The Best Key Lime Pie recipe EVER! Tart and sweet and incredibly easy, this Key Lime Pie is sure to be a family favorite! A delicious graham cracker crust filled to the brim with an incredibly creamy filling that is just so quick to make! You won’t be able to stop at just one slice!
Love key lime desserts? Check out my Key Lime Pie Bars and Key Lime Pie Snowball Cookies!
Key Lime Pie
I’m admittedly not much of a pie person. I only share pie recipes that I absolutely love. Recipes like this Key Lime Pie. That incredible combination of tart and sweet is absolutely irresistible and will make this pie a family favorite, guaranteed.
So, confession time. I didn’t squeeze a bunch of key limes for this pie. This is an easy key lime pie recipe, after all 🙂 I used key lime juice. You can find it the produce area in most grocery stores. It makes this pie even easier to make!
Now, if you have access to key limes and want to squeeze them, go right ahead! Absolutely perfect in this pie.
After all of that, Happy Pi Day! With an electrical engineering degree you can bet I’ve had my fill of pi. But never, NEVER will I have my fill of this pie.
So this “key” lime pie recipe is crazy easy. And I mean cray-zee. So easy, you may find yourself making one a week, like I plan to, for the rest of your life.
Key Lime Pie – Always Start with a Graham Cracker Crust
The pie starts with a graham cracker crust. I am terrible at crusts but gosh darnit, a homemade graham cracker crust tastes WAY better than a store bought one and it’s pretty simple to make. Just some graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter will do the trick.
I’m a big fan of graham cracker crusts because they are super easy to make and go so well in many desserts. I use it in this Pistachio Pie and these No Bake S’mores Cheesecake Bars.
(Extra graham crackers? You can find all my recipes that use graham cracker crusts here.)
What Is In Key Lime Pie Filling
Now let’s get to the filling. It’s a whole lotta lime juice, lime zest, sour cream and a couple cans of sweetened condensed milk (a.k.a. nectar of the gods). You just whisk it all together, pour it into your pie shell, bake for 10 minutes and voila – you’ve got a key lime pie that will blow your family and friends away.
- Key Lime Juice
- Lime Zest
- Sour Cream
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
What You Need To Make this Key Lime Pie
- Pie Plate – I made this pie in my 9.5 inch Pyrex pie plate. You can use a smaller pie plate no problem. You’ll either have a little extra crust or just make it extra thick. The filling does not expand when baking so go ahead and pour as much of it into your crust as you can.
- Key Lime Juice or Key Limes – I used key lime juice. I actually order mine on Amazon. I’m a big fan of reading reviews to make sure I get the very best product. This is the one I’m currently crushing on. Truth time. This pie can be made with regular limes if you can’t find key lime or key lime juice. Just sayin’.
- You’re going to need a zester for this pie. The key lime zest adds SO much flavor to this key lime pie and looks so pretty on top!
The truth is, I’m not much of a decorator when it comes to pies and cakes. I’m all about simple, easy, get-it-in-my-mouth-as-quick-as-possible. You too? Good. Then you’ll like my no-nonsense whipped cream topping.
If you are in a hurry, and I mean, a BIG HURRY, I would perhaps allow you to use a store bought pie crust and a can of whipped cream. This pie would still be heavenly. No doubt. (Edited to add: I made the crust in the video but as we were running out of time, I used a can of whipped cream in the video below. Works in a pinch!)
More amazing pie recipes to try!
- No Bake Blueberry Lemon Cream Pie
- No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie
- 31 Amazing Pies You Need To Try!
- Deep Dish Dutch Apple Pie
- No Bake Pina Colada Cream Pie
How To Make the Best Key Lime Pie
Best Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
Graham cracker crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp butter melted
Key Lime Filling
- 28 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 3/4 cup key lime juice
- zest from 2 regular limes or 4 key limes
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Graham cracker crust
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Press the crumb mixture into an 8" - 9.5" pie pan. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes.
Key Lime Filling
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest in a medium bowl. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust and bake for 10 minutes.
- Let pie cool slightly before chilling. Chill for at least 3 hours.
Whipped Cream Topping
- Beat heavy cream and sugar together in a mixer until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla. Spread or pipe the whipped cream on top of the cooled pie. Top with additional lime zest if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Originally published March 14, 2015.
And now that we’re all thinking pie… Check out these pies from my friends:
Krispy Kreme Pie | Cinnamon Pie | Peach Hand Pies
And more pies, just for fun!
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For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
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Desiree says
This is the first key lime pie I have ever tried but I brought it to an event I catered and it was a HIT! I had people asking if they could have the recipe. I love it and will continue to use this recipe anytime I am making a key lime pie.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m so glad Desiree! Have a great week!
