot.
Perfectly Crisp Crust
The crust is everything! It’s got just the right crunch—crispy enough to hold its shape but not too hard. The graham cracker base gives it a nice sweetness and a little bit of bite, making it the perfect foundation for that creamy lime filling.
Ultra-Creamy Filling
The filling is where this pie shines. It’s made with a simple mix of lime zest, lime juice, condensed milk, and egg yolks, but it’s super creamy and packed with flavor. Follow the baking steps, and you’ll get that smooth, creamy texture with just the right amount of tangy lime goodness.
Simple to Make
Not only is this Key Lime Pie delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy to make. Using just a few basic ingredients, you can whip up the filling in no time. With a graham cracker crust that requires minimal effort, this pie is quick to assemble. The only thing you’ll need to do is wait for it to chill and set, but I promise it’s worth the wait!
Want more citrus-packed desserts? Check out my lemon bars, soft lemon cake and lemon loaf recipes!
How to Make Key Lime Pie
You can find the full ingredients list for this recipe in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (recipe video is also provided in the recipe card below).
Crust
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) conventional and have a 9-inch pie plate ready.
Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until they resemble coarse crumbs, then transfer them to a medium bowl. To the graham cracker crumbs, add light brown sugar and salt, then mix until well combined.
Add the melted butter and stir until the crumbs are coated. Once almost combined, I like to use my hands to ensure the butter is evenly distributed.
Gently press the graham cracker mixture into the pie pan. I like to start at the edges and finish in the middle for a more even crumb. You can use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to press the crumbs into the dish.
Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside while preparing the filling.
Filling
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) before starting on the filling.
In a large bowl, combine the lime zest, fresh lime juice (bottled juice is okay too, but I prefer fresh), sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks. Whisk until well combined, but avoid overmixing to prevent too many air bubbles in the filling.
Pour the filling into the warm pie crust, then give the dish a gentle shake to evenly distribute the filling.
Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still jiggles when the pie dish is gently shaken.
Allow to cool to room temperature for about an hour before transferring to the fridge to chill for a minimum of 2 hours so the custard filling sets well.
Topping
Once the key lime pie is ready to serve, whip the cream.
In a medium-sized bowl, add heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Using a whisk or an electric mixer, whip until stiff peaks form. Keep a close eye on the cream as it thickens to avoid overwhipping.
Either spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the pie or pipe large swirls, as I did. I used a 1M piping tip to create big swirls of whipped cream—each slice should have a generous amount! I like to garnish the top with extra lime zest (lime slices work well too!) for decoration before serving.
How to Store Key Lime Pie
To store your Key Lime Pie, simply cover it with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. Store it in the refrigerator, where it will stay good for up to 3-4 days.
Key Lime Pie Recipe (Ultra-Creamy!)
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1¾ cup (180 g) graham crackers - 12 full graham crackers
- 2½ tbsps (32 g) soft light brown sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 6 tbsps (84 g) unsalted butter - melted
Filling
- 2 tsps key lime zest - see note 1
- ¾ cup (165 g) lime juice - key lime juice or regular lime juice are both fine
- 1¾ cup (525 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 4 large egg yolks - room temperature
Topping
- ¾ cup (180 g) heavy whipping cream - cold
- ½ tsp vanilla extract/essence
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar - also known as icing/confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) conventional (see note 2 if using a convection oven with a fan) and have a 9-inch pie dish ready.
- Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until they resemble coarse crumbs, then transfer them to a medium-sized bowl.
- Add light brown sugar and salt, then mix until well combined.
- Add the melted unsalted butter and stir until the crumbs are coated. Once almost combined, I like to use my hands to ensure the butter is evenly distributed.
- Gently press the graham cracker mixture into the pie dish. I like to start at the edges and finish in the middle for a more even crumb. You can use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to press the crumbs into the dish.
- Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside while preparing the filling.
Filling
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) before starting on the filling.
- In a large bowl, combine the lime zest, lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks. Whisk until well combined, but avoid overmixing to prevent too many air bubbles in the filling.
- Pour the filling into the warm pie crust, then give the dish a gentle shake to evenly distribute the filling.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still jiggles when the pie dish is gently shaken (see note 3).
- Allow to cool to room temperature for about an hour before transferring to the fridge to chill for a minimum of 2 hours.
Topping
- Once the key lime pie is ready to serve, whip the cream.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Using a whisk or an electric mixer, whip until stiff peaks form. Keep a close eye on the cream as it thickens to avoid overwhipping.
- Either spread the whipped cream evenly over the top of the pie or pipe large swirls, as I did. I used a 1M piping tip to create big swirls of whipped cream—each slice should have a generous amount! I like to top mine with extra lime zest for decoration before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
