The Best Key Lime Pie | A Traditional Key Lime Pie Recipe
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Describe your BEST Key Lime Pie…is it citrusy, sweet-tart, creamy — with the perfect sweet to-pucker ratio; light and easy with a crisp not-to-sweet graham cracker crust? Look no further…you found it! This traditional key lime pie recipe is easy and so simple to make and the most popular year round dessert on the blog!
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 Tiramisu or Old Fashioned Chocolate Ice Cream!
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, feel free to click “Jump to Recipe” right under the title of this post, and you’ll head straight there!
Plan Ahead for Easy Key Lime Pie – It needs to CHILL!
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!
The original recipe is a prize winning, no an Award winning Key lime Pie recipe! So if you are looking for the best, perfect Traditional Key Lime Pie recipe you have found it!
Simple Ingredients & Substitutions
The ingredient list is small, simple and over the top delicious! Get the measurements in the recipe card below.
- 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 Persian limes if that is easier
- Key Lime Juice | If you can find real key limes, they make a difference, if you cannot, Persian limes will work and taste delicious!
- Egg Yolks | these help to thicken the cream pie filling, you may omit them for an egg free key lime pie, it will be a bit looser but 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, salted or unsalted, it’s so worth it!
How to Make an 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 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 Award Winning Key Lime Pie
This traditional key lime pie recipe takes a bit of planning, but it’s so easy and so worth it, every sweet-tart pucker powered bite.
Wash and dry the limes and get out your zester, zesting just the green part of the lime, not into the bitter white “pith.”
My Favorite Juicer
- 20% more juice than other methods
- Strains while juicing
- Easy to clean
- Dishwasher safe
- Reduces hand fatigue
CHECK IT OUT >>
Juice the limes, this hand juicer works like a charm and is probably the MOST used tool in my kitchen, besides my favorite knife and mini measuring cup, is that weird?
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.
I prefer fresh lime juice over bottled juice, but I like Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime Juice best if you must use bottled.
How to Thicken Key Lime Filling
- 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).
- 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.
To ensure a firm key lime filling, beat it on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes or whisk vigorously. Bake at the correct temperature until set; it will further firm up as it cools.
Pour mixture into cooled graham cracker crust.
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.
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.
My Favorite Juicer
- Made from surgical steel.
- Leaves bitter pith behind
- Dishwasher safe
- Made in the USA
- Use on coconut, chocolate, cheese, nuts, spices, and more!
CHECK IT OUT >>
How to use Leftover Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Leftover sweetened condensed milk? Check out this post from Bon Appétit and this one from Serious Eats for some great ideas.
- My personal favorite is drizzling over hot cinnamon rolls.
- I could see using it in place of Creme Anglaise in this Chocolate Bread Pudding.
- Drizzle a little in your coffee, yum!
- Be sure transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate.
Frequently Asked Questions
YES! Easily convert this recipe to gluten free, by substituting gluten free grahams.
EGG FREE Key Lime Pie | Simply omit the eggs, it won’t be quite as creamy, but it will still set up!
You may omit the egg yolks if needed, they provide some of the lift and lightness, enhance the color and creaminess of the pie, but it should still set up just fine.
Again yes, we at TFC are all about u0022Making it Yoursu0022 so do what you want to do. I have many readers who make their key lime pie using a store bought graham cracker crust, I have some who have made it with a delicious cookie crust (yum!) and others who have used a regular pie crust.
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.
Recipe adapted from Souffle Bombay.
How to Make Stabilized Whipped Cream
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. See my post on homemade stabilized whipped cream.
Add in powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to whip until firm, more firm than you are used to, you want it nice and thick, almost to butter!
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.
How to pipe whipped cream without a pastry bag
Simply 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.
Variations & Substitutions
- Use Store-Bought Crust | While a homemade graham cracker crust is not only easy but delicious, you may substitute it for your favorite store-bought graham cracker crust.
- Swap Persian Limes for Key Limes, not quite as limey, but still delicious.
- Use Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime Juice and skip juicing altogether.
- Use plain Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream.
How to make Mini Key Lime Pies
I love when my readers get creative, make it their own! A reader 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 or this Easy Cheesesteak Sandwich.
