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!
For all cake recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
Sign up to get emails when I post new recipes!
For even more great ideas follow me on Facebook – Pinterest – Instagram – Twitter – Bloglovin’.
Kristin says
Seriously the best! I get the Costco key lime pie when I’m in need, but I always thought it was too sweet. So this time I tried making it myself! I used fresh key limes (a one pound bag was the perfect amount) and whole sour cream. I followed the recipe and baked a perfect key lime pie! I brought it to a friends birthday and everyone was raving about it. I’ll definitely make this again. The crust was buttery and slightly crunchy, giving way to a satisfying chew that holds up under the silky filling without turning soggy. The filling was smooth and creamy with that unmistakable citrus tang. It’s the color of pale sunshine, not neon green. Bright, zingy, and luscious — the kind of tartness that makes your mouth do a happy little pucker, then immediately want more. The whipped cream topping was lightly sweetened, real-deal whipped cream, which tempers the tartness like the cool breeze that follows a heatwave. Absolute key lime perfection.
Robert says
Absolute easiest and best key lime pie. I’ve made this for years using this recipe and never disappointed!
Adriana says
I had a hankering for key lime pie and found this recipe and oh my god. Girl!!! I’m already making my second one this week! It is so good and the texture is probably the best part, one slice just isn’t enough! I have since saved this recipe and plan to have this one at the top of my dessert list!
Amy says
This is truly the best key lime pie ever! It’s my husband’s favourite and I make it for him every single year for his birthday. We have yet to find one out in the world that’s better than this one!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Gosh, thank you so much Amy! What a great compliment and review! Have a great weekend!
Janice Dulemba says
I made this today. I had no sour cream so I used whole milk vanilla Greek yogurt and it was excellent.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I really appreciate this feedback Janice and so good to know the Greek yogurt works in this recipe – thank you!
Linda says
First off I love this recipe as is but if you want to try a lighter (less caloric version) – replace one can of the sweetened milk with Greek yogurt and cut the powdered sugar in the whip topping to 1/4 cup. I also use Monk sugar in the gram cracker crust! Still delicious! Also works in individual push out ramekins and freezes well!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
This is great Linda – may need to give this a try myself lol! Happy New Year!
Athena says
Delicious!
Becky says
Trish, I make this recipe every Thanksgiving to rave reviews. Even people who say they don’t care for key lime pie love this one. Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Gosh, you just made my day Becky! I love that this pie is enjoyed year round by so many, it’s not just a summer pie loL! Happy Thanksgiving!
Bonita says
Hi,
Can I use regular sour cream? That’s all I have in the house and need to bake this pie, this afternoon.
Thanks.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Absolutely! Enjoy!
Ashlynn says
I love this recipe, it’s so good! Sometimes I make grapefruit or blood orange versions of it and they are all super delicious
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Grapefruit? Oh my goodness, that is one variation I haven’t tried yet and now I need to lol, thanks Ashlynn!
Carmen says
Perfect key lime pie. Has anyone tried freezing? I’d love to make a few and have on hand.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Carmen! I haven’t personally tried freezing it but other readers have successfully. I can’t attest to the texture when thawed so I would maybe try one first and see how it goes. Thank you again!
Carmen says
I froze one and it was still perfect once thawed! I didn’t wrap it only put the plastic lid on from the store bought pie crust so it cracked a bit but still great. I’m sure if I had store it properly it would’ve been flawless. Forever doubling this when I make it and freezing one!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I’m so glad that worked out for you Carmen and I love the idea of just making two at once – never know when you’ll need an extra pie lol! Happy Thanksgiving
Celia Perez says
My husband and sons really enjoyed this pie. Easy to make and not too tart. Loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Esther says
I love this recipe!! I’ve used it countless times, and every time I get so many compliments! I even had someone have me promise to make it for them as a Christmas present! I’ve put this recipe with the link to the website on multiple recipe cards for bridal showers I’ve attended. So simple and so delicious!