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This classic key lime pie has a creamy, tart lime filling in a crisp, buttery graham cracker crust. I had key lime pie when I visited the Florida Keys, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to use that distinctive little citrus fruit. The filling here uses sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, egg yolks and plenty of Key lime juice and zest. Chill it well before slicing and add whipped cream just before serving.
Why You’ll Love It
This classic key lime pie recipe pairs a buttery graham cracker crust with a creamy filling made with Key lime juice, zest and sweetened condensed milk.
Sweet and tart: A full cup of Key lime juice and plenty of zest give the creamy condensed milk filling a pronounced citrus flavor.
Buttery graham cracker crust: Brown sugar and melted butter give the crumb crust a little more depth than one made with granulated sugar.
Make it ahead: The pie needs several hours to chill anyway, so it’s a good dessert to prepare earlier in the day.
A Florida favorite: After eating key lime pie in the Florida Keys, I understand why this combination of tart lime, creamy filling and crumbly crust is such a classic.
You might also enjoy lemon tart, key lime lush, lemon granita, key lime cheesecake, Italian rice pie, lime curd or brownie sundae waffle bowls.
Key Lime Pie Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Graham cracker crumbs: Form the base of the crust. You can buy crumbs or crush whole graham crackers yourself.
Brown sugar: Sweetens the crust and adds a little caramel flavor.
Butter: Melted butter binds the graham cracker crumbs together and helps the crust crisp as it bakes.
Key lime juice: Fresh Key lime juice is my first choice, but bottled Key lime juice works too. Regular fresh lime juice can be used if Key limes aren’t available.
Key lime zest: Adds concentrated citrus flavor without adding more liquid to the filling.
Sweetened condensed milk: Gives the filling its creamy texture and sweetness while balancing the tart lime juice.
Sour cream: Adds richness and a little extra tang.
Egg yolks: Help the filling set as it bakes.
Powdered sugar: Adds a little more sweetness to balance the generous amount of lime juice.
How to Make a Classic Key Lime Pie
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
Bake the crust: Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Mix the filling: Beat the Key lime juice, zest, sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, egg yolks and powdered sugar just until combined.
Fill the crust: Pour the Key lime filling into the warm baked crust and smooth the top.
Bake: Return the pie to the oven for about 15 minutes. The edges should look set while the center still has a slight jiggle.
Cool and chill: Let the pie cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2½ to 3 hours before slicing.
Substitutions and Variations
Use regular limes: Key limes have a distinctive tart flavor, but regular Persian limes will still make a good lime pie if that’s what you can find.
Use bottled Key lime juice: Fresh is my preference, but good-quality bottled Key lime juice is a practical alternative when fresh Key limes aren’t available.
Add nuts to the crust: Finely chopped macadamia nuts or pecans can be mixed into the graham cracker crumbs for a nuttier crust.
Use granulated sugar in the crust: If you don’t have brown sugar, granulated sugar can be substituted, although you’ll lose some of the caramel flavor.
Serving Suggestions
As a sweet treat: Enjoy a slice of key lime pie with a latte, iced espresso or drink of choice if you crave a late morning or afternoon treat!
For dessert: Serve it after any kind of dinner, perhaps Mediterranean chicken and couscous or firecracker beef with hibachi noodles.
For serving: I like to garnish my key lime pie with whipped cream. 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.
How to Store
Store: Cover the pie well and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve.
Freeze: Freeze the pie without whipped cream or lime garnishes, wrapped well, for up to 1 month.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Top Tips
Use Key limes when you can: I’ve had key lime pie in the Florida Keys, and the more aromatic, tart flavor of actual Key limes really does suit this pie. Regular limes will still work when Key limes aren’t available.
Don’t overbake the filling: Mine took 15 minutes. The edges should look set but the center should still jiggle slightly when you gently move the pie.
Mix the filling without letting it sit: Once the lime juice and egg yolks are combined, get the filling into the crust and bake it rather than leaving the mixture sitting around. A reader had trouble with a grainy, curdled filling, and overbaking or letting the acidic lime mixture sit too long can contribute to problems.
Give it enough chilling time: The pie continues to firm as it cools and chills, so don’t judge the final consistency when it first comes out of the oven.
Use a deep-dish pie plate: There’s a generous amount of filling in this recipe, so use the 9-inch deep-dish pie plate called for in the recipe rather than a shallow pie plate. (If you like the pretty blue one I used, you can get it here!)
Best Key Lime Pie FAQs
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? 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. 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 flavor 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
Classic Key Lime Pie
Equipment
- Citrus Zester or Microplane
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/4 Cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 Cup brown sugar
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
For the Filling:
- 1 Cup key lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons key lime zest
- 2 Cans sweetened condensed milk, 14-Ounce cans
- 1/2 Cup sour cream
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 Cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°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, egg yolks and powdered sugar just until smooth and combined.
- Pour the filling into the baked crust.
- Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly when the pie is gently moved. If needed, continue baking and check again after a few minutes.
- Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate the pie for at least another 2.5 to 3 hours.
- Serve with whipped cream and lime zest or lime slices if desired.
Notes
Don’t overbake the filling: Mine took 15 minutes. The edges should look set but the center should still jiggle slightly when you gently move the pie.
Mix the filling without letting it sit: Once the lime juice and egg yolks are combined, get the filling into the crust and bake it rather than leaving the mixture sitting around. A reader had trouble with a grainy, curdled filling, and overbaking or letting the acidic lime mixture sit too long can contribute to problems.
Give it enough chilling time: The pie continues to firm as it cools and chills, so don’t judge the final consistency when it first comes out of the oven.
Use a deep-dish pie plate: There’s a generous amount of filling in this recipe, so use the 9-inch deep-dish pie plate called for in the recipe rather than a shallow pie plate. (If you like the pretty blue one I used, you can get it here!)
Nutrition
Key lime pie always reminds me of my trip to the Florida Keys, where I had plenty of opportunities to try the real thing. I like this one really cold from the refrigerator, with whipped cream and a little extra lime zest on top. Watch that slight jiggle in the center rather than waiting for the filling to look completely firm. It will finish setting as it cools and chills.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Very easy pie, but also great flavor & present well!
I know, it’s a classic for a reason!
The filling was creamy and tart, and that crust came out buttery and crisp. So easy and so good!
I followed the directions explicitly and it took forever to cook and in the end it was grainy and looked curdled. I have never had a dessert failure and I’m over 70 and cook and bake a lot. I was very disappointed. Don’t know where I went wrong. Any ideas?
Hi Martha, I can think of two things that might have curdled the eggs (which is what sounds like happened). The egg yolks help to bind the filling. If the pie was overbaked, even a little bit, the eggs might start to curdle. Alternately, if you let the egg and lime juice sit for several minutes, that definitely could have curdled the eggs. I hope it comes out perfect next time!
Absolutely loved how refreshing and tangy this dessert turned out!
Could you use bottled lime juice?
Yes you could but fresh is better if you can get it.
I love Key Lime pie. This one is better than any I have ever had in restaurants. Thank you for sharing. I will make this again.
This is great to hear! I love Key Lime pie too!
If I could eat just one pie, this would be it. Absolutely delicious!
The best-tasting pie. You can’t beat this classic!
Where can I get this gorgeous blue pie plate?
Here you go! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B7VXRLS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I must try this recipe. I always order this at the restaurant. yum!