This classic, easy, Key Lime Pie recipe is a refreshing treat! Start with a simple homemade graham cracker crust, fill it with a 3-ingredient key lime filling, and top everything off with a sweet, fluffy whipped cream.
This is a simple, refreshing, and timeless dessert. I taste-tested so many variations before settling on this final recipe, and it’s definitely a keeper! I hope you love it as much as my family does! Be sure to check out the video at the bottom of the recipe for step-by-step instructions.
I get this obnoxious notion in my head once a recipe’s been on my site for too long that I didn’t do it proper justice the first time around. For example, I originally shared this Key Lime Pie recipe over 3 years ago as a gift for my Dad on Father’s Day. I vividly remember laboring over the recipe until I was finally happy with it, and I distinctly recall that it was well-received and promptly devoured.
But when I decided I wanted to make a video and breathe new life into an old recipe, I was sure that my original recipe could be improved on. I mean, haven’t I learned so much in the past 3+ years? Surely I could make a better pie, right? And so I tried.
I tried variation after variation, playing with vanilla extract additions, renditions made with sour cream instead of egg yolks, visa versa, and combinations of the two. Cream was added, condensed milk was added in a number of different measurements, and I kept a chart of everything different about each version of the recipe.
And then, I made my dad (and at least 5 other members of my immediate family, but it’s my Dad’s favorite dessert so he’s the authority) come over and blind taste-test each one and give me their verdict, voting for which was the ultimate, best.
And the winner was….
The very same recipe I originally shared over 3 years ago. Yup.
If I had any faith in myself I could have spared my local grocery store well over a gallon of condensed milk and myself hours of time, but here we are back at the beginning and I’m happy to (re-)share the verified best Key Lime Pie recipe with you.
So, What Makes a Good Key Lime Pie?
This was tough, and everyone has different tastebuds, but my taste-testers and I agreed that the BEST version would be one that was:
- Definitively tart, without making your mouth totally pucker — you need to be able to eat the whole slice and some pies are so tart I can’t make it past one or two bites!
- Sweet, but in a way that complemented the tartness without overwhelming it.
- Simple to make; why change a good simple classic by complicating it with fancy ingredients or techniques!?
- No frills, no surprise twist, just a comfortingly predictable and classic, crumbly graham cracker crust, a creamy filling with a tart lime bite, and a fluffy, thick, sweet homemade whipped cream topping.
Check, check, check, and check.
Classic Ingredients
In addition to the staple graham cracker crust and the (not-so) optional whipped cream, a classic Key Lime Pie has just three ingredients:
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Egg yolks
- Key lime juice
After a lot of experimentation (ahem, see above), I definitely believe that keeping it simple with just these three ingredients is best. I tried versions with vanilla extract (it just detracts from the pure key lime flavor of the pie, don’t do it!) and sour cream (not bad, just simply not as good, it works great in my cheesecake recipe but not here), but in the end, the classic won.
Can I use Regular Limes?
No. Key limes aren’t just smaller and more obnoxious to squeeze than regular limes, they also have a different acidity and flavor to them. While some people will argue that you can substitute an equal amount of lime juice for key lime juice, I cannot recommend it myself (at least not without further testing, and I’m currently all test-ed out).
I am OK, however, with using bottled key lime juice if you are unable to find fresh key limes in your supermarket. It’s very difficult for me to find fresh key limes where I live and when I do find them they’re usually of questionable quality, so I’ve used the bottled version with success many times — do make sure it’s bottled key lime juice, though!
How to Store
This pie will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days, just cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. If you’d like to freeze your pie, wrap it tightly and completely and it will keep for up to a month in the freezer.
If using whipped cream topping, do not add this before freezing your pie.
Enjoy!
More Recipes You Might Like:
Recipe video at the bottom of the post! If you enjoy watching my cooking videos, I’d love it if you would consider subscribing to my YouTube channel <3
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (170g)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar sugar
- 6 Tablespoons butter melted (85g)
Filling
- 2 cups sweetened condensed milk¹ (475ml)
- 6 large egg yolks
- ⅔ cups key lime juice² (160ml)
Whipped Cream
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream (180g)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (30g)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
Graham Cracker Crust
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and sugars. Stir in melted butter until well-combined.
- Press crumb mixture into bottom and up the sides of a 9.5" pie pan.
- Set pie crust in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.
Filling
- In a large bowl, whisk together condensed milk and egg yolks until well combined.
- Stir in key lime juice and whisk until slightly thickened (about 2 minutes).
- Pour into pie crust and bake on 350F (175C) for 18 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before transferring to refrigerator.
- Chill overnight or at least 6 hours.
Homemade Whipped Cream Topping³
- Before serving pie, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until stiff peaks are achieved (the mixture should have a thick, light, "Cool-Whip" like consistency).
- Pipe or spread over chilled pie. Slice and serve.
Notes
Storing and Freezing
This pie will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator, cover with plastic wrap or foil. If freezing, do not add whipped cream until you are ready to serve. To freeze, wrap tightly and thoroughly with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to one month. If thawing the whole pie, return to the refrigerator several hours before serving and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator, if thawing a single slice allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes before enjoying.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Since I originally shared this recipe for my dad on Father’s Day, I’m leaving in this photo from the original post — here’s my dad making an embarrassing reference at my wedding.
