Jump to Recipe

Classic Key lime pie is a favorite summertime dessert! This key lime pie recipe is easy to make, creating a smooth and creamy filling for the graham cracker crust.

A plate with a slice of key lime pie and a fork.

This blog post was originally posted on April 13, 2015, and has been updated with new images.

One of my intentions for this new year was to create, revisit and post some classic recipes here on the blog.

A key lime pie with sliced key limes in the background.

As a self-taught baker, after mastering the basics, I spend a lot of time trying to come up with new recipes with unique flavor combinations and realized I tend to leave out the classics that we all love so much.

A key lime pie with sliced key limes in the background.

To fix that, I’ve been posting some of my favorite classic recipes for you guys that I use daily in my kitchen.

An image of the center of a key lime pie.

So far, I’ve shared with you my classic vanilla cupcake recipe, classic chocolate cake recipe, and today, this classic key lime pie recipe!

An image of part of the pie showing the whipped cream garnish.

Isn’t key lime pie the best?

Key lime pie in a glass pie dish.

What classic recipes do you find yourself making over and over again? For me, this classic key lime pie recipe!

A plate with a slice of key lime pie and a fork.

I’ve always been a citrus fan but surprisingly key lime pie was never on my favorite list until last year when I had a killer slice at a local restaurant that changed everything and since then I’ve been chasing all things key limes everywhere.

A plate with a slice of key lime pie and a fork.

Even on a recent trip to Whole Foods in DC where I tried their mini key lime pie tarts and just had to make myself a pie when I got home.

A plate with a slice of key lime pie and a fork.

(Totally off-topic: I don’t live in a city with a Whole Foods Market, which is extremely sad. So whenever I travel to another city, it’s a destination to ravel in! Consider yourself blessed my friends if you have whole foods in your city/town).

A slice of key lime pie on a plate with a fork being pierced into it.

Ok back to the recipe!

When researching recipes for the homemade key lime pie recipe, I realized all the classic recipes use sweetened condensed milk. This is not a usual ingredient in my kitchen (no reason at all) so I was skeptical at first but I knew it must be the secret to a killer key lime pie, so I went with it.

A slice of key lime pie on a plate.

Most of the recipes are similar; graham cracker crust, condensed milk, egg yolks, and key lime juice. Seems easy if you ask me. So I adapted a few… more for the ratios and I added a bit of coconut cream as well to mine because you know coconut and lime = freaking amazing. (Just see this coconut key lime bread if you are in doubt)

Of course, for a more classic key lime pie recipe, you can leave the coconut cream out, as I did in the recipe below.

A key lime pie with sliced key limes in the background.

The resulting pie is a creamy, sweet, tart pie with a rich key lime flavor. It’s truly incredible and the very reason it is a classic summer recipe!!

Ingredients

The ingredients for key lime pie in bowls.
  • some graham cracker crumbs
  • granulated sugar
  • butter
  • sweetened condensed milk
  • a few egg yolks
  • key lime juice
  • some lime zest
  • heavy cream
  • powdered sugar

How to Make Key Lime Pie

Preheat the oven and prepare a pie dish by lightly spraying the inside with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Stir until combined and resembles wet sand.

A glass bowl with graham cracker crumbs and a spatula.

Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie dish.

An unbaked graham cracker crust.

Bake the crust until golden. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool completely. You can stick it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

A baked graham cracker crust on a cooling rack.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the condensed milk and egg yolks until smooth and slightly thickened.

A glass bowl with key lime filling and a whisk.

Add in key lime juice and zest. Whisk mixture for about a minute, until well combined and thickened.

A glass bowl with key lime filling and a whisk.

Pour the filling into the prepared cooled crust and bake for 15 minutes.

A graham cracker crust filled with key lime filling.

Transfer the baked pie to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely at room temperature before chilling for a few hours or overnight until set. It is best to allow the pie to cool overnight.

A baked key lime pie on a cooling rack.

When ready to serve, garnish the pie with whipped cream. You can make whipped cream by using an electric mixer, whisking the cold heavy cream and sugar (if using) on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

A glass bowl with whipped cream.

Top pie with whipped cream.

    A key lime pie garnished with whipped cream.

    If you are trying this recipe, here are real-life comments from bakers who tried and LOVED this recipe on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/56787645278501848/activity/tried

    A plate with a slice of key lime pie and a fork.
    Yield: 1 9-inch pie

    Classic Key Lime Pie Recipe

    Classic Key lime pie is a favorite summer time dessert! This key lime pie recipe is easy to make, creating a smooth and creamy filling for the graham cracker crust.

    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Chill Time 3 hours
    Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes

    Ingredients

    For the Crust:

    • 1 ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs (or 1 sleeve graham crackers finely processed)
    • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 5 tablespoon butter, melted

    For the Filling:

    • 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
    • 4 large egg yolks
    • ½ cup key lime juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
    • 2 teaspoons lime zest

    For the Topping:

    • 1 cup heavy cream, cold
    • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)

    Instructions

    To make the Crust:

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch pie dish by lightly spraying the inside with cooking spray. Set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Stir until combined and resembles wet sand. Press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish.
    • Bake crust for 8-10 minutes, or until golden. Remove crust from oven and let cool completely. (You can stick it in the fridge while you prepare the filling)

    To make the filling:

    1. In another medium bowl, whisk together the condensed milk and egg yolks until smooth and slightly thickened. Add in key lime juice and zest. Whisk mixture for about a minute, until well combined and thickened.
    2. Pour the filling into the prepared cooled crust and bake for 15 minutes in 350 degrees F. Transfer pie to a cooling rack and let cool completely at room temperature before chilling for at least 3 hours or overnight (preferred) until set.
    3. When ready to serve, using an electric mixer, whisk the cold heavy cream and sugar (if using) on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
    4. Top pie with whipped cream.

    Notes

    1. NOTES: For a coconut key lime pie, add ⅓ cup coconut cream (NOT coconut milk) to the filling. Top pie with toasted coconut flakes when ready to serve. It's really good!!
    2. You can also use regular lime juice if you don' have key lime use. Just note that it would be a little bit more tart.

    Recommended Products

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    8

    Serving Size:

    1
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 502Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 191mgSodium: 247mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 1gSugar: 46gProtein: 11g

    Making this Recipe?

    Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

    © A Classic Twist
    Cuisine: American / Category: Pies & Tarts