The BEST Key Lime Pie

Describe your BEST Key Lime Pie…is it citrusy, sweet-tart, creamy — with the perfect sweet to-pucker ratio; light and bright with a crisp not-to-sweet graham cracker crust? Look no further…you found it!

I am a sucker for a good sweet-tart key lime pie! Creamy, plenty of pucker power and the best part is you make it ahead of time! A year round dessert delight!

If you dig make ahead desserts, try these other reader favorites; Easy Lemon Cream Pie, Traditional Italian Tiramisuor Old Fashioned Chocolate Ice Cream!

THE BEST KEY LIME PIE

Last weekend after a long, hot day at a swim meet, we invited dear friends, for dinner to celebrate a birthday! I was a bit late asking what his favorite dessert was, but was able to whip this up just in time for dinner that night.

PLAN AHEAD FOR KEY LIME PIE – IT’S SO WORTH IT!

It does take a bit of pre-planning as it needs to cool and then chilled a couple of hours before being eaten, but WOW! If you are a key lime anything lover you will L O V E this crazy good Key Lime Pie!

I’ve had this recipe from Souffle Bombay in my “MAKE SOON” file, which grows faster than I can make and bake things.

I made a few modifications to it, but I know why it’s an Award winning Key lime Pie recipe! Ooh-the perfect Key Lime Pie!

Ingredients & Substitutions

The ingredient list is small, simple and over the top delicious!

• Sweetened Condensed Milk | provides a silky, creamy, sweet texture, I use organic
• Sour Cream | I use full fat, but you may replace with full fat thick plain Greek yogurt too!
• Zest from Key Limes | or Persion limes if that is easier
• Key Lime Juice | If you can find real key limes, they make a difference, if you cannot, Persion limes will still work and taste delicious!
• Egg Yolks | these help to thicken the cream pie filling, you may omit them, the pie will still set up.

Graham Cracker Crust Ingredients

• Graham Crackers | finely crushed, I use organic graham crackers, may also replace with gluten free grahams.
• All Natural Cane Sugar | Just a little, to lightly sweeten the graham cracker crust.
• Butter | use the real thing, it’s so worth it!

Easy Graham Cracker Crust

• Start by making the crust as it will need to bake and cool prior to placing your filling in it.
• Preheat oven to 350° and gather your ingredients.
• Melt the butter and set aside, I love my butter melter, I still do it on the stovetop, so my microwave doesn’t get splattered.

• In a food processor or blender (I used my Ninja – love it!) whir your crackers into fine crumbs. Or place crackers in a gallon sized freezer baggie, crush your graham crackers; if using a baggie, I like to hand break them, then using a rolling pin, roll back and forth until the crumbs are about the same size.
• 1 1/2 – 2 sleeves of graham cracker equals about 2 cups. You can use store bought Graham Cracker Crumbs, but honestly it’s so easy and fresh to make your own.

• Pour in sugar, pulse a few times, then pour in butter and pulse, or just mix with a fork as I’ve done here.
• Reserve about 1/8 cup of graham cracker crumbs for topping, if desired.

• Press the graham mixture into your pie plate. I chose a 9″ rimmed deep dish pie plate, so I could easily press the crumbs all of the way up the edges.
• Using my knuckles, I gently pressed into the sides and smoothed the edges/tops creating a pretty fluted edge.

• Carefully place the crust in the preheated oven and bake for 6-8 minutes. You want it golden, not brown.

TIPS FOR COOLING A GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST QUICKLY

Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then place in freezer for 20 minutes until pie plate is cool to the touch.

Careful you don’t put it somewhere it will get scraped or bumped, the crust is still rather fragile. While the crust cools, make your key lime filling. 

How to make the best key lime filling

1. Wash and dry the limes and get out your zester, zesting just the green part of the lime, not into the bitter white “pith.”

PRO TIP | This microplane is my favorite zester, I use it for everything from zesting citrus, to grating chocolate, nutmeg and nuts, and I love it’s small profile.

