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There’s something truly special about classic key lime pie—its bright, citrusy flavor is unlike any other dessert. The combination of a buttery graham cracker crust and a creamy, tangy-sweet filling makes every bite a perfect balance of indulgence and refreshment. Making this pie from scratch is surprisingly simple, and the result is a smooth, luscious treat bursting with fresh Key lime zest. Whether you’re serving it at a summer gathering or just treating yourself, this zesty favorite is guaranteed to be a hit!
Get ready to pucker up with classic key lime pie! This tangy and sweet dessert will transport you to the Florida Keys with its zesty lime flavor and creamy texture.
You might also enjoy lemon tart, key lime lush, lemon granita, or some brownie sundae waffle bowls.
Why You’ll Love It
A classic dessert option: Sometimes it’s fine to try out creative new desserts but other times it’s wonderful to whip up a classic flavor and key lime pie is definitely that.
Really delicious: The great thing about this pie is the sweet yet tangy key lime flavor in the filling. If you like lime, you’ll love this classic pie recipe.
You can make it ahead: Feel free to whip it up ahead. It will be fine in the refrigerator until it’s time for dessert!
Key Lime Pie Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Graham cracker crumbs: For the pie crust.
Brown sugar: To sweeten the pie crust.
Butter: To bind the pie crust together.
Lime juice: Although regular lime juice will work, I recommend using fresh key lime juice or bottled key lime juice if fresh isn’t an option. 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!
Sweetened condensed milk: To sweeten the pie filling and give it a lovely, creamy consistency. Key limes are highly acidic, so this ingredient helps to balance out the flavor perfectly.
Egg yolks: To thicken the filling.
Powdered sugar: To sweeten the filling without making it grainy like granulated sugar would.
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 with brown sugar and melted butter.
Bake the pie crust: Press the mixture into a deep dish pie plate and bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes.
Make the lime filling: Mix the zest and juice of your limes with the egg yolks, powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and sour cream.
Add the filling to the crust: Once the pie crust is golden, you can spoon the filling into the pie dish.
Bake the key lime pie: 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.
Substitutions and Variations
Graham cracker crumbs: If you don’t have graham cracker crumbs, you can make your own with graham crackers and a food processor or a rolling pin. 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.
Add some nuts: Add finely chopped macadamias, pecans or hazelnuts to the pie crust for a nutty flavor.
Lime: I strongly recommend using fresh key limes if possible, bottled key lime juice if not, or regular fresh limes if that’s all that’s available.
Brown sugar: You could substitute white sugar, although it has a lighter, less rich 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 Key Lime Pie
Store: 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.
Freeze: 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!
Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for several hours.
Top Tips
Use key limes: You can use regular limes if you can’t find key limes or key lime juice, but if you do spot key limes, grab plenty because they’re so delicious and this should be the first dessert you make with them!
The right pie plate: You will need a deep dish pie plate for this great recipe (if you like the pretty blue one I used, you can get it here!)
Check for doneness: The pie will be slightly jiggly in the middle when done. Mine took exactly 15 minutes. Don’t worry about the ‘jiggle’ by the way – the pie will firm up as it cools down.
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!
Best Ever 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 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 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
The right pie plate: You will need a deep dish pie plate for this dessert.
Check for doneness: The pie will be slightly jiggly in the middle when done. Mine took exactly 15 minutes. Don’t worry about the ‘jiggle’ by the way – the pie will firm up as it cools down.
Nutrition
This authentic key lime pie recipe is similar to what you find in south Florida or Key West. I enjoyed 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 there is. You will always get rave reviews when you serve this and it’s my favorite key lime recipe, promising the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, and the crust adds a nice crunch to every bite.
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.
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!