- Wash it all down with this crisp Colorado Mule
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!
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! The most popular recipe on the blog, year round!
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and comment below the recipe!
The BEST Key Lime Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 sleeve equals about a cup
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 6 Tablespoons butter, melted
Key Lime Pie Filling
- 2 cans sweetened condensed milk, 14 ounce cans, I love Organic
- 1/2 cup sour cream, I use full fat, may use Greek Yogurt too
- 2-3 Key Limes, zested (Persian limes may be used)
- 3/4 cup Key Lime juice*, about 30 Key Limes and about 9 Persian limes if using
- 2 large egg yolks
Whipping Cream
- 8 oz Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter and set aside. Finely crush graham crackers in food processor, blender or freezer baggie with rolling pin until all the same size. Add in sugar and pulse a few times until blended, pour in butter and stir with fork or pulse a couple times until mixed. Reserve 1/4 cup crumb mixture for topping, if desired.
- Pour crust mixture into 9" deep dish pie dish and using hands, press into bottom and up sides, evenly. Bake for 6-8 minutes, just golden, not browned. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack.
- *If needed, cool for 10 minutes on rack, then transfer to freezer for 20-30 minutes to cool completely.
KEY LIME FILLING
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash, dry and zest limes, set zest aside until ready to use. Squeeze 3/4 cup of lime juice (about 24 key limes, or 6 Persian limes).
- Pour lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, egg yolks (if using) and zest into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low until combined, then increase to medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Scraping down sides once or twice. DO NOT SKIP THE LONGER WHIPPING. Whip until batter is thickened.
- Pour Key Lime filling into COOLED graham cracker crust. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until center is set, but still jiggles slightly when shaken. DO NOT ALLOW TO BROWN. Remove from oven to cooling rack and cool for 30 minutes. Place in fridge for at least 3 hours — if you remove sooner it will still taste good, it will just not be quite as set if you had let it sit longer in the fridge. See notes for details if making key lime mini pies.
WHIPPED CREAM AND GARNISH
- While your pie is cooling, make whipped cream.Pour cold whipping cream into cool bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla and powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined, then increase to speed to medium-high and whip until thick, almost to a light butter stage.
- Scoop out and into piping bag with star tip. Whipped cream in bag may be kept in fridge until ready to garnish pie. Garnish with whipping cream stars, a little lime zest, graham cracker crumbs and a slice of lime. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve and chill all leftovers.
Video
✱ Kathleen’s Tips
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Fresh Cooky is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Kathleen Pope
Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer
Hi, I’m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen. Read more about Kathleen here.
Excellent! First time I used key limes while very good it was a little too tart for us. Second time I used
Persian limes and substituted part of the graham crackers with 1/2 cup crushed honey macadamia nuts (found at Costco). Love this recipe! Garnished with small lime pieces. Absolutely Delicious!
I love your twist on it!! Yum!! Bet it was amazing with Macadamia nuts!
Your recipe for the graham crust calls for sugar for holding the graham cracker together,how bout using light corn syrup instead of sugar?I’ve seen cooks country used it to make a crust that was made from saltine crackers and when you cut the crust later, it wouldn’t break up in a million pieces?
I’ve never tired that, George, not sure what ratios you’d use, so if you try would suggest just using that other recipe for the crust. Intriguing!
Turned out wonderful.
Thank you so much Janis; so glad you loved it!
Best key lime pie I have made and I have made quite a few different recipes over the years!
Oh thank you so much, Marie, that makes me happy!
Thank you so much, Marie!!
Delicious and beautiful
Thank you, Tara! So glad you loved it!
I made this last night for company and it was a huge hit!! I’ve never made Key Lime pie and it couldn’t of been easier. It came out so creamy and tangy. I highly recommend this recipe.
Thank you so much, Laurie! You made my month!!
This is my favorite key lime pie recipe! I have made it several times and it’s always delicious. I’m planning to make it a few days ahead for a crowd and was wondering if I could freeze the pie. Would you recommend freezing it without the whipped cream? Thanks!
The pie may be frozen, personally I would wait and add the whipped cream after freezing but you could do either. Thank you so much, Marjie!
Sooooo good!!!! One of my all-time favorites!
