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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dessert / Best Key Lime Pie

Best Key Lime Pie

February 1, 2019

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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-recipe

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.

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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.

best-key-lime-pie-recipe

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.)

key-lime-pie-recipe-slice

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

key-lime-pie-whipped-cream

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.

best-lime-pie-recipe-graham-cracker-crust

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!

  1. No Bake Blueberry Lemon Cream Pie
  2. No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie
  3. 31 Amazing Pies You Need To Try!
  4. Deep Dish Dutch Apple Pie
  5. No Bake Pina Colada Cream Pie

How To Make the Best Key Lime Pie

Print Pin
4.99 from 403 votes

Best Key Lime Pie

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! 
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword key lime pie, pie
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes minutes
Total Time 27 minutes minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 517kcal
Author Trish - Mom On Timeout

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

Calories: 517kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 359mg | Sugar: 58g | Vitamin A: 810IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Originally published March 14, 2015.

key-lime-pie-collage

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!

easy-mini-chocolate-pecan-pies-recipe

Mini Chocolate Pecan Pies

best-coconut-cream-pie-recipe-easy

Best Coconut Cream Pie

turtle-pecan-pie-bars-recipe

Turtle Pecan Pie Bars

brownie-sundae-pie-pudding-recipe

Brownie Sundae Pie

Trish Signature Block

For all cake recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
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Have a great day!

  • 29304

By Trish - Mom On Timeout February 1, 2019 Dessert, Favorites, Pies, Popular Post, Recipes

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Comments

  1. Kim Vanderstappen says

    April 21, 2024 at 4:24 AM

    I have made this twice so far, and has to be THE BEST Key Lime Pie I have ever tasted. We have been going to Key West every year since ‘87, so we’ve had plenty. I’ve upped the ingredients for crust to make thicker and used more butter and sugar to give it even a more sweet, buttery flavored crust. Made it for a party yesterday and received 5 star reviews from everyone.

    Reply
  2. Jessica says

    March 14, 2024 at 12:55 PM

    I baked this exactly as written for a competition and it won! Everyone loved it. Great recipe

    Reply
  3. Dennis J Fredell says

    February 19, 2024 at 4:29 PM

    Other worldly, made one for my wife’s Dr, he has never tasted one better, also one for my MIL, she requested I share the recipe. I can’t wait to make another one.

    Reply
  4. Rita Owens says

    August 22, 2023 at 3:14 PM

    My family and friends love this pie. I have made the pie into shooters by putting in small individual containers and just chilled it. I cooked the crust on a baking sheet and then crumbled it into the cups with the key lime mixture and then chilled. I was kind of nervous because I had cooked it but I realize the cook is to set it.

    Reply
  5. Another Georgette says

    May 9, 2023 at 5:53 AM

    My teenage son found this recipe to make for a fundraiser and it’s now our goto pie recipe. We just use a premade graham cracker crust and spray whipped cream to make it even easier. And he can make it on his own! It’s always one of the most popular items at the fundraiser and we always get compliments and recipe requests when we make it for other occasions.

    Reply
  6. Deepika Jaiswal says

    March 9, 2023 at 7:42 AM

    Best recipe ever. My first pie ever and won first prize for it too. Made it a couple of times and it was delicious.

    Reply
  7. Avalon says

    December 24, 2022 at 9:17 AM

    Made this once for my dads birthday, now for any holiday or birthday or event this is what I’m asked to make and bring!! Over time I’ve slightly adjusted the recipe; a dash of cinnamon in the pie crust, a pinch of salt in the filling, maybe a little extra sour cream or lime zest to cut the sweetness but it’s perfectly good as is. This is a guaranteed hit for any occasion

    Reply
  8. Tigger says

    November 8, 2022 at 1:24 PM

    This Keylime pie is truly the best that I’ve ever eaten or that I have ever made! I’ll never make anything else but your recipe. I feel like a five star chef every time I serve your recipe for the Keylime pie. Thank you thank you thank you

    Reply
  9. Georgette says

    July 12, 2022 at 6:51 AM

    I no longer have to try out any more recipes for key lime pie! Made this pie by request 2 weekends in a row for the same family members, one of whom wanted it for her birthday who had it couple years prior for her birthday. Skipped a weekend and am about to make 2 more by request of same family members for a family cookout! It is very easy and so delicious. I thought it had the right amount of tanginess with the lime and sour cream. I ordered bottled key lime juice from Amazon. Used regular limes for my lime zest using a microplaner for fine zest. Plan to make limeade with the zested limes. Topped one pie with whipped cream and the second one with meringue by request. Delicious both ways. The additional time for baking the meringue in no way seemed to affect the pie itself. A 9.5″ pie pan contains all the filling. With no eggs in the filling, though, if you have any filling left over, the cook gets to eat the little bit leftover! 🙂

    Reply
    • Trish - Mom On Timeout says

      July 13, 2022 at 11:12 AM

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  10. JHM says

    April 16, 2022 at 6:06 PM

    I have made this several times now, and it always comes out perfect. A foolproof dinner guest pleaser! I make it with slightly less crust and use about 5 garden variety limes. Perfect.

    Reply
  11. Sam says

    March 18, 2022 at 1:44 AM

    Literally best pie ever! I was wondering how cooking time would vary if I were to make this pie in a cupcake size? Any idea? I love the idea of a bite sized dessert for a larger crowd.

    Reply
  12. Kaylee Sandberg says

    September 1, 2021 at 1:18 PM

    Is the 28 oz sweetened condensed milk a typo? Is it supposed to be 2 8 oz cans or is it really 28?

    Reply
    • Trish - Mom On Timeout says

      September 16, 2021 at 10:32 AM

      No, it’s not a typo. It’s two 14 ounce cans.

      Reply
  13. Mimi says

    August 27, 2021 at 6:50 PM

    Easy and delicious! The texture is so smooth. My husband kept asking for more. That said, I wish there were some way to make it slightly tangier without messing with the lovely texture. I like STRONG tang. Maybe I just need to find tangier limes?

    Reply
    • Barb Pace says

      November 8, 2021 at 1:36 AM

      I don’t have easy access to key limes where I live. So I used TrueLime. It is real lime that is powdered. I like the extra tang, too. I reconstituted it (2tbsp of TrueLime powder to 3/4 c water), then I added extra powder to taste. Turned out so beautiful, and nice and tangy, just the way I like it! I buy it in bottles from the grocery store and found it in the baking aisle, but I believe Amazon has it too.

      Reply
  14. David Price says

    August 19, 2021 at 4:52 PM

    HI,

    Thank you for your recipes!

    This is my first try at a key lime pie.
    I was looking over the ingredients.
    You list 28 ounces of sweet condensed milk.
    Is 28 ounces correct?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Trish - Mom On Timeout says

      September 16, 2021 at 10:42 AM

      Yes, that’s correct. You’ll need two 14 ounce cans.

      Reply
  15. Lin says

    August 15, 2021 at 4:06 PM

    If I could give this recipe more than 5 stars I would. I was skeptical that so few ingredients could be this good. Followed recipe exactly.
    Hubby and grandkids have already requested another one. Family thought I was a professional chef. 😂

    Reply
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Hi, I’m Trish!

Welcome to Mom On Timeout where I’m serving up real food for real families! Dinners, desserts, and everything in between!
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