2. Juice all those limes, this hand juicer worked like a charm and is probably the MOST used tool in my kitchen, besides my favorite knife and mini measuring cup, is that weird?
3. It took 24 Key Limes to get a little over 2/3 of a cup of juice, plus 1 Persian lime to get it up to 3/4 cup lime juice. I reserved one key lime to use as garnish.

Can I Replace Key Limes with Persian Limes?

If you can’t find fresh Key Limes in the store, I can tell you that I’ve used regular (larger) Persian limes for other Key Lime recipes; it’s not quite as tart, so I’ll add another lime or two worth of zest, but otherwise it’s delicious.

I do much prefer fresh lime juice over bottled juice, but if you must, I like this brand of Key Lime Juice.

DON’T SKIMP ON BEATING THE KEY LIME FILLING

4. Now that you’ve done the hardest part, pour the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, key lime juice, egg* yolks and lime zest into the bowl of a mixer (I love this type of recipe, where you just dump and mix).
5. Beat on low until combined, then increase speed and beat medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Scraping down the sides every now and then. It should be thick and creamy, nice and thick, whip longer if it’s still a bit runny.

OTHER USES FOR SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

• Leftover sweetened condensed milk? Check out this post from Bon Appétit and this one from Serious Eats for some great ideas.
• I’ve drizzled over cinnamon rolls and cakes, but have never put it in my coffee, um, YUM! Transfer to a glass jar though and refrigerate.

Frequently Asked Questions

6. Pour mixture into cooled graham cracker crust.

7. Bake for 350°,  15-20 minutes, just until filling wiggles a bit in the center when gently shaken back and forth, careful you don’t allow it brown.
8. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes, then place in fridge for at least 3 hours before serving (you can still serve earlier, it just won’t be quite as set as it will a bit later. I personally recommend you bake it the day before you need it.

A beauty isn’t it! While the pie is cooling, make your whipped cream, it’s optional, but does add a beautiful touch.

HOW TO MAKE STABLE, PIPEABLE REAL WHIPPED CREAM 

1. In a cool mixing bowl (sometimes I’ll put mine in the freezer for a few minutes if it’s a hot day) pour your cold whipping cream (heavy cream) into the mixing bowl and using a hand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
2. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until firm, more firm than you are used to, you want it nice and thick, almost to butter!
3. Scoop whipped cream into a piping bag with a tip (this is a good starter set), and keep in the coldest part of your fridge until the pie is completely cooled and ready to serve.

No Piping Bag or Tip?

No problem, scoop whipped cream into a sandwich baggie and once ready to pipe, snip off a corner to desired size — about 1/2 inch), pipe as desired.

Garnish, if desired with a whipped cream, slices of lime, reserved graham cracker crumbs, and grated lime zest.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

KEY LIME MINI PIE RECIPE

I love when my readers get creative, make it their own! She reached out to me to see if she split it into mini pie pans how long she should bake them and here’s her response.

Eight minutes worked perfectly for the mini pies! This recipe made 12 mini pies and they were delicious!

~ Jennifer

Let me know if you enjoyed making this award winning key lime pie recipe! Pop down below the recipe to the comments!

Recipes that compliment Key Lime Pie!

• Start with a light and vibrant Mediterranean Dip
• Maybe a flavorful Shawarma Chicken for the main dish
• Wash it all down with this crisp Colorado Mule

Don’t forget that while we think of Key Lime Pie as a summertime dessert, it’s a delicious, tasty and beautiful non-chocolate, non-pumpkin holiday dessert as well!

More Fantastic Cool Desserts:

• Fried Ice Cream Cake | Yum and Yum!
• Easy Dirt Cake | I make this at Easter, but no reason you can’t make all year long!
• Mile High Mud Pie | an outstanding dessert, requiring no baking!
• Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream | amazingly easy, creamy and delicious!
• Strawberry Shortcake — the old fashioned kind with a chewy cookie cake.
• Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake | a must try for chocolate lovers
• Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream | I think I’ve died and gone to heaven!
• Patriotic No Churn Ice Cream | the base is a basic vanilla ice cream, you will love!

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