Recipe originally published 06/22/2015, photos and text updated 08/29/2018. Not the recipe, though, that was evidently just right as written and remains the same, albeit with a few additional (hopefully helpful) notes.
Sue
Hi Sam,
I am just wondering if I could make this recipe in min muffin tins? If so, how long would you recommend I bake them and would I bake them at the same temperature? I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Sue! They are going to be really, really small and you will likely end up with too much crust to pie ratio. If you wanted to make them smaller, we would probably recommend using a jumbo muffin tin or even mason jar lids, or you could even try our Key Lime Pie Bars. Since haven’t tried this ourselves, we don’t know about baking times. Hope this helps! 🙂
Christy
Will this whip cream hold up in the fridge overnight and still look good tomorrow?
Sam
Hi Christy! If you are using the whipped cream in this recipe, yes it should be perfectly fine. 🙂
B
My family and friends RAVE about this recipe. Thanks so much!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoys it so much! 🙂
Betty
Sam:
I made your recipe for Key Lime Pie for my husband, and he said it was the best one he had ever had!!
Many thanks for the great, easy to follow, and simple, yet incredibly yummy recipe!! Looking forward to trying more of your favorites!!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Betty! 🙂
Amelia Perry
I made this for Mother’s Day. It was delicious and super easy!
Tina
What brand of bottled key lime juice do you use? Hopefully I can find it around here.
Sam
Hi Tina! I typically use a brand called Nellie & Joe’s. 🙂
Tina Marshall
Thank you!
Lindsey
Sam, you’ve done it again! The flavor is exactly like the key lime pies I’ve had in Florida. I mis-read the instructions and only baked for 18 minutes, probably should’ve done the full 20. After cooling, the top appeared set. It stayed in the fridge overnight and upon cutting it, the top was set but the rest of the filling was runny. Besides increasing the cooking time, I’m wondering if I can use an electric mixer for the whisking? Is there any reason not to? I’m concerned my batter was a bit on the runny side when poured into the crust.
Sam
Hi Lindsey! I would definitely start by adding a few minutes to your baking time. You can certainly use an electric mixer here. I just haven’t done it because it’s not too hard to mix. This is a pretty thin batter so I wouldn’t worry too much about that. It thickens but it’s a very slight thickening. If it helps you can refer to the video to see what mine looked like. 🙂
Kelsi Allen
My pie pan size is 8.5 not 9.5. Would I need to modify anything?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Kelsi! No, you should be fine to use your pan. 🙂
Darlene
Hi Sam,
I just made 2 key lime pies with your recipe for my daughter’s 21st birthday. We can’t go down south for vacation this year to get key lime pie. I’m curious though why my pies look so much more yellow after they came out of the oven. I thought the color looked great before going in. I cooked it at 350 for 18 minutes as you indicated. My oven temp is accurate. Should I cut down on the time, or lower the oven temp?
Sam
Hi Darlene! The key lime pie should actually look pretty yellow when it’s done, much like the pictures. It shouldn’t have a greenish color to it so as long as your pie isn’t dried out and cracking I think you are doing everything right. 🙂
Carol
Can I use the same recipie to make mini pies or do I have to modify anything? How long is cook time?
Ty
Sam
Hi Carol! It will work as mini pies, but I’m not sure on a bake time. 🙂
Shirley
Sam, made your key lime pie yesterday and it was a huge hit!! I did use the Nellie and Joe Keywest lime juice and it worked out perfectly. My husband said this is a keeper. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us. Can’t wait to try something else out of your tried and true.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it was a hit, Shirley! Thanks for trusting our recipes 🥰
Toni L Brown
Good morning Sam,
I made this pie over the weekend. The taste was spot on but the crust was crumbly and broke while slicing.
Followed the recipe exactly, so not sure what I did wrong….in going over the steps today, could it be 8 tablespoons of melted butter vs. 6 is the answer? In fact, my sister asked me if I needed more butter in the crust.
It was baked for 20 minutes (2 minutes longer than recipe) cooled completely and rested in fridge overnight. Any advice for next time? Thanks much!
Sam
Hi Toni! I’m sorry the crust was disappointing. The amount of butter is correct for this recipe. I use it for a few other pies as well. You could try adding more butter but I personally don’t like it with the extra butter. Hopefully it turns out better next time, but I’m glad you enjoyed the pie. 🙂
Kayla
Hi Sam,
I tried your cheesecake recipe a few weeks ago and I loved it! It was my first cheesecake, and it turned out absolutely perfect.
I am attempting your key lime pie recipe this weekend, for Father’s Day actually!
I think the graham cracker crust listed in this recipe is short a tablespoon of butter though. In the video, and in your stand alone graham cracker crust recipe, you specify 7 tablespoons of butter. The above recipe only calls for 6 tablespoons.
Thank you for all the great recipes. Please keep them coming!
Sam
I hope everyone loves it, Kayla! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cheesecake. 🙂
Catmaster
I live in florida and I think I only had key lime pie once. I’ve never been into lemon or lime desserts. But…I suddenly (during this very hot summer!) decided I wanted to make it. I looked at a few recipes and yours was the one I chose. So easy with 3 ingredients. I decided to make it really easy with a bought graham crust. This was such an nice change from all the sweet desserts out there. It was great and I was surprised my husband loved it. He wanted a changed from chocolate. I will be making this again. Thanks so much, I will be trying more of your recipes!
Sam
I am so happy to hear this! Thank you for letting me know how it worked for you, I really appreciate it 🙂