Ola says
This is the best key lime pie I’ve ever had. It was my first attempt to make it myself and it worked like a charm. The pie looks totally amazing and it tastes even better. I’m never buying a key lime pie again! This one is thousands times better!
Austin says
Is there any reason why this recipe wouldn’t work with a merengue topping? I love my grandmothers chocolate pie with merengue recipe and I’m wondering if it’ll work as well on this pie. Thanks.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
A meringue topping would be beautiful! And it should 100% work. This is similar to the filling for a lemon meringue pie so I think you’d be fine.
Amy P says
I only have regular sour cream. Why do you use light? Will it work with regular sour cream? Thanks!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It will Amy! Enjoy!
Kim says
Are you positive it’s 3-1/2 cans of condensed milk
Each can is 300 ml and 28 oz is 828ml
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
My cans are 14 ounces each, so 2 cans.
Rose says
Made this last night, could only get about half as much juice as needed from a TON of real key limes, so substituted regular lime juice to get the 3/4 c needed. I used a pre-made crust to save a little time. This recipe was SO EASY and my boyfriend LOVED it. This is his favorite pie, about 3 times a week he’ll tease me by saying “did you say you made a key lime pie today?” and last night I got to show him! He loves it. I’ll be making it again, but I’ll be looking for bottled key lime juice online, I think. Those suckers are hard to squeeze and for so little juice, lol!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I totally buy my key lime juice now too Rose. It takes too much time to squeeze them lol! So glad you guys enjoyed the pie! Have a great weekend!
Abby S. says
I love this recipe. I’ve never been a fan of key lime pie until now! Its so simple and has just the right amount of sweet and tart combination. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
Lynn says
This pie is so easy. I like it has no eggs so the filling doesn’t have to be cooked if you want to turn on the oven. I also use this same recipe for Lemon icebox pie.
Georgette says
Wow! Great recipe. I liked that it did not call for eggs so that saved lots of time separating eggs. The Covid19 pandemic keeps causing shortages at grocery stores so key lime juice was not to be found in any section of the store so I substituted ReaLime juice (same quantity), and pie was still fantastic. I used the zest of 2 regular limes. The shorter chilling time compared to other recipes was very helpful as I got a very late start on the pie. I used the graham cracker crust recipe in a glass 9″ Pyrex pie plate. It was a little thick, but I sprayed the pie plate with cooking spray, and crust and nicely set pie came out beautifully even on the first slice! Make sure you stir the filling ingredients until smooth. Takes just a few minutes to do so. The birthday “girl” was very happy as was her four year old daughter! I chose to omit the whipped cream, but I am sure it would have also been fantastic.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Great substitution! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the recipe!
Ann says
I am a better cook than I am a baker. Had a can of condensed milk and a can of La Lechera (carmelized-tasting version for Mexican Flan) so used both to get 28 ozs. On top of that, I accidentally grabbed the Greek yogurt instead of the sourcream. Telling tomorrow’s guests I made Keylime Flan. That’s my story. Still tastes great! Thanks for recipe.
Susan Matthews says
I’ve been using this recipe for a while now and I realized I never left a comment! This is the BEST pie ever…my family and friends always request my key lime pie for all the family functions! It is so refreshing and delicious. Because I am obsessed with cinnamon & put it on just about everything, I’ve used the cinnamon graham crackers for the crust and it‘s delicious as well 😂 thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe with us!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
LOVE the addition of cinnamon in the crust – I need to try this! Thank you SO much Susan!!
Wednesday Andrews says
AMAZING. I’m not big on Key like pie but my husband goes nuts for it so I surprised him today and had this ready for him after work. So so so good. Thank you for the recipe
Mariya says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! My husband in the hotel line requested Key Lime Pie for dessert & since I had never made one from scratch before I told him I’d give it a go! My FIL is a pie connoisseur of sorts, lol so I crossed my fingers that he’d like it… Thanks for sharing a superb recipe.
Tammie says
Finally made the pie. I didn’t have key lime juice bottled or fresh so I just used reg limes. I used a lot more zest than called for. Everyone really enjoyed it. I did experience an issue with the crust though. For some reason some of it stuck to the bottom of the pie plate. I actually used the exact one you did (did you happen to pick them up at Walmart? Lol). Any idea as to why this would happen? I’m planning to make it again. Hopefully today. I’ll check back before I do just in case you answered my question….
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
More zest is always a good idea! So I make my own crust, it’s really easy to do if you haven’t tried it before! And sometimes, if you go to cut the pie right out of the fridge, the crust can be a little sticky. Let it sit out for 10 minutes or so if you’re having problems. Hope that helps!
Melissa B says
Made this to today using limes off of our tree. It was spectacular. Even better than the pies we get in the Keys. I didn’t change a thing. Thank you so much for sharing. Everyone raved about it!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
How fantastic Melissa! I appreciate that so much! I wish I had a lime tree lol!
