Favorite Key Lime Pie Recipe
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This Key Lime Pie Recipe is a classic, creamy, and tangy dessert with a buttery graham cracker crust and fresh key lime filling. It’s easy to make and the perfect delicious treat for summer or any special occasion.
The bright, tangy flavor of fresh key limes, a graham cracker crust, and an airy, smooth filling make this the best key lime pie. This recipe has been a longtime reader and family favorite because it delivers the perfect sweet-and-tart balance in every bite. Whether you’re making it for Mother’s Day, summer cookouts, or a family supper, this easy key lime pie is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Key Lime Pie is one of my husband’s favorite pies. For years, I thought that most of those I’d tasted were a bit too dense and either too tart or not tart enough. I’m picky, but I thought there had to be a fine balance and wanted an updated version of the classic. So I got to work and developed this much-loved key lime pie recipe many years ago.
Why You’ll Love This Key Lime Pie
- Simple Ingredients: Uses pantry staples and fresh key lime juice.
- Make-Ahead Easy: Tastes even more delicious after chilling overnight.
- Light and Refreshing: Great balance of tangy and sweet.
- No-Fail Crust: Buttery graham cracker crust that holds up well.
- Crowd-Pleasing: Dessert that’s loved by both kids and adults.
Ingredients
Here’s how I create this absolutely delicious and favorite Key Lime Pie:
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Graham Cracker Crust: Simple to make, homemade crust. Do not pre-bake crust; chill it in the refrigerator according to the crust recipe instructions before making this pie.
- Eggs: Separate the whites from the yolks, saving both. The yolks give richness; the whites give this pie its silky, cloud-like confection.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Homemade recipe, or store-bought.
- Fresh key lime juice and fresh lime juice: Combination of key limes and other limes gives a delicious, sweet, tart flavor. Can use pure key lime juice in the bottle if needed. Need 12-16 key limes and 2-3 regular limes.
- Key Lime Zest: Optional but recommended
- Lemon juice
- Sugar: Granulated sugar
- Lime slices: Optional – for garnish
- Whipped cream: Perfect for topping this pie.
Limes Lesson:
- Zest your limes before you juice them. The zest adds a deeper lime flavor to the pie. It’s optional, but I hope you add it because it makes the pie so…zesty!
- Look for the ripe, plump limes. For key limes, dark green ones are not ripe. You can leave them on the counter for a few days, or place the key limes next to other fruit for a couple of days to help them ripen faster (within a day or two). They begin to yellow as they ripen.
- Roll the limes on a hard surface before juicing. This will “soften” the limes and help them release the juices more easily.
How to Make Key Lime Pie
After experimenting with various changes to the method for making this classic pie, along with subtle adjustments to the ingredients, I achieved a lighter, fluffier pie that’s easy to make.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the crust: This recipe calls for my graham cracker crust. It must chill in the refrigerator according to the recipe instructions before filling.
- Combine pie ingredients. Whisk the egg yolk, sweetened condensed milk, lime juices, lime zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl until well combined.
- Beat egg whites. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites until they begin to foam. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, with soft peaks forming.
- Spoon into the pie crust. Gently fold the beaten egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture and carefully spoon it into the prepared graham cracker crust.
- Bake, then chill. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned and the pie filling just sets throughout. Remove from the oven and chill on a wire rack. Lightly cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours to chill.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish with whipped cream and thin slices of lime, if using. Slice and serve. Refrigerate the remaining pie after serving for up to 3 days.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Make-Ahead Tip: Bake up to 2 days ahead and store in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use Persian limes instead.
Yes. After serving, refrigerate within 2 hours. Key Lime Pie should last in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
The center should still have a slight jiggle but not be liquid.
Yes — use gluten-free graham crackers for the crust.
More Favorite Pie Recipes
Why This Key Lime Pie is a Classic Favorite
With its perfect balance of tangy key lime filling and sweet, buttery graham cracker crust, this easy key lime pie is sure to impress. Refreshing and creamy — it’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser for any occasion.