Thank you so much,Jane!
I make this all the time and my family loved it. I’ve started making minis in cupcake pan with liners and they are just as good but even cuter to serve. Thanks for the great recipe.
I bet they are so cute!! Thank you for sharing this, Tal!
Amazing! Always a family favorite for Summertime!
Than you so much, Paige!
I had never made a key lime pie before finding this recipe, but I do know that I will not need to search for another key lime pie recipe after trying this one! I make this every chance I get and always get compliments.
Oh Hannah, thank you for making my day!!
This is excellent! This was my first attempt at Key Lime anything and it was a success. My partner loves Key Lime desserts and I wanted to make one for him. I thought it can’t be that difficult to make, and this recipe was right on! I made it in a 8×8 pan and used 2 cups (pint) of heavy whipping cream to make the topping with some grated lime zest in it. It tastes even better the next day–not too tart and not too sweet. Very chiffon-like and luscious. A keeper!
Sounds amazing!! So glad you loved it!
Wow this was sooooo good. I put strawberries on top and it complimented it perfectly! Thanks for the recipe.
Love that fresh idea, Nichole!
I have made this several times and it is always wonderful. This time I did not have any Graham Crackers but I did have biscoff cookies. Decided to try a biscoff cookie crust with the keylime pie. It did not disappoint!!!
I’ve heard that, Kelli! I’m going to have to give biscoff cookies a try too!! Thank you for your kind words!
Hands down the best key lime pie recipe ever! Made for family birthday dinner and it was the hit of the meal.
Thank you so much Karen! So glad you love it!
I have made this pie serval times. Everyone really likes it and it very easy to make.
Love hearing that! Thanks so much, Patty!
Such a simple, delicious recipe!! First time making key lime pie and I am SO impressed!! Came out soooo beautiful and yummy!! Amazing recipe, thank you!
Love hearing that, Hannah!! Thank you!
OMG this is five stars and beyond what an amazing recipe with excellent results for my first try of making a Keylime Pie. Everyone why had a piece said it was the best Keylime pie they’ve had. I’ve never made a graham cracker crust before and was worried. Yet your instructions were so thorough it was perfect.
Thank you, Rose for making my month!
I likes me some key lime pie, I’m going to be using this recipe !
You will love it!
Absolutely the best key lime pie! And I’m an avid baker so that’s quite the compliment! I’ve made this pie many times and love it every time! I am making this weekend and not sure if I should make a day off or the day before? Any recommendations for which is better ?
If you have plenty of time for it to set, make the day of, but that being said it’s delicious the day before too! And thank you for your kind words!
My first ever! I made this recipe twice and both times it was a hit! I followed the recipe but did make 2 small changes. I had to use more butter while preparing the crust and added 1 cup of lime juice. The first pie I only used 3/4 cup lime juice and it was totally awesome! We like it more tart, so the 2nd time I used 1 cup and it was tartly exceptional!! I did use the key limes too! I can’t wait to make it again!!
Love your twist, Deb! Thank you so much for your kind comments, this will help others when they wonder if they can make it even tarter!
Best I ever had!
So glad to hear that! Thank you for your kind words!
Best key lime pie. Made it several times for my husband. It’s his favorite.
Thank you so very much Lila! You made my day!
Kathleen: If I use regular limes, about how many would I need? Thanks. Carol.
Hi Carol Ann, it all depends on how juicy your limes are, typically a lime will yield about 2 tablespoons of juice. 2-3 limes ¼ cup, so based on that I would buy 9 Persian limes. I will add that info to my notes! Thanks for asking, hope you love the pie!
The best key lime pie!!! Have to try and it’s soooo easy!! Please don’t underestimate the sour cream it works!!
Thank you so much Ava! So appreciate your kind words!
Hi there I was wondering if I could make this into squares and can it be frozen. Thanks. Bunnie
Hi Bunnie, while I have never tried it I have other la say they have and it worked!! Let me know how it turns out!
My family loves this pie and were disappointed I didn’t make it for Thanksgiving! I want to make it in squares for a Christmas dinner party but not sure of any changes I should do as to times for cooling or the size pan. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Hi Karen, I’ve never made it in a regular pan, this should easily equate to a jelly roll pan (making it thinner), 7×11 or 9×9 pan, I’m not positive on the baking time either, but start checking early if you use a larger pan and if you need to add more time add a bit more. Cooling should take about the same time, I would imagine! Thank you for your kind reply.