Suzanne says
Can you omit the whipped cream on top ??
Looks like your using just a can whipped cream from store in the video ?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You can and yes, I used canned whipped cream in the video although that is a poor substitute for the real stuff lol 🤣
Tammie says
Haven’t made this yet but I just wanted to give a tip for those who plan to make their own whipped cream. If you add some skim milk powder to your cream it will help to stabilize it more. I learned this from Anna from Anna Bakes YouTube channel. Just add 1 tbsp to 1 cup of whipping cream (1:1 ratio). Happy baking fellow bakers…. 😉
Sheetal kapoor says
I tried this recipe over the weekend. It is absolutely amazing! Thanks For Sharing!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed it, it’s my favorite!
Laurie Thomas says
I substituted lemon off of the tree. Did the recipe the same otherwise. Quite delicious and a big hit! Everyone wants tour recipe!! Thank you so much.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Mmmmm! Lemon pie! I’m down for that too!
Dusti richards says
Are you kidding me!! Easiest pie I have ever made…and one of the best! I even juiced real key limes, still easy.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
That’s my favorite thing about this pie, besides the flavor of course, SO darn easy! Glad you enjoyed it!
Kellie says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! My father in law requested Key Lime Pie for dessert & since I had never made one from scratch before I told him I’d give it a go! My FIL is a pie connoisseur of sorts, lol so I crossed my fingers that he’d like it…well he didn’t just like it, he loved it! The rest of my family are not big pie people but this got the overwhelming request to make it again & soon from everyone at the table! This will surely become a recipe I use for many family functions to come!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I love this so much Kellie! So happy you stopped by!
mary says
I tried this recipe over the weekend. It is absolutely amazing! It was as good as my favorite made by Skates on the Bay in Emeryville, CA. Their Key lime pie is very very good and is quite popular, so I was excited to see just how good this recipe was. I followed the recipe exactly and it was a huge hit.
Definitely use the best quality key lime bottled juice she recommends (found on Amazon).
One more tip, though I didn’t have any when I made this over the holiday. Skates on the Bay serves this with lemon sorbet on the side to make it even more delicious. Since its very rich I think the sorbet cuts that richness a bit and makes it even more special. If you really want to impress big time, Skates also serves this over dry ice.
Thank you so much!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Mary!
BaileyFamily704 says
Thank you so much for this super simple and extra yummy recipe!
My son 9yo son made it all by himself and entered it into his schools pie baking competition. He took 2nd place. Definitely not bad considering the 1st place pie obviously was made by a parent with many more years of pie baking experience.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
That’s so awesome! Thanks for stopping by!
Dee says
YUMMMM! Excellent! Thanks so much!
Courtinay K homann says
I have made many key lime pie. I have never seen one like this! I absolutely loved it! Perfect texture and taste but so easy that I can do it in less than 15 minutes! I even had extra filling to put on my ice cream! I have referres all of.my friends to this recipe. Kudos very impressed.
Christopher Koch says
Okay, the discussion about ‘best” key lime pie finally created THE CHALLENGE. I used this recipe and the one from foodiecrush.com. (You can see the differences in the ingredients). I used key limes and juiced them all (48# for this recipe)…tedious.
I used the graham cracker crust from sallysbakingaddiction.com. (I would now use a little less sugar and make the crust a bit thinner).
8 people blind taste tested (in three different settings). All agreed, both are delicious, but found this recipe to be creamier and less tart. So…truth in advertising “Best Key Lime Pie” recipe. It will now be used in Costa Rica as my sister-in-law makes and sells pies to high end bakeries/restaurants. Thank you! Pura Vida
TC says
First time making key lime pie, I spent way too much time squeezing teensy bits of juice from tiny key limes, will definitely buy the bottle. Loved the recipe, easy to follow, pie was a hit for even my picky kiddos. Will make again, thanks!
Brandi W says
I made this and was VERY hesitant because I’m not great at making pies but THIS RECIPE IS AMAZING!! I made it for my husband’s birthday because it’s his favorite pie and he freaked out.
Maggi says
Very easy to make and very good. I used full fat sour cream instead of the low fat, but other than that I kept the recipe the same. Great recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Excellent! Thanks so much!