Key Lime Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Graham Cracker Crust
- 3 large (150 g) eggs, separated
- 1 1/4 cups (386 g) sweetened condensed milk , or 1 (14-ounce) can, store-bought
- 1/2 cup (121 g) key lime juice
- 1/4 cup (60.5 g) lime juice
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) lemon juice
- (4 g) zest of 1 key lime, optional, about 2 teaspoons
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
- lime slices, optional
- whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F.
- Whisk egg yolk, sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, lime zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl until well-combined.
- Beat egg whites with an electric mixture until they begin to foam. Gradually add in granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy and soft peaks have formed. Gently fold into egg yolk mixture and carefully spoon into the prepared graham cracker crust.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned and set throughout. Remove from the oven and chill on a wire rack. Lightly cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours.
- For serving, remove from springform pan, if using, and top with whipped cream and lime slices. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Make-Ahead Tip: Bake up to 2 days ahead and store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2011.
Can the uncooked filling be frozen? I had extra. Hoping to freeze, then thaw, and use in a later/smaller pie.
Joan, I have not frozen the uncooked filling, only the pie after it has baked.
Should a quarter cup of lime juice be changed to 1/4 cup of lime zest? Recipe instructions mention lime zest as well as the lime juice. I really enjoy your recipes and I am a subscriber.
Georgette, I would add the 1/4 cup lime juice plus the zest of one lime which is about 2 teaspoons. I hope you enjoy the pie.
I tried your recipe for Coconut Cream Pie and it was amazing! So I thought I would look up another one of your pie recipes. I am confused on this recipe for Key Lime Pie. The recipe calls for 3 eggs (separated) yet in your remarks above the recipe you say you use whole eggs. My question is, if I use whole eggs is it still 3 eggs or is it less?
Karen, I use 3 whole eggs in this recipe, but I separate the yolks from the egg whites. I add the egg yolks to the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, etc. as listed in Step 2 of the Instructions. I then beat the eggs whites as instructed in Step 2 and add to the egg/milk mixture. Some key lime pie recipes only add the egg yolk. That’s what I mean by using the whole egg.
Would pie crust for this be put in frig for an hour before adding the filling and then baking 15-20 mins with filling as opposed to 7/8 mins in oven for “no bake filling”? Just want to be sure I prepare crust correctly.
Conchetta, I do not prebake the pie crust for this key lime pie. Of course, you are welcome to but I like the texture of a firmly chilled graham cracker crust that just bakes along with the pie for this pie instead of pre-baked. I hope you enjoy!
I have been getting Recipes from Addapinch for years.
Thanks, Marlys. I hope you have enjoyed many of these recipes.
Awesome light and airy dessert bursting with lime flavour! Served 4 adults as noone could stop eating it. 🙂
I’m so happy everyone loved the pie Chelsey. Thanks.
This pie is excellent! I made it exactly except I goofed and had the oven at 350 instead of 325. It cracked through the middle but it was not over cooked at all. It’s the first time making key lime pie for me and it was a huge hit. I used regular limes as key limes are not available. Thank you!
Thanks, Michelle.
You absolutely nailed it with this recipe! The egg whites add the perfect balance to the dense pie. It’s super easy to make and was a huge hit at Easter dinner. This is one of my favorite desserts and I am so happy to have found the perfect recipe!
Thank you so much, Carey. I’m so happy you loved this recipe. xo
This is my go to recipe for special occasions…I’ve made it numerous times and it’s absolutely a winner! I lived five years in the Caribbean and this pie is as authentic as the ones I had there. Wondering if you have a Coconut Cream Pie recipe you could pass on to me..
Thank you,
Josephine Gee
BC, Canada
Thank you so much for that compliment, Jo. I have several chocolate pie recipes you might like to try – French Silk Pie Recipe, Chocolate Chess Pie, and Chocolate Espresso Ganache Pie Recipe. xo
I saw a quick pic of what looked like either a cake or brownies with small Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and covered with a couple of syrups. What was it and can you publish the recipe? It looked amazing!!’
Hi Stacey,
I’m not sure what photo you saw. I have a recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Blondies and one for Peanut Butter Cup Brookies. Maybe one of these is the picture you saw. Thanks.