I had this the other day at an event and it was absolutely delicious. Now I’m preparing to make it myself and I hit the ‘get ingredients’ button. Now in my shopping cart is 2 blocks of cream cheese. Is that in the recipe because I don’t see it other places. Thanks you.
I am so glad you loved it and are making it yourself! I’ll have my Chicory manager check on that, there is not cream cheese in this recipe, so that is so strange!
Thanks Kathleen. Key Lime Pie is my Moms favorite dessert and this recipe is the best I’ve ever had so I’m glad I have the ingredients correct for when I make it for her (and me.) Chicory did add cream cheese to my shopping cart.
Well thank you for letting me know, I am reaching out to my contact to let them know, because that’s not good, especially in our world of much more expensive groceries!
I bet this would be really great with a Key Lime Oreo crust.
Oh my goodness, I didn’t even know that Oreo made a Key Lime Oreo! Swooning over here! Great idea!
I made this key lime pie and followed recipe exactly. The directions instructed mot to ship the extra whipping but for me when I whipped it a little longer the consistency became thinner. The pie came out pretty good but a little too dense for me.
Thanks for your tips Gail.
So first time making this and it browned a little on one side. How will it affect the taste? I’m serving for a crowd and won’t be able to try it beforehand. Otherwise it looks delish and can’t wait to make another one!
Shouldn’t affect it at all Trina, might be a smidge dryer on that side. Next time, maybe rotate the pie plate half way through, sounds like you have a hot spot in your oven.
Looks and smells delish…serving tomorrow. I neglected to put in the sour cream 🫣 Hope it still tastes good!! Oh boy.
I am so tickled to hear this Cathy, that was the only way I could get them to keep their shape while so large! 🙂 So glad you loved them! Thank you for your kind words!
Came out amazing without the sour cream!! My husband was raving as well as my guests! Definitely THE Best!!! 💚
YAY! Love to hear that, thank you so very much Beth — especially for coming back and reporting on how it turned out!
I have made this recipe now 3 times & it keeps getting better! I’m an avid baker myself, and love to entertain a crowd. I do have a question about making this ahead of time.
I am traveling on Thursday for a crab boil held on Saturday. Do you have any suggestions as far as potentially freezing this beforehand? My ideal goal would be to make it tomorrow (Wednesday) freeze overnight & chill in refrigerator until Saturday. Any suggestions or tips would be most appreciated!
I love reading comments like yours, Jessica! Thank you! While I have not frozen it, I have other readers who have. I suggest you freeze once it’s completely cooled and keep frozen moving t to the fridge the night before you plan on serving. Let me know how it goes!
This recipe is perfection. Thank you. My son requests key lime pie every year for his birthday. This recipe is the best.
Thank you so very much Naomi, love, love, love hearing this you made my year! Happy baking!
I have never made a key lime pie but have looked at mane recipes. Some look more like a cheesecake and some more like a custard. Some use eggs, some Sour cream and yours uses both. I am curious how these ingredients effect the color and texture of the filling to get just the right texture balance?
The eggs are not totally necessary, but they do add creaminess and a little lift to the pie, mine is somewhere in between a cheesecake and custard, a little more firm than a custard, smooth and super creamy. I hope you try it!
My pie turned out citrusy, creamy and delicious.
Perfect! Just how it should!
This key lime pie looks great! This is such a fun, flavorful summer dessert.
Great year round too!
Such a fantastic pie recipe! Love the sweet, tart citrus flavor and perfect for summer!
Absolutely Caitlin thank you so much!
This recipe for Key lime pie has quickly become one of my favorites.
That is wonderful to hear Jayne, thank you!
I love how simple this recipe is, definitely saving this for when I crave for some good keylime pie!
You won’t be disappointed!
This came out perfectly tart and sweet. The balance was amazing, and we all loved how light it was as well! Thank you so much for sharing the best key lime pie recipe!
YAY! Love to hear that Joyce!
The title says it all. This is the best key lime recipe I’ve tried!