Tammie says
Thanks for letting us know you can use full fat sour cream. That’s all that I have at the moment and wanted to make this but needed to make sure if I did use full fat it wouldn’t mess up the filling. I’ve made 1 key lime pie once but this time I’m going to be using reg limes. Glad to know that’s an option too. As well as using bottled juice. Most recipes say not to. I’ll report back once it’s made but most importantly… eaten, 😋
Maria says
That’s right I have no shame. I am a pie filling whore!!! At 52 I have never had a bite of Key Lime Pie. Making it for my boyfriend as it is one of his favorites… All I can say is if it tastes when baked as good as it does unbaked, waiting for the pie shell to cool, I have no doubt he will love it!!! By the way, I used Annas Ginger Swedish Thins instead of gram crackers my palette tells me it will be amazing. Thank You for the recipe
Paige says
Easy to make and so tasty! Could you sub regular sour cream for light? Got ready to make this again and realized I only have full fat sour cream on hand.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You betcha! Enjoy!
Laura says
Awesome pie! It’s been my go to recipe for years now! Thank you so much!
Maria says
Hi Trish, i made the Key Lime pie and not only was it easy to make, but it was super delicious!!! Making it again tomorrow for friends get together. thank-you!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m so glad you gave it a try Maria! I just love how easy this recipe is and the results are always fantastic. Thank you!
Linda says
I am leaving 5 stars even tho I havent yet made the pie. It looks wonderful. I am wondering if it sets up without eggs in it, and can you make it a day ahead?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Hi Linda! Yes it does set up 🙂 I actually have had several readers email to tell me they don’t even bake it at all anymore and it sets up? Who knew!
TERESA MARUNA says
Totally exceeded my expectations! There are no words to describe the yummy deliciousness of this way too easy pie! Thank you for sharing!
Nikki says
Planning on making this for 4th of July – quick question. Can I store overnight before serving, and if so, should I spread the whipped topping before refrigerating overnight or just before serving?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Absolutely can be stored overnight refrigerated. And yes, leave any decorations until the last minute. Enjoy!
Beth says
Made this for a party. What a hit! Thank you for sharing.
Cheryl Osborne says
My husband absolutely loves key lime pie, and he has eaten a lot of them. HE has declared this one the BEST ever. It is delicious and so easy to make.
D Mel says
My husband loves key lime pie but he is so picky about it, I’ve tried several recipes and he had some complaint about each one. His only complaint about this one was that I gave him a slice that was too small for how good it was! This is the easiest, best tasting recipe ever. Thank you!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Wow! High praise indeed 🙂 Thanks so much for leaving a sweet comment!
Donna says
I recently discovered I like Key Lime Pie! I made this recipe and everyone went crazy for it. Now I LOVE key lime pie! This recipe is perfect!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Ahhh, welcome to the club Donna! Key Lime Pie is a summer time favorite for us. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Marie says
This pie is delicious! I thought it seemed a little odd that the recipe said to bake it for ten minutes even though there are no eggs, so I took my chances and put it straight into the fridge to chill. It firmed up beautifully and looks just like the picture. I used Nilla wafers for the crust and it was super tasty.
Michelle says
This is DELICIOUS! Thanks for making a recipe for less experienced chefs! My family loved it on my first try!
Abby says
My go to summer pie..love it!!! Can I freeze it after it cools?
Jenna says
I made this for my fiancé’s family (not knowing until I walked in with this beautiful hunk of magic that they are all OBSESSED with key lime pie–I was immediately a little scared because I’d never made it before so the pressure was on) and they LOVED it. They said it was the best key lime pie ever! It was incredible. Perfect texture and perfect balance of sweet and tart. Making another pie tomorrow for just my fiancé and I to enjoy all by ourselves 😉
Thank you for bestowing this marvelous creation on us. Kudos!
charlene dennis says
Made this recipe for my monthly dinner group – loved it!! Didn’t quite buy enough limes though, would help to list how many limes are needed for the juice (for novices like me). Glad you encouraged us to make the crust ourselves – it was easy and made a big difference in the taste, thank you.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
So glad you loved the pie Charlene! I didn’t say the number of limes only because it very much varies from lime to lime. Thank you for stopping by!
Christian says
Anyone know if this would do well made into bars or mini pies? It was delicious and I’d like to take to a shrimp boil, so I’m looking for easy eating and serving.
Erin says
Look NO further!! Key lime pie is my all-time favorite dessert, and this recipe is IT. I have wowed family with this a couple of times now and I think I will be expected to make it often. Luckily, it is so easy. So glad I found this recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Awww, thanks Erin! So glad you loved it!
Jessica Moore says
Made this today for my husband and mother-in-law and we all loved it! It was perfect in flavor and texture.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Jessica!
CARLA says
Amazing Pie! Rich and delicious. Everyone loved it. Is the calorie count of 517K is per slice?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Carla! And yes – that is per slice… enjoy it!
Nicole says
I just made this over the weekend… it was by far one of the best desserts I’ve made. So delicious. I love the balance of sweet and tart and the homemade graham cracker crust is perfect. It was also super easy to make! I was craving key lime and this recipe nailed it. I’m making it again for Easter dessert.
