There’s something so special about classic key lime pie, especially when you use the best key lime pie recipe! There’s nothing hard about making a pie from scratch. You’re going to love the zingy citrus freshness in every mouthful. The graham cracker crust is filled with a creamy sweet but also tart filling, making this a truly delightful dessert. If you are like me, you love key lime pie!
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Get ready to pucker up with our classic key lime pie recipe! This tangy and sweet dessert will transport you to the Florida Keys with its zesty lime flavor and creamy texture. It’s the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, and the crust adds a nice crunch to every bite.
Key Lime Pie Ingredients
Despite this being a pie from scratch, you only need 9 ingredients rather than a long list. The crust is made with graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. The key lime pie filling includes fresh key lime juice and key lime zest, sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, egg yolks, and powdered sugar.
This key lime pie crust is made with graham cracker crumbs. Although you could try another kind of cookie, I think the graham crumbs are just perfect here. Sometimes you don’t want to mess with the classic recipes! I always get rave reviews and certain it is the best ever key lime pie. You will need a deep dish pie plate for this great recipe.
Key lime juice and zest are the stars of this pie so don’t use bottled key lime juice! If you only have the option of bottled key lime juice, check the grocery store juice aisle or online for Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice which is preferred over regular lime juice. This is the key lime juice that is about as close to the real deal as you can get! If you can’t get key limes you could use regular limes. There will be a little difference but not too much. The key to delicious homemade key lime pie is the right ingredients.
How to Make the Graham Cracker Crust
To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs with brown sugar and melted butter. Press the mixture into a deep dish pie plate and bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes.
If you don’t have graham cracker crumbs, you can make your own with graham crackers and a food processor or a rolling pin.
How to Make the Lime Filling
Mix the zest and juice of your limes with the egg yolks, powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk and sour cream. Once the pie crust is golden you can spoon the filling into the pie dish. Now bake the pie until it’s set but still slightly jiggly in the middle. Let it cool down then chill it in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Best Key Lime Pie Recipe Serving Ideas
Making a pie from scratch means it not only deserves the best quality ingredients but also the most elegant presentation. You can’t go wrong with some whipped cream as a garnish.
I also love to add some thin lime wedges on top of each slice. Another idea is to sprinkle lime zest over the pie if you don’t have enough fresh limes to make the slices.
Alternatively you could do both. Add the whipped cream next to a lime slice then sprinkle lime zest over the cream. There’s no such thing as too much lime in the best key lime pie recipe! Traditional key lime pie is a true treat and I know it is near the top of my favourite pie list!
Classic Key Lime Pie FAQs
This key lime pie will keep for 2 or 3 days. It’s best to keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or wrapped with foil or plastic wrap.
It’s also possible to freeze it for up to about a month. Again, make sure it’s very well wrapped. You don’t want your delicious key lime pie to suffer freezer burn!
There’s a bit of a fine balance here. You don’t want to undercook the pie but neither do you want to overcook it! So how do you find that sweet spot when it’s perfectly done?
I find it takes about 15 minutes to cook through. The center should jiggle very slightly when you take it out of the oven. If it jiggles quite a lot it needs more cooking time. Don’t worry about the ‘jiggle’ by the way – the pie will firm up as it cools down. Overcooking it will give the filling a spongy texture which you’ll want to avoid.
First of all, no you don’t have to use fresh key limes. You can still make a tasty lime pie with any variety of lime. However, if you can get key limes, I recommend you use those! Key limes, also known as West Indies limes, West Indian limes or Mexican limes, are smooth, round and small.
They have a more intense flavour than the regular Persian limes grocery stores carries year-round. If you want to make a key lime pie from scratch but you can only get regular limes, it will still be delicious!
Classic Key Lime Pie Recipe
The BEST EVER Classic Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/4 Cup graham crumbs
- 1/4 Cup brown sugar
- 5 Tablespoons butter salted, melted
Filling
- 1 Cup lime juice fresh key lime
- 2 Tablespoon lime zest key lime
- 2 Cans sweetened condensed milk 14 ounce
- 1/2 Cup sour cream
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 Cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, mix together graham crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter. Press this mixture into a 9 inch deep dish pie pan.
- Bake the graham crumb crust for 10 minutes.
- While that is baking, prepare the key lime filling. Using an electric hand mixer, combine the key lime juice, zest, sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, 2 egg yolks, and powdered sugar
- Pour the filling into the baked crust.
- Bake the pie at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. It should be just slightly jiggly in the center. If the pie is very jiggly, leave it in and check it every 5 minutes.
- Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Then re-refrigerate the pie for at least another 2.5 to 3 hours.
- Serve with whipped cream and lime zest or lime slices if desired.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
This authentic key lime pie recipe is similar to what you find in south Florida or Key West. I know I had some when I took a trip to the Florida Keys! It is a traditional key lime pie recipe and one of the most refreshing desserts. You will always gets rave reviews when you serve this and it is one of my favourite key lime recipes.
I just know you’re going to love this easy to make key lime pie as much as I do. It’s the best key lime pie recipe I’ve found, pairing a homemade graham cracker crust with a tangy, creamy filling. And of course there’s the star of the show – the key limes!
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for food, dogs, fitness, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.
I must try this recipe. I always order this at the restaurant. yum!