Thank you so much!
I just love a good homemade key lime pie! Can’t wait to try out this recipe soon. 🙂
I know you will love it Carrie!
Since this was my nephews favorite and it said prize winning I gave it a shot and boy was he thrilled said it was the best he ever had and he lives in Key West so congratulations and thanks for posting this is a marvelous recipe Ps he is one of the fussiest critics I know nice job!
Thank you so much Claudia, wow, love, love, love hearing this! You made my month — that says a LOT that he thought that way since he can get the best and most authentic right there in Key West! I appreciate you taking the time to write a kind comment! Happy baking! Kathleen
Hi Kathleen. FYI, I made 60-80 Key Lime pies a week for a world-famous South Beach stone crab restaurant (which shall remain nameless) for several years. Making that many pies using key limes would have been impossible. We used a 50/50 blend of Persian lime juice and lemon juice (both fresh, of course). In blind taste tests—which we conducted every month or so—comparing our blend with key limes, not one tester could consistently tell the difference. Fruit tastes do vary with the seasons—sugar content, you know—so I recommend this as a perfectly acceptable alternative.
Otherwise your recipe is spot on, although our ratios were slightly different (1 cup juice and 4 egg yolks). Our pies were frozen, and slices were served 15 minutes out of the freezer, the way they serve them in the Keys.
Also, we made them in 9-inch springform pans, with the crust patted in and 1/2-inch up the sides. Much easier to serve than pie plates.
Thank you so very much for that tip — I have definitely used Persian limes before but love the idea of using both! And love the tip to freeze the pies, serving them partially thawed. Thanks again so much and yes, some folks have made this in 9” springform pans, I need to remake it that way myself!
I live in the Northeast US and we don’t often see Key limes in the grocery store. I saw they had them recently and I bought a big bag. I followed this recipe to a T and it was perfect. A big hit with the family-just the right amount of tart vs sweet. Will make again next time I see Key limes in the store!
Oh I love that, thank you so much! You may also use regular Persian limes and I provide the details in the post!
Excellent!
Thank you Lisa, so glad you loved it!
Good lord! I’ve been making key lime pie bars for forever and just to shake up the family I tried this recipe. Shame on you for putting this mom grandmother to shame lol this was better than ANYTHING I’ve made key lime wise.
Thank you thank you thank you ! Everyone else RUN DO NOT WALK TO MAKE THIS PIE!
Oh Robyn thank you so much for making my year!! Your kind words are so so sweet and this food blogger so appreciates your kind comment! It’s why I do what I do! Thank you again so much!
Absolutely the best
Thank you so much Nan!
This pie is amazing. It came out beautifully the first time, and a I’m pretty sure I will be making this at least once a week for the foreseeable future, lol.
I do wish your site didn’t have so many pop ups, making it easier to peruse, but I understand we all gotta make a living somehow.
Thank you for this lovely recipe.
Thank you so much Sarah! Always so hard to have the right number of ads (popups) and too many, as yes this is the only way I am paid in order to keep offering free delicious recipes! Thanks for your understanding!
I just made this for Easter! It’s fabulous,best key lime pie ever! Thank you for sharing this recipe
Oh thank you Hazel, you made my week!
I made this for my nephew, it’s his favorite and he said it was the BEST key lime pie he’s ever had. I agree, this recipe is fabulous and I’ll be making this for all our family gatherings. I couldn’t find key limes so I bought 2 Persian lines for zesting and a small bottle of lime juice and the pie had just the right amount of tartness without being sour! I’d be surprised if there was a better recipe than this one.
Thank you so much for your kind words! So glad that you were able to make it yours!
I love key lime pie and you are right — this one is the best!
Thank you so much!
Made this for my mother’s birthday. We agreed that it was the best key lime pie we’d ever had! The recipe was simple and the pie was glorious. Thank you, Kathleen! 🙂
Well thank you so much sweet Kate, you made my month with your kind words and so grateful that this recipe left a lasting memory in your family!
I tried to make this for my friends birthday. Fail. It’s just so running. Like liquid pie. So embarrassing. I followed every step, even made sure to mix on med/high for 2-3 mins.
