Classic Key Lime Pie Recipe (with Video)
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.
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.
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.
To fix that, I’ve been posting some of my favorite classic recipes for you guys that I use daily in my kitchen.
So far, I’ve shared with you my classic vanilla cupcake recipe, classic chocolate cake recipe, and today, this classic key lime pie recipe!
Isn’t key lime pie the best?
What classic recipes do you find yourself making over and over again? For me, this classic key lime pie recipe!
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.
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.
(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).
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.
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.
The resulting pie is a creamy, sweet, tart pieย with a richย key lime flavor. It’s truly incredible and the very reason it is a classic summer recipe!!
Ingredients
- 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.
Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie dish.
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.
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.
Pour the filling into the prepared cooled crust and bake for 15 minutes.
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.
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.
Top pie 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
Classic Key Lime Pie Recipe
Classic Key lime pie is a favorite summer time dessert! Thisย key lime pie recipe is easy to make, creating a smooth and creamy filling for the graham cracker crust.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ยผ 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
- ยฝ 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Top pie with whipped cream.
Notes
- NOTES:ย For a coconut key lime pie, add โ cup coconut cream (NOT coconut milk) to the filling. Top pie with toasted coconut flakes when ready to serve. It's really good!!
- 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.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 502Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 191mgSodium: 247mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 1gSugar: 46gProtein: 11g
Key lime pie is one of my favorite desserts, but I’ve never made it. Your gorgeous pie is inspiring me!
I LOVE the idea of going back to basics and posting the classics! Sometimes I think we as bloggers try to get too fancy and it ends up being way too much. When it comes to key lime pie, I love that this is simple and full of the flavors I LOVE.
I totally agree! We like complicating things sometimes when really all you need are the classics!!
I am SO embarrassed to admit that I’ve never made a key lime pie before. But I’m saving your recipe to remind me to make one!
Uhmm! You need to make one my dear!!
This key lime pie looks so elegant and beautiful.
Thanks Chineka!
I just LOVE how simple this is! I am a big citrus fan! I’m loving all of your classic recipes ๐
Thanks Ashley!
Oh bliss! Key Lime Pie is one of my favourite things ever, I really have to make it again, this looks perfect!
Thanks Annie!!
What a perfect new year’s resolution – nothing beats the classics! I need to make this pie, it looks perfect! anthony loves key lime pie!
I’m trying to actually keep this one!
This key lime pie does look heavenly and creamy! I’m not a fan of key lime but you got me hooked on this one. And Whole Foods? Come and visit me here. There’s one nearby.
I will kill to live nearby one! So jealous!!
Oh, yummy! I really wish I could reach through the screen and have a slice ๐
You can’t argue with the classics — they’re a classic for a reason! This is one of my favorite pies ever, and it’s gorgeous! Pinned. ๐
I totally agree!!
My husband’s favorite thing to get from the WF bakery is a slice of their key lime pie. I think I might have to surprise him and make your version, it looks amazing!
You should!! He will love it!
mmm! key lime pie is my dad’s fave, and we always get one from publix when we’re on vacation. now that i love in a city with publix, my parents always want to get one when they come to visit. publix also has a mango key lime pie & coconut key lime pie…i’m dying to try them both. but i also want to make my own! yours looks fab.
Uhmmm? mango key lime pie? that sounds amazing!!!