Key lime pie is one of my absolute favorite pies! You really can’t go wrong with lots of freshly squeezed limes, condensed milk, and a sultry graham cracker crust. I really enjoy making pies during all four seasons, but particularly in the spring and summer! The refreshing lime taste paired with some homemade whipped cream that melts in your mouth is irresistible. When you pick out your limes, try to grab the juiciest limes you can find as they’ll produce the most lime juice and will make your key lime pie sweetest.
My insanely delicious Key Lime Pie contains graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, butter, sweetened condensed milk, Greek yogurt, limes, lime zest, heavy whipping cream, and powdered sugar, and lime slices, and takes less than one hour to make! If you like summer dessert recipes, then you’ll fall in love with my peach cobbler, blackberry cobbler, strawberry lemonade popsicles, and strawberry ice cream recipes!
How to Make the Best Key Lime Pie
To make the best key lime buy, use REAL graham crackers. Don’t skimp and buy the premade junk. Quality matters, especially when baking a deliciously fresh and top-notch key lime pie. Trust me, you’ll notice the taste if you buy pre-crushed graham cracker crumbs.
My grocery store did not have any key limes, so I used Persian limes, which are the common type of lime sold in the grocery stores. Occasionally, I do see key limes in the store, but for the sake of this recipe, we are using the plumper and juicier Persian limes. Whatever you do, make sure to pick out the juiciest limes you can find which will create the tastiest key lime pie.
CRUST
Preheat the oven and in a medium bowl, mix the crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, and melted butter. Stir with a spoon and then use your hands to combine. Pour the graham cracker mixture into a 9×1.5-inch pie pan, creating a ¼-inch thick crust. Make sure to line the sides of the dish with the crumb mixture. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or a glass to firmly press on the graham cracker mixture, smashing it down. Bake until the crust is cooked and slightly golden. Let the crust cool on a wire rack or countertop.
FILLING
Reduce the oven temperature. In a bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, lime juice, and lime zest together until they have thickened. Pour the liquid mixture into the cooked pie crust and bake, until the filling jiggles in the center. Set the pie on a wire rack or countertop and let it cool for 30-45 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and refrigerate for 3-4 hours before preparing the whipped topping.
TOPPING
Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form—about five minutes. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until thick. Add the whipped topping over the chilled pie. Sprinkle lime zest on the top and decorate with lime slices. Serve cold. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. The pie is best consumed on the same day.
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Tips
- Use 12 graham cracker sheets to make 1 ½ cups.
- 1 tablespoon lime zest is the zest from two limes. I use a grater to grate the limes. You’ll need 7-8 limes to make this recipe.
- Buy the biggest, plumpest, juiciest limes you can find as those will produce the most lime juice. I used the juice from 6 limes to make ¾ cup of freshly squeezed lime juice. I use a citrus reamer to squeeze the lime juice. You may need more limes based on the size as they vary.
- If you’re after a sweeter topping, add another tablespoon or two of powdered sugar to the whipped cream topping.
Final Thoughts
Finally, if you make this Key Lime Pie recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from everyone who makes this recipe and always try my best to respond to all comments.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag #elisemccollister on Instagram! It makes me so happy to see your recipe photos!
Key Lime Pie
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Crust
- 1½ c graham cracker crumbs
- ½ c brown sugar packed
- 5 tbsp butter melted
Filling
- 2 (14 oz. can) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 c plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ c freshly squeezed lime juice from about 5-7 large, plump and juicy limes
- 1 tbsp lime zest grated (from about 2 limes; use the same limes you juiced to make the zest)
Topping
- 1 c heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 tsp lime zest grated (from about 1 lime; use the same limes you juiced to make the zest)
- 5-7 thin lime slices
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat your oven to 375° F.
- In a medium bowl, mix the crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, and melted butter. Stir with a spoon and then use your hands to combine. Pour the graham cracker mixture into a 9×1.5-inch pie pan, forming a crust that is about ¼-inch thick. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or a glass to firmly press on the graham cracker mixture, smashing it down. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until the crust is cooked and slightly golden. You don’t need to crisp it, it just needs a slight bake. Let the crust cool on a wire rack or countertop.
Filling
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F. In a bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, lime juice, and lime zest together until they have thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the cooked pie crust and bake in the preheated oven for 17-21 minutes, until the filling jiggles in the center. Set the pie on a countertop or wire rack and let it cool for about 30-45 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.
Topping
- Use an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer to beat the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form—about 4-5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating for 2-3 minutes, until thick. Add the whipped topping over the chilled pie. Sprinkle lime zest on the top and decorate with lime slices. Serve cold.
- If you make this recipe, don't forget to leave a rating and comment!
Nutrition (per serving)
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