Karen says
I just made this tonight and OMG HOLY DELICIOUS!!! The balance between sweet and tart are spot on!! Definitely my new go to for pie.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Karen!
Regina says
I make my pie with 1 can of sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup of lime or lemon juice and 4 Oz of cream cheese, but I don’t bake mine just refrigerate it a couple of hours. I also like to buy the chocolate graham crust she’ll once in awhile.
Barbara says
I plan to make this pie but have cinnamon graham crackers. Should I use them in the crust or go to the store for plain graham crackers? Thank you for this easy recipe.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I think those should be fine but you’ll definitely notice the cinnamon.
Patty says
I forgot to click the 5 stars. ???
Patty says
I made this pie for my friends and WOW was it a hit!!!! It was my first time to make a key lime pie. I really like the thicker crust. The only thing I am changing is I’m using a deep dish pie pan next time. This recipe is easy, delicious and definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing and making it available to pin on pinterest. ???
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Patty! So glad you love the recipe!
Terri says
Very good except I found it a little too tart, next time I would cut down on the zest. I used fresh key limes for the recipe.
Isla OConnor says
I have tried many Key Lime pies but this is the best I have ever tried and made. My husband agreed. This one’s goes to the front on my dessert list.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
We love it too Isla! It’s so easy isn’t it? It’s my go to pie for parties – everyone raves about it. Thank you so much for the great review!
Kimberly says
Someone made your recipe in mini pie shells for a party I went to. I loved them so much, she shared your recipe with me! I LOVE IT! I made it in the mini pie shells for another party (they were a huge hit!) I’m actually making it as one of my desserts for Christmas Eve…. because I’m craving it and my excuse is that it’s green 🙂
Zully Hernandez says
Thanks for sharing – this looks so yummy!
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
Perfection!
Stephanie says
I made this today and it was my 1st attempt of making a Key Lime Pie! It was amazing! Followed the recipe exactly and it was perfection! Think I found my go to recipe!
Kelly Jones says
I’m new at this but tried my first key lime pie at Red Rock Canyon Grill in Wichita KS and fell in love, so going to try your recipe this weekend. Question, there recipe seemed to have a nutty flavor also, maybe in the topping, any suggestions?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Hmmm, I’m wondering if it was something they added to the crust? Any ground nut could be added to a crust to give it that flavor.
Danielle says
I add ground pecan to my crust and it’s amazing!
David says
I made it exactly by the directions and it turned out great. My family just loved it. And it really is easy!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much David!
M’Lou says
My go-to key lime pie recipe. My family loves it. Even though a number of them claim they don’t eat key lime pie. LOL.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Haha! This pie has converted many of my friends that “don’t like” key lime pie as well – lol! Thank you!
Lee says
I just notice the recipe does not have eggs yolks! yikes. I wonder if that was a mistake or if the sour cream some how acts as a substitute. Can anyone comment on the this pie vs pies that do utilize 2-3 egg yolks?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You nailed it. No egg yolks because the sour cream sets the pies. Give it a try, I’m confident you will LOVE it 🙂
Jenny says
Made this pie a couple of times, and it is delicious! I’m thinking of using a pan for pie bars. Would it work in a 9×13 dish? Or is that too big?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
That is a great idea and I need to try it with this particular recipe. I think 9×13 would be a little big but maybe thinner bars would be fine? I also have this recipe if you’d like to take a look: https://www.momontimeout.com/irresistible-key-lime-pie-bars/ . They are FANTASTIC.
Dana says
I LOVE this pie recipe! I make it often and get tons of compliments 🙂
I was wondering if the keylime juice and zest could be switched out for lemon juice/zest to make a lemon pie
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Me too Dana! I could eat this at LEAST once a week 🙂 The answer to your question is yes and I think I may need to make a lemon pie soon 😉 Have a great weekend!
Inez Britz says
Plse explain why you bake the pie? There’s nothing in it that needs cooking. I just cannot figure it? Can’t it just go straight into the fridge?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It sets the pie. If you don’t bake it, you won’t be able to slice it.
Marly says
I made this keylime pie for my moms birthday last month as it is her favorite dessert. This is officially my staple recipe for keylime pie! For the folks that aren’t fans of sour cream.. you absolutely CANNOT taste it. My boyfriend loathes sour cream.. i didn’t tell him the recipe had it in there.. He hasn’t stopped talking about the damn keylime pie and how awesome it was lol! He asked me to make it for his family next week. Awesome awesome awesome! I love it!
Emily says
Really love these pies! So good!
Alana says
I have made 5 of these in the last 2 weeks! Amazing!!!!!!
Trish Chavez says
This was seriously THE BEST key lime pie ever! It was perfectly tart and not overly sweet, I really don’t like a weak/super sweet pie so it was spot on! I used a muffin tin and made awesome little mini pies, it was a big hit. Thank you for this great recipe, it’ll always be my go to!
