Key lime pie is the best summer dessert with its refreshing flavors! Today I’m sharing a quick version of traditional key lime pie with few shortcuts and minimal preparation. It is part creamy, part tart, and all-the-way yummy. No outdoor BBQ or family celebration is complete without this perfect pie!
This post may include affiliate links that earn us a small commission from your purchases at no extra cost to you.
Key Lime Pie Recipe
My homemade key lime pie recipe has fresh key lime juice, eggs, condensed milk, and a delicious graham cracker crust. With the buttery crust this soft, creamy, tart filling is everything, just perfect for a summer party!
Key Lime Pie is the type of recipe that takes a Summer party from good to great. I don’t think any bbq or family get together is complete without a slice of this creamy, tart, and delicious pie. You’ll be the star of the show when you show up with this delicious dessert! I love to use top it with my homemade whipped cream or cool whip!
Tips for Beginners
- Allow the pie filling to cool and thicken on the counter while your graham cracker crust bakes.
- Cool your crust completely before adding in the filling.
Key Lime Pie Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Pie Pan
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs 213 grams (about 12 cracker sheets)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85 grams, melted (¾ stick)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar 67 grams
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt optional
For the Pie
- 4 teaspoons grated lime zest 8 grams, from 2 Persian limes
- 4 large egg yolks 56 grams
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 396 grams (1 can)
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice 114 grams, from 10-12 key limes or 4 Persian limes
For Topping
- stabilized Whipped Cream (or cool whip)-click for recipe
- lime slices/wheels
Instructions
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt until well combined. The mixture will resemble wet sand.1½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Press the crust mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom and (almost all of the way) up the sides of the pie dish. (Do NOT cover the pans lip with crumbs.) Use the bottom of a measuring cup or of a flat-bottomed glass to press the crumbs into a crust, if desired.
- Bake the crust for 9 minutes. Transfer the cooked crust to a cooling rack and cool it completely before adding the pie filling.
For the Pie
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the zest and yolks for 2 minutes. Whisk in the condensed milk and then add the juice and beat well. While the crust cooks and cools, set the lime pie filling aside at room temperature to thicken.4 teaspoons grated lime zest, 4 large egg yolks, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake until the center is just set, but it still a little wiggly, 15-17 minutes.
- Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
- Cover the pie, tightly, with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours, before serving.
For Topping
- Up to 2 hours before serving, top the pie with sweetened, freshly whipped cream. Garnish with twisted lime wheels or thin lime slices.lime slices/wheels, stabilized Whipped Cream
Becky’s Tips
- I use a 9-inch pie pan for this pie, but an 8-inch pie pan or a 9-inch tart pan work just as well.
- If your crust seems to be sticking to the pie plate when you’re ready to serve, one trick that works like a charm is filling a large bowl with warm water and dipping the bottom of the pie plate into the water for a bit to loosen the crust. Do not submerge the pie, you’re just putting the bottom of the pie plate in the water to add some heat; release the crust.
- You can also use store bought graham crust.
- Nutritional information does not include toppings.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
What is the difference between Key Limes and Regular Limes?
Key Limes, often called Mexican or West Indian Limes, used to be commercially grown in Key West, hence their name. Key Limes are more aromatic than a regular lime and typically have a more floral and tarter flavor. They are smaller and more yellow than a regular lime.
Although they are less common in the USA. You REALLY can taste the difference between typical lime juice and key lime juice, so find them if you can!
Key Limes are in season in the US from June through August, but you should be able to get them year round, especially at stores like Whole Foods.
How to Store
Leftovers stay good for 3-5 days. Wrap the leftover key lime pie with the plastic wrap sheet and refrigerate. Don’t let it sit on the kitchen counter for more than two hours.
This pie also freezes beautifully. Wrap it with plastic wrap and freeze as long as you like. Thaw for a few hours in the fridge and serve.
Nice sharing, i like lime pie, now got new idea on how to do it.
Hope you love the recipe!
Is the nutrition info that is shown for the entire pie, or per serving?
It should be for one piece, 1/8 of the pie.
Hot days really do call for cold desserts! I love the flavor key lime pie. I haven’t made it in a while, so I’ll have to try your recipe! It looks DELICIOUS.
Thank you so much Ashley!