Classic Key Lime Pie
If you need a crowd pleasing easy dessert, look no further than this Classic Key Lime Pie! It’s got a luscious, flavorful key lime filling, simple graham cracker crust, and it takes only 15 minutes of prep!
Key lime desserts are a family favorite, so I use them often in recipes like key lime cookies and key lime bars.
My most requested dessert of all time, however, is this Classic Key Lime Pie. It all started when I tried a new recipe for a family dinner over 20 years ago, and it was an instant success.
Over the years I’ve made the recipe my own. This recipe is tried and true, and it’s been a staple for holidays, family gatherings and even birthdays!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This classic key lime pie recipe is luscious, creamy and bursting with fresh key lime flavor. The graham cracker crust is crisp and buttery, and it’s topped with homemade whipped cream.
- It’s so easy to make, and may be made a couple of days in advance.
- It’s a show stopping dessert that everyone will love, and it’s perfect for any occasion.
Recipe ingredients
There are only a few simple ingredients in this key lime pie recipe, and a few are customizable.
Ingredient notes
- Key limes. I highly recommend using fresh key lime juice for this recipe as bottled just doesn’t have that fresh flavor. If you can’t find fresh key limes, I’ve used regular limes and even lemons before and it was delicious!
- Sweetened condensed milk. This is one of the primary ingredients for classic key lime pie, and there is no substitute that I would recommend.
- Egg yolks. The egg yolks add richness and structure to the filling. I have never tried using an egg substitute, so I do not recommend using it.
- Graham cracker crumbs. The graham cracker crumbs may be substituted with ground gluten free graham crackers to make the crust gluten free.
- Whipped cream. I highly recommend using my homemade whipped cream over store bought. It makes such a big difference with this pie!
How to make this recipe
People always marvel over how amazing this key lime pie is, but it’s secretly easy to make. Each component only takes a few minutes to prepare and they may be done in advance.
Pro tip: Juice the key limes a few days in advance. I also like to freeze the juice with zest until I’m ready to make a pie.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, granulated sugar and salt.
- Pour the crumbs into a greased 9″ pie plate and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
- Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, zest and egg yolks until combined.
- Pour the key lime filling into the graham cracker crust and spread evenly.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until set, then cool completely.
Recipe FAQs
The biggest difference between lime and key lime is the size. Key limes are much smaller than regular limes. Key limes are about 1.5 inches or so in diameter.
The flavor of limes and key limes are similar, but key limes are a little more bold as far as acidity and the juice has some floral notes.
If you can’t find key limes, I definitely recommend using regular limes or even lemons over bottled key lime juice. It just doesn’t have that fresh flavor and it will affect the flavor of your key lime pie.
Key lime filling consists of sweetened condensed milk, key lime zest and juice and egg yolks.
Sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks will naturally thicken the filling. The milk has been cooked down to remove excess water, and the egg yolks add richness and structure to the filling.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: This pie is so much better when fresh key limes are used, but if none are available, consider making it with fresh lime or lemon juice instead of bottled. Freeze key lime juice with zest for up to 3 months until you’re ready to make a pie!
- Key lime pie may be made 1-2 days in advance. If you’d like to pipe whipped cream over the top in advance, use my stabilized whipped cream recipe.
- Store leftover pie in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.
- Nutrition information does not include the whipped cream as that has been calculated in a separate post.
More pie recipes you’ll love:
- Apple cranberry pie
- Banana cream pie
- Lemon meringue pie from Taste of Home
- Pumpkin pecan pie
- Pumpkin pie from scratch
- Strawberry rhubarb pie
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Easy Classic Key Lime Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
For the filling:
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
- 1 tablespoon key lime zest plus more for garnish if desired
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- Homemade Whipped Cream
Instructions
Prepare the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9″ pie plate generously with cooking spray and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium bowl in the microwave. Add the graham crumbs, sugar, and pinch of salt and stir until the crumbs are coated with the butter.6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, pinch of salt, 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- Pour the crumbs into the prepared pie plate and distribute evenly over the bottom. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom working from the center toward the edges and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool on a wire rack.
Prepare the filling:
- Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
- Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and beat until combined. Add the key lime juice, zest, and condensed milk, and whisk until incorporated.3 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 1 tablespoon key lime zest, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- Pour the mixture over the crust and bake for 13-15 minutes or until the filling is set. Remove from heat and cool completely on a wire rack. Once the pie has cooled, chill in the refrigerator.
- Dollop or pipe the cream around the edges and in the center before serving, and garnish with key lime slices and zest if desired. Serve and enjoy!Homemade Whipped Cream
Notes
- Pro tip: This pie is so much better when fresh key limes are used, but if none are available, consider making it with fresh lime or lemon juice instead of bottled. Freeze key lime juice with zest for up to 3 months until you’re ready to make a pie!