Carly says
So for the lime juice do you usually use bottled lime juice to get that much or do you usually get that much from squeezing that many limes?
Shabari Karumbaya says
Hi,
Just made your pie and it tasted great! We live in Singapore where there are obviously no Key limes but I used a citrus called Calamansi that people say is a nice substitute.
However, while my pie dish was 8.5-9 inches in diametre, the depth was more shallow than what your dish seems to be. This resulted in my havIng some filling left over and a thicker crust than what I would like. I would like to try this again. What depth of pie pan do you recommend to fit this amount of filling?
Brooke says
I made this delicious key lime pie for my
Moms birthday last year..She requested it again this year! It was easy to make and absolutely yummy!! ?
Cara says
I like a KLP that has a pucker to it. Is this recipe tart? Thanks!
JoAnn says
Hi there! I LOVE this pie! And its so easy to make! I was wondering if you could possibly give me any idea about how much sugar is in one slice of pie…I need to know cause a diabetic wants some! Thank you!!
Eleceia says
Trish I’m so excited to try this pie, I’ve been on a key lime pie kick lately, someone at work brought in half a bushel of key limes!! I’ve been looking for new recipes to use the limes in and came across yours. I notice there’s no eggs! Does that make a difference? I’ll find out later this week when I make it but I’ve never seen a key lime pie with no eggs in the recipe. Thanks for posting these delicious looking recipes i’m looking forward to trying them!
Szilvia says
Dear Trish,
I am from Hungary, this recipe looks nice, I wanna make it for a Summer bday. Which piping noze did you use for the decorating on the top? I saw many recipes doing the cheesecake with creamcheese instead of sour cream. What is the difference in taste? Or why do you use sour cream?
thank you for your reply in advance!
Patti says
This key lime pie is wonderful! The addition of sour cream makes it not so dang sweet from the sweetened condensed mil. The lime zest adds such freshness to the flavor. I used a fresh lime and the remaining juice was Nellie and Joes… Always the best juice! I was trying several recipes for a pies for a banquet and I found the perfect recipe here. Thank you!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I agree Patti! My favorite!
Sabrina B. says
thank you for this recipe, and even for the reminder, I forget about this key limes, so appreciate this recipe, love the “tartiness” that is not in your typical pie!
Marji says
I was wondering if you could use plain Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream? Would that work in this pie.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I think it would Marji!
Rebekah says
I’ve made this recipe for several office and church functions and ALWAYS get rave reviews and people wanting the recipe. It’s so easy to make. To me, it is worth getting the key limes, but if in a hurry I do use Nellies Key Lime Juice. This recipe is the best I’ve ever eaten. Absolutely love it. Thanks for sharing.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You are so sweet! I’m so glad you love it as much as we do!
Linda Jones says
Rebekah, thank you for responding to my question above, about eggs vs sour cream. I also sent a reply to Trish including a thanks to you but wasn’t sure you would see it as well. I do appreciate the response. God Bless, Linda Jones
Linda Jones says
QUESTION: My son wants key lime pie for his birthday. I want to make this one if possible because of the great reviews and I have made other recipes from your site and they turned out great. But most key lime recipes use egg yorks(many of them) in the filling. So I was wondering does the use of sour cream in the filling do the same thing as the egg yolks? Do you get about the same taste and creaminess? I’ve made key lime before using egg. Would love a response if possible before I try. And I do enjoy your recipes. Thanks, Linda
Rebekah says
Linda, I’ve also made key lime pie using egg and was happy with that until I tried this recipe. After trying this one, there is NO going back to the recipe with eggs! : – )
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Rebekah!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
No eggs needed here Linda. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how delicious this pie is. Let me know how it turns out!
Linda Jones says
Thanks so much for getting back to me before bake my pies this Friday. Thank you both Trish and Rebekah for your comments and help. I live in such a small town hours away from getting any kind of real key limes. So I will have to go with the above recommendation of bottled juice or regular limes which you think either will be ok? I guess you realize your son is grown up when he ask for Key lime pies instead of ice cream and cake on his birthday. God Bless, Linda Jones
Linda Jones says
Trish this is Linda Jones checking back in with the results of your key lime pie. It was very successful everyone loved it. Especially my son and husband. It turned out perfect and sliced so nice. I also made your whipped cream topping and topped that with lime curl. It looked very nice my oldest son opened the refrigerator door and said wow look at those pies. Thanks so much again and also to Rebekah for her response. Nothing speaks louder than another follower of your site that has made one of your delicious pies.
Beth says
The topping is made with powdered sugar not regular sugar?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
For the whipped cream? Yes. Powdered sugar dissolves nicely into the cream. If you don’t have any though, go for regular sugar 🙂
Carol says
Would fat free condensed milk work as well as the regular you use in your recipe?