Hi Farrah, I am so very sorry to hear that. Did you use any different ingredients? You used sweetened condensed milk not evaporated milk? The few times it hasn’t turned out for people is when they have switched ingredients up? Would love to try and problem solve this with you.
I have literally had thousands of people make this and work perfectly, but I hate it when someone makes it and it doesn’t work. Did you bake it long enough? It does need to sit in the fridge for 4-6 hours to set, that is after it cools completely on the counter. Again, so sorry for your experience.
Found your recipe on Pinterest, began juicing my key limes (by hand!), only to spill about 1/4 cup of the juice 🤦🏼♀️ So, I used lemonade to remedy! It turned out PERFECTLY! This was my first time making a key lime pie, your recipe was so easy to follow, and the pie turned out amazing. My new go to dessert!!
Oh man, I am so sorry about the spillage! That is a lot of work to lose that! So glad that you used lemonade as a remedy! Good to know, so glad you loved it! Thanks!
OMG, I want to thank you for this awesome recipe! I made it for dinner last night and it came out perfect! Only sub was I used light sour creme & sprinkled a few tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs over the top after I made the whip cream rosettes. I was soo good. Every bite I took, I kept making the coment uuummm, it’s so good. I savored every bite. My husband said the same thing. WOW, this is going to be made a lot and given as a gift. Thank you, Thank you. I’m new to your site & can’t wait to try your other recipes!
This key lime pie was the best we’ve ever had- thank you so much for sharing! We moved into a new home and have a key lime tree so we are in heaven!!!
I am so jealous of your key lime tree!! And thank you, so appreciate you taking the time to write a kind word! Warmest welcome to your new home!
Made this for Christmas and it was delicious! I actually used a garlic press for the key limes.
Well that was amazingly creative Donna! I love it! So glad you loved it too! Happy New Year to you and your family!
This recipe is very easy to make this wonderful key lime pie. Thank you for sharing it.
You are very welcome Marilyn! So glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for making it so easy.
Thank you so much Natalie, I so appreciate you taking the time to write a nice comment.
This is a gorgeous pie! Loved your step by step instructions and it tasted amazing!
Thanks so much Radha! So glad you loved it!
Love key lime pie and yours is beautiful–your rosettes especially! So with you on avoiding the bottled juice!
Awe, thank you!!
Can you bake then freeze the cooled pie, putting whipped cream topping on just before you serve it?
You sure can Jeanette, the texture will of course be different, but still so delicious!
I made this recipe with an oatmeal pecan cookie crust. Every one devoured it.
YUM! That sounds absolutely perfect! Thanks for letting me know!
Ok, we love Keylime pie and I have tried dozens of recipes. My family loves this recipe!I have even made it lactose free/gluten free for my daughter. Gluten free graham crackers, lactose free condensed milk, plant butter and left out the sour cream. She loved it! This is my new go to Keylime pie recipe! 🙂
I love hearing this Sharon, thank you so much for sharing your kind words!! You made my day, so glad that you made those modifications and it was still fabulous so that your daughter could enjoy it! Happy baking! Kathleen
Other than using a store bought Graham cracker crust, I followed this recipe to the letter. It was outstanding! I used the same key lime juice that is recommended, and this turned out so delicious! Best recipe for key lime pie that I’ve found!
Love it Carolyn, and nothing wrong at all about using a store bought crust! That’s the way we roll! Thank you so much for taking the time to write a nice comment!
Kathleen this is a great recipe for an aspiring baker. My 13 yr old daughter made this yesterday with minimal guidance and has come out great! Your comments and suggestions were quite helpful for her. Thanks!
Thank you so much Robb, love that your 13 year old daughter made and loved it!! I love inspiring our youth to cook and bake, so this just makes my day! Thank you for taking time to comment! Have a wonderful week!
This is the best key lime pie recipe!! It has become a staple in our house! I want to try baking these as individual mini pies; are the pre-prepared mini pie shells the best option? Or could it work if I use a muffin pan with cupcake liners? Thank you!!
Hi Amanda, thank you so much, you made my month! Yes, I do think these could be made in muffin tins with liners. I would reduce the time slightly from the mini-pies and once they are set, pull them out, they shouldn’t need too long! Happy baking!