- Key lime pie may be made 1-2 days in advance. If you’d like to pipe whipped cream over the top in advance, use my stabilized whipped cream recipe.
- Store leftover pie in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.
- Nutrition information does not include the whipped cream as that has been calculated in a separate post.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
**This recipe was originally published in March 2017. Step by step photos have been added, and the post has been modified to include more recipe information.
72 Comments on “Classic Key Lime Pie”
Thank you for the compliment! I hope you enjoy the pie and I know you’ll do a beautiful job!
Lets all take a moment to appreciate how beautiful this pie looks ??
You’re the sweetest — thank you Pamela!
Just beautiful!! We can’t fire you when you share such great recipes 🙂
Awww thanks friend! 🙂
We used to live in the Florida Keys in Key Largo and Key lime pie was on every restaurant’s menu. Now that we are back in Florida, the pie seems to be on all the menus now matter where you dine. While some are great, most are too sweet for my taste…yours on the other hand, I know would be perfect. Beautifully presented too!
It’s pretty common to see key lime pie on the menus here in CA too — isn’t that funny? I find most to be too sweet, and they don’t have enough lime flavor. Thanks so much Karen!
I LOVE key lime pie and it’s been too long since I’ve had or made it. Yours looks absolutely perfect, Marcie! I need a big slice! And I LOVE your new site – it’s just GORGEOUS and so YOU! 🙂
Thank you so much Kelly, and I would love nothing more than to share a big slice with you! 🙂
I can’t even imagine that it takes only 15-20 minutes to make. Wonderful recipe, need to try once. Thank you for sharing it with us. 🙂
This pie is seriously so easy. Thanks Puja!
I feel like it’s the recipes we make most often we usually forget to share!! And this pie! I wish I had a slice for dessert tonight!
It is! And sometimes I think they’re not original enough so I don’t. I wish I could send you a slice!
You’re so sweet — thank you for your kind words Juliana! 🙂
LOL! You are so NOT fired, Marcie! Better late than never is something that applies here! I mean, you could have waited another 15 years to share this, sooo we should all be grateful! 😉 Key Lime Pie is one of my husbands all time favorite desserts (and mine too), so this is tooooootally screaming my name! I seriously wish I could reach into my screen and steal your entire pie. Because YUMMM! And it’s so pretty too!! Love love love! Pinned! Cheers!
Thank you for not firing me! lol I wish I could give you a slice through the screen! 🙂
I love key lime pie!! This looks like an amazing recipe for it!
Thanks Annie!
Did I do this wrong?
Lollll
The taste is flawless but I don’t think the recipe has correct measurements for the filling? It looks more like a flat, frosted cookie.
Maybe I shouldn’t have used a cake pan so it could sit nicely, but alas I do not have a pie pan.
Next time I will just double the filling.
Anywho, I will keep trying!
Thanks for the recipe!
We make this all the time Mads…the measurements are correct. I’m not sure what couldn’t happened! A cake pan shouldn’t have caused it to be so flat….are you sure you didn’t miss an ingredient?
I had the same problem. I used a 9 in. pie plate, but there is not near enough filling! Didn’t even fill to half way! I have already baked it and was hoping it would puff up, but it didn’t. Now I don’t know what to do. I can’t serve it for Easter like this!
The filling does not come all the way to the top, but I also use a shallow 9″ pie plate. I simply garnish the edges with whipped cream and it always looks great.
I love key lime pie! But I’ve never found a recipe I really love; I’ll have to try yours next time I want a slice of that deliciousness. It’s gorgeous!
Whenever I order key lime pie out I’m disappointed because I feel like they’re too sweet without enough lime flavor. This one’s nice and tangy. Thanks Kelsie!
This pie is so gorgeous! Down to the decorative lime slices! I absolutely love key lime pie and after seeing this post, I’ve realized I don’t make it nearly often enough! This would be the perfect treat to share with my family on Easter
Thank you Julia, and I love making this for Easter!
It’s been too long since I’ve had key lime pie! Yours looks perfect!
Thanks so much Jessica!
Haha you’re fired! 🙂 I can’t believe you waited this long to share this gorgeous pie with us! But that’s ok, because it was definitely worth the wait. I’ve never made a key lime pie before, but I just might need to start after seeing this deliciousness. What a perfect dessert for the start of spring, Marcie!
You sounded like Donald Trump there for a second! lol Thanks Gayle!
I, GiGi… Have never had KEY LIME PIE before in my life. Back when I could eat pie – I hated all of it… Or just didn’t eat it… EXCEPT FOR: pumpkin pie. I bet I would love KEY LIME though because I remember not eating pies because I hateddddddddd hunks of fruit in it. I thought the texture was disgusting – hahahaha!
If you love citrus you’d enjoy this pie Gigi…and there are definitely no hunks of fruit in here! 🙂