Katie says
BEST KEY LIME PIE EVER. I’ve made this twice now and it has turned out perfect both times. My fiance raves about this pie all the time. Do yourself a favor and make this pie ASAP!
emily says
this truly is the best key lime pie ever! we have made it multiple times after trying it this winter, thank you!
Guada says
Hi , I’m from Argentina and I want to try your recipe, but here we don’t use Oz so I ‘m a little confused 2 14 oz is 2lb oz ? Thank you !!!
Regina says
Since we’re referring to a liquid, we’d use milliliters instead – 14 ounces = 414.029 ml, so you’d need 828.058 ml of sweetened condensed milk. I’m sure if you could find 425 ml cans, that would be close enough.
Anneke says
What do you refer to in your recipe as half and half? We are not accustomed with that term here in South Africa.
Regina says
The Difference Between Half-and-Half, Light Cream, Whipping Cream, and Heavy Cream
The difference between these four common cream varieties is really just the amount of fat they contain.
•Half-and-half contains 12 percent fat
•Light cream contains 20 percent fat
•Whipping cream contains 35 percent fat
•Heavy cream contains 38 percent fat
The higher the fat content, the thicker the cream, and the easier it is to whip into stable peaks (or whipped cream). Higher-fat creams are also more resistant to curdling, so they are a better choice in soups and sauces, when the cream is heated.
Linda says
Made this today for my husband for his birthday. Absolutely delicious! Moved recently and could not find a pie pan…….used a Spring Form pan and turned out perfectly with a nice looking edge 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Great idea Linda! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by!
Nicole B. says
I’m def saving this recipe! World Market carries bottles of key lime juice for $2.99…just saying 😉
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Definitely! I say use the juice Nicole!
Leesa says
FYI you can by key lime juice in the supermarket. It is from Key West too. NO WAY would I squeeze all those key limes. I will follow the rest of the recipe except I’m going to use key lime juice from the bottle. I’m going to make it for my husband’s birthday Wednesday. Thanks for posting. Key like pie is my all time favorite and my husband hs fallen for it as well. 🙂
Jessica says
Made this lastnight and it was so good. Everyone loved it and it’s all gone. Thanks for the recipe:)
Melinda says
This recipe has descended itself from the heavens and I feel like I know what my purpose in life is after making this.
I’ve made this about 3-4 times now and every time I make it I have a mini stroke from how good it is. I once made it with a ginger snap crust and…. omg I don’t even have words for it.
Thank you for sharing this heavenly recipe 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh my goodness you are so sweet! The ginger snap crust is something I definitely need to try!
Jaci says
My husband was commenting that we don’t have dessert very often. I found this recipe on Pinterest and I had most of the ingredients at home and thought it sounded like an easy surprise. It was!! If I can do this anyone can. He loved it and had to share it with friends almost immediately after tasting it. Thanks for the recipe! We loved it!!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I am so glad you gave it a try Jaci! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Molly says
I was torn between recipes that call for eggs and those that don’t, so I compromised by using this recipe and adding one egg and only using 1/4 cup of sour cream. I don’t know if it made much of a difference but it was the best key lime pie ever (maybe the best pie ever)! I used a granola crust and made coconut whipped cream to go on top.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Sounds perfect Molly! The coconut whipped cream is genius!
Gus says
I grew up on key lime pies in Miami and my question is when did it become acceptable to replace meringue with whipped cream? A real key lime pie has meringue and isn’t green
Héléna says
Hi ! Thank you very much this recipe !!! Looks delicious ! I had just one question before making the pie : how can the filling be so ferm without eggs ?
Thank you !
Greetings from France,
Héléna
Sarah Elizabeth Graves says
Just tried this pie – OMG – Soooo goood!!! Exactly as you promised – easy & delicious. Can’t wait to make another one. 🙂
Jana says
Hi…
I am from Croatia and would like to make this pie for my birthday on saturday. Could you tell me how much condensed milk I need in milliliters? Thank you for your answer
Regina says
14 ounces = 414.029 ml.
Jenni says
I love a traditional key lime pie–and I really like the extra zest you added on top! If you don’t want to squeeze 80 billion key limes (and who does?), I use Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice. Just open and measure, and gives that extra tart, tangy key lime punch to this pie. It’s even what I used at the restaurants I worked in, so it’s not even cheating. =)
Melissa says
How far in advance can I make this? I was considering making it Wednesday for a dinner on Saturday, will it keep okay?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I think you will be fine Melissa. If you could wait until Thursday to make it it might be better though. I know it’s good for at least 2-3 days. Enjoy! This pie is really amazing!