My first key lime pie. Came out great! I plan to make mini ones today. Thanks for the recipe
YAY! So glad that you loved it and it turned out great, hope your mini’s turn out great too! Thanks for taking the time to post a comment! Happy baking Paula! Kathleen
Key limes are yellow when ripe, not green! Had a trees in the backyard. Of course the green looks better for topping! Is there a new variety “
You are correct Mary, but at least in our stores, they come green, which must mean they are a bit underipe. I did read however; that if they become all yellow while they are ripe, they are a bit more bitter, who knew! And yes, the green does look better for the topping, I have never had an offensive flavor from a green key lime. Hope you give the recipe a try!
Hi, this sound delicious and I plan to make it for Easter dinner. 15-20 minute cook time seems very short – how jiggly should the middle be? And do you have any other tips for detecting the doneness? Thank you!
Hi Erin,
It is so delicious! You don’t have to bake it long to achieve the desired set to the custard filling, make sure you whip it really well before pouring into the pie shell, it should be the consistency of cooked pudding. The center should just jiggle slightly, you don’t want it getting brown on top, the pie will continue setting up as it cools and then as you chill it. Hope that helps and hope you love it! Happy Easter!
Kathleen
@Kathleen, thank you!! I can’t wait to make it
You are very welcome!! Can’t wait to hear how you like it!
I have made this recipe twice for parties and making it again. Everyone enjoys it. I used fresh key limes. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much Sue, I love hearing this!! Always exciting when I hear from my fellow bakers that something turned out so well!
This key lime pie was so easy to make & by far the best tasting key lime pie I have ever tasted! The best part is mixing in the lime zest; getting those little green flavor flecks throughout the pie!
Great recipe for an awesome pie! Turned out perfect..
Okay, I am from Florida and had many Key Lime Pies, this is amazing key lime pie!!! I made two and had left over so I made mini, thank you!!!!! This is an awesome recipe!!!!!!
This is so so good
I think I over mixed the cool whip topping. It’s watery, I put in refrigerator right now. But i will try another batch, just thinking that’s what I did wrong.
Hi Gaby, sorry I am just getting to this, hope it all went okay. There actually isn’t Cool Whip in this recipe, real whipped cream or whipping cream is what is used. You can certainly top it with Cool Whip, but I wouldn’t advise whipping it, let me know if you have more questions about how to whip whipping cream, the longer you whip it the firmer it gets, and you can actually make butter if you whip it too much! Hope it all turned out okay! Happy baking, Kathleen
I have made this recipe several times and it is SO GOOD!! I love how tart it is! I am going to make it for a friend this week and want to make it in several mini pies. How long do you suggest baking the mini pies?
Love hearing this Jennifer, thank you!! Okay, did a little research, if you are using those premade mini graham cracker pie crusts, I would start at about 5-8 minutes (placing the mini pies on a large baking sheet for easier testing and removal). Pull them out when there is just a teensy jiggle in the middle. Let me know how they work out!
Eight minutes worked perfectly for the mini pies! This recipe made 12 mini pies and they were delicious! Thank you for your response!
Yeah!! I love hearing this, thanks for the tip! I’ll add it to the post!
This has to be the best Key lime pie I ever had! I made it for my husbands birthday and he loved it!
I have a 10 inch prepared graham cracker crust. Will I need to pre-bake it for this recipe?
If store bought Betsy, it should already be prebaked, so no need, if you however made it and just have on hand, then bake and cool first! Hope you love the recipe!
Hi there! Just had a quick question. Before putting the pie in the fridge to cool sho i need to cover it with anything?
Hi Crystal, I typically do not cover it initially, really allowing it to set undisturbed. But if you were worried about it, you could cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Same after you have put the whipped cream on, let it firm up in fridge for a bit and then place plastic wrap on it. Happy 4th! Kathleen
I’m making a mango key lime pie based off this recipie! I am using mango nectar in addition! Any tips so that the pie doesn’t come out runny? Extra egg yolk or two?
YUMMY! This sounds amazing, I would suggest replacing a portion of the lime juice with the nectar and then adding an extra yolk, be sure to whip it really well, and after baking give it as much time as you can to cool! Let me know how it turns out!
