Key Lime Pie Recipe

Side view of a key lime pie in a glass pie plate.

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Key Lime Pie with Graham Cracker Crust is a tangy, creamy dessert made with key lime juice and zest, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks, layered atop a buttery, crumbly graham cracker base. This classic treat is topped with stabilized whipped cream for a perfect balance of zesty and sweet!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade graham cracker crust, key lime pie

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 660kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs - from about 1 ¼ sleeves of crackers
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter - melted

For the pie filling:

5 large egg yolks
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1 Tablespoon key lime zest
1/2 cup key lime juice

For the cream topping:

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Prep graham cracker crust. Use a food processor to crush the graham crackers into coarse crumbs. In a mixing bowl, combine the processed crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar – stir until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a 9.5-inch pie plate that has been prepped with baking spray. Press the crumbs firmly into the pie plate and up the sides of the dish.
2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Bake crust. Bake the graham cracker crust in a 350-degree oven for 9-10 minutes. Let crust cool on the countertop.
Prep limes. Zest enough key limes to get one tablespoons of zest. Then squeeze enough key limes to get about 1/2 cup of juice.
Prep key lime filling. In a mixing bowl, combine 5 eggs yolks, 1/2 cup key lime juice, one tablespoon of zest, and the sweetened condensed milk. Use a whisk to mix well. Then pour filling into the cooled pie shell and bake until done, approximately 20-25 mins. Let cool.
5 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup key lime juice, 1 Tablespoon key lime zest, 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
Make topping. While the pie is baking, make the stabilized whipped cream. Add heavy cream to another bowl and beat until some peaks begin to form. Add powdered sugar, corn starch, and pure vanilla extract – and beat a little more until the topping gets nice and dense.
2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add topping. When pie is completely cool, add the topping over the key lime filling, smoothing evenly to all sides. The topping should be thick.
Add optional garnish – slices of key limes – to the top of the pie.
Refrigerate pie. Set the finished key lime pie in your refrigerator for a couple of hours (or overnight) before serving. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

Fresh lime juice is recommended for the best flavor, but bottled key lime juice (like Nellie & Joe's) can be a convenient alternative.
Store leftover pie in the refrigerator for 2-3 days (if it lasts that long)!

Nutrition