Jack says
Man, every time I see pictures of Key lime pie my mouth waters
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Same here Jack 🙂
Chrissy says
i made this for tomorrow’s Easter celebration, and I am totally calling a key lime pie. I like the rubber spatula…the filling is do delicious!
Amy@Little Dairy on the Prairie says
This is basically the same recipe I use to make lemon pie! If it has sweetened condensed milk and no fuss decorations, I’m in!
OhmydIsh says
You can never have too much key lime pie, absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing!
Mariet - Practicingnormal says
This pie looks so refreshing and pretty. I’m pinning the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Bonnie @ The Pin Junkie says
Yum! I love key lime pie and this one looks delicious! Thanks for sharing it at The Pin Junkie. It’s one of the features at this week’s party!
Kim @ The Baking ChocolaTess says
Holy Cow! Drooling here in Indiana for some a piece or two of this! Looks absolutely delish! Pinning!
Melissa says
This looks too easy not to try! I will have to make this for sure!
Brenda says
I make a very similar pie (I happen to have a key lime tree in my backyard) only it has an eight ouce block of cream cheese that when chilled makes the pie firm. Also, I use ginger snaps for the crust and sometimes add coconut or pretzels. Delish!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
This pie looks incredible! Love that it’s completely from scratch!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks so much Jessica!
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen says
Happy belated Pi day! This pie looks delicious! (I don’t even know what key limes look like, so probably you would have told me to get key limes and I would have just ignored that and come back with a bunch of regular limes;)
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Why thank you! Happy Pi Day to you too Sarah 🙂 Girl, I am like a million times glad that I went with regular limes so yeah, all good there 🙂
Sandra @ A Dash of Sanity says
Oh how delicious!! I love a key lime pie, especially as it gets warmer. It says spring and summer to me and I am definitely ready for spring and summer! 🙂 pinning, stumbling and yumming
heather @french press says
key lime is one of my all time favorites, and without a regular pastry crust, one of the few I can actually make – this looks incredible Trish!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Heather!
Carolaj says
I adjusted this recipet to have a gluten-free crust for my daughter. It was great. She lived in Key West for 10 years so she was happy to get the recipe.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
That’s amazing! I’m so glad you made it work for you 🙂
Mir says
Key lime pies are the best, and this one has the greatest filling! I love melting white chocolate into my graham cracker crusts when I do key lime to play against the tang. This one looks pretty darn perfect!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Key lime and white chocolate go together SO well Mir! Love that idea!
bernie says
No no no no no! You cannot call this KEY lime pie, without TRUE, genuine, fresh squeezed Key Lime Juice, from fresh, genuine, KEY LIMES. What you have here is a wonderful Lime Pie, but it is NOT the same. Deep breaths……by the way, I LOVE all your recipes and your blog. In fact I am going out to get some key limes now, and try this recipe. (By the way, I had a Key Lime Pie recipe published by the Miami Herald waaaay back in the ’80’s!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
LOL! Oh Bernie! I know, I know 🙂 Definitely give it a try and be sure to call it “Best LIME Pie” – hehe! And how awesome that you’re published!!
Annis says
I agree. Don’t call it Key Lime if it’s not made with Key Lime juice. The bottled juice is just as good as fresh squeezed. Has a good tangy taste. And no sour cream please.
My opinion. Lol.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
To each his own Annis but let me just tell you, you can’t taste the sour cream, and yes, it’s necessary in this pie – give it a try!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
Love how fresh and delicious this is! Key lime pie is the best 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Medha!
Amy @Very Culinary says
“…not much of a pie person.” Dude. My ears are bleeding. Lol. What I find funny about that is, I’ve made a few of your pies and they’re awesome. So you crazy, girl. I will for sure, make this one, too. I want all the pie!!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
LOL! You’re killing me Amy! I guess I’m particular about pies. They have to be REALLY good 🙂 Thank you girl!
marcie says
Key limes can be a pain because there’s so darn many of them, and I’ve even used lemon before and called it “key lemon pie” haha. The funny part was, it didn’t taste much different! It’s a signature pie for me, and love how much lime juice you used and the sour cream sounds like a great addition. Beautiful pie, Trish!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It was truly delish Marcie! And yes, as much as I love key limes, they are most definitely a pain 😉 Thanks girl!
Donna Royer says
I always use Nellie and Joe’s key lime juice. I think it’s pretty great! Not to be confused with Rosie’s (not so good).
Thanks for the recipe. I am trying it today!
JulieB.T. says
Nellie and Joe’s is the BEST key lime juice to use!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks for the recommendation!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
Oh my gosh the thought of squeezing all those key limes! No thank you. Love using lime juice or key lime juice instead. Thanks for being nerdy with me today and posting pie!! 🙂 xo
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’ll be nerdy with you any day Dorothy! Thank you!