Kathleen
I am planning on making this pie for Father’s Day for two citrus lovers in the family. Have you ever tried subbing Greek yogurt for the sour cream? I only thought of it b/c I have a tub of Fage 2% plain in my fridge. If not, I’ll get sour cream, no biggie. Thanks!
Hi Jaimie, YES! You may replace with greek yogurt, especially Fage, since it’s so thick and rich! I’ve had several people do that lately and it turns out fabulous! I even made adjustments to the recipe on the blog, hopefully those came through. Let me know how it turns out!
Happy Baking and Happy Father’s day for your two citrus lovers, they are gonna love this!
Kathleen
We’ve had this and it is, truly, aptly named: “THE BEST key lime pie! AMEN…..
You are the best my friend! Thanks Bob!
Can I use Key West Lime Juice from Nellie & Joes instead of the key limes ?
Yes, of course Rose. While not as fresh or tart, it should still taste great!
How long do I need to whip it for to thicken?
Thanks
Hi Amanda, 2-3 minutes, longer if it still feels runny. If you used fat free sweetened condensed milk it might not be as thick. It should still set up after baking, just cool on the counter and refrigerate really well, overnight would be best.
I’ve been whipping it for almost 20 minutes and still won’t thicken. I’ve checked 10 times to make sure I had all the ingredients in and everything that it listed is in the mixing bowl.
Hi Cin — Oh no! My best suggestion at this point is maybe add an additional egg yolk, whip it for a minute or two, then bake it, I’ve had people say this happens sometimes when using fat free items, which I don’t recommend. But hopefully once it’s baked and set, overnight in the fridge it will set up for you. But I guarantee even if it’s “soupier” than you want it, it will still taste great. Hope it works out.
Is this a tart key lime pie. Seems like a lot of recipes the pies are very mid. Looking for a tart pie. Thanks.
It’s pretty tart, I personally like it tart as well, you can always add more key lime juice and lime zest!
Why Wondering why you use sour cream? Does it make it lighter?
Hi Victoria, the sour cream lends to the smoothness and creaminess of the pie!
I made this pie to serve at my restaurant, and I sold every slice! It set up perfectly and had the perfect amount of lime flavor. I cheated and used key lime juice; I’m from West Texas, and key limes are hard to find! I used Nellie and Joe’s key lime juice, and you couldn’t even tell! I found it at World Market for $2.99. Thanks for a great recipe, this is going to become a regular at the restaurant!
They absolutely loved it! Very happy Bride that did not like cake 🙂 it ended up making 3 pies! So I kept one and could not believe how good it was! I did a regular pie crust on these ones per client request but next time will do graham crust. Thanks again!
Woot-woot Michelle!! So happy it made everyone happy!! It’s rather amazing with the graham crust but a bride wants what a bride wants!! Thanks for sharing!!
I just made this afternoon for my husband’s birthday! It looks delicious! It was really easy, too! Can’t wait for dessert! 😃
Ooh Nicole, I’m so excited to hear what you all think!! So glad it was easy and hopefully equally delicious!!
Best key lime pie ever! Perfect balance of flavor. Texture was great! This is a keeper for sure!
YAY! Makes me so happy Marcia, thank you for taking the time to write a comment!
I made this tonight! First time ever making a keylime pie. That was a lot of limes to juice! I doubled the recipe and ended up being able to make 3 pies. They all came out amazing and I will have some very happy clients tomorrow! Thanks so much for such a great recipe!
Wow! That was a lot of like juice!! Thank you for sharing and I do hope your clients are very happy! Have a great weekend Michelle!
Mine is currently in the oven with double bake time and still not done. I re-read the blog and see that my mixture was incredibly thin even though I followed the directions. The pie will probably end up in the trash now and I’m not sure what went wrong.
Oh Karyn, I’m so very sorry. A couple questions. Did you use egg yolks? Sweetened condensed milk (not plain condensed) and did you whip it really well and long that’s where it will thicken up. I’d love to trouble shoot with you, mainly so I can make my directions more clear. Please feel free to email me.
WOW….I love Key Lime Pie!!!!!!!!
Good to know Bob!
I can’t wait to make this. I love Keylime pie!
Yay!! Let me know how it turns out!!