The Best Key Lime Pie Recipe – Creamy & Tangy Dessert

Key lime pie is one of those desserts that sounds intimidating but is actually stupid simple. Like you literally can’t mess it up unless you’re trying. Most people think they can’t make it at home because it seems fancy. Wrong. It’s like five ingredients that you mix together, shove in a crust, bake for 15 minutes, and you’re done. Then you let it chill and boom, you’ve got a dessert that tastes like a fancy bakery made it.

The thing about key lime pie is that it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It’s creamy. It’s tangy. It’s slightly sweet. That’s it. There’s no chocolate, no layers of stuff, no weird techniques. Just lime and cream and sugar doing their thing. When you bite into a slice, the top is creamy and the bottom is this buttery crust and the whole thing tastes bright and fresh. People lose their minds over it even though you just mixed stuff together.

The reason it works is because the tartness of the lime cuts through the creaminess of the filling. It’s balanced. Not too sweet. Not too sour. Just right. And it’s this weirdly simple thing that somehow tastes like you went to culinary school or something.

Why Key Lime Pie Is Actually Easy

Most desserts you have to be careful about. Cream can split. Chocolate can burn. Custards can curdle. Key lime pie? You literally can’t mess it up. You mix stuff. You pour it in a crust. You bake it. If it jiggles a little in the middle, that’s fine. That’s supposed to happen. You chill it and it firms up.

The filling is basically just sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and key lime juice. That’s it. Those three things work together to create this texture that’s creamy but still got a little bite to it. The condensed milk makes it sweet and thick. The egg yolks make it rich and custard-y. The key lime juice makes it tangy and bright.

And here’s the crazy part—you don’t even cook it that much. 15 minutes in the oven. That’s it. Some of the creaminess comes from the heat, some of it comes from the chilling. By the time you eat it, it’s perfect.

What You Actually Need to Buy

For the Crust

• 1 and a half cups of graham cracker crumbs – Get a box of graham crackers from the grocery store. Crush them up. Or you can buy the premade crumbs if you’re lazy. Either way. You’re gonna need 1.5 cups of crumbs. They’re like slightly sweet and buttery tasting.
• 6 tablespoons of butter (melted) – Regular butter. Melted. This is what holds the crust together and makes it taste good. That’s literally all a crust is. Crumbs plus melted butter.
• 2 tablespoons of sugar – Just regular sugar. Mix this with the crumbs and butter and you’ve got a crust. Takes like 2 minutes.

For the Filling

• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk – This is thick, sweet milk. You can buy it at any grocery store. It’s in a can. Not the same as regular condensed milk. Has to be sweetened. This is what makes the pie creamy and sweet.
• 4 egg yolks – Just the yolks, not the whites. These make it rich and custardy. Raw is fine. The heat from baking cooks them enough that it’s safe. If you’re worried, you can use pasteurized eggs.
• Half a cup of key lime juice – This is the main ingredient. Key limes are small, round, yellow limes. Different from regular limes. The juice is tangier. You can buy bottles of key lime juice at the grocery store if you can’t find actual key limes. That’s totally fine. Use the bottled stuff.
• 1 tablespoon of lime zest (optional) – This is the little green bits from the outside of a lime. Use a microplane or a grater. Adds more lime flavor and looks nice. Optional but good.

For Topping

• Whipped cream – Fresh or canned. For on top when you serve it.
• Lime slices – For garnish if you want it to look fancy.

How to Make This Thing

Step 1: Make the Crust

Take your graham cracker crumbs and put them in a bowl. You need 1.5 cups. If you got a box of crackers, you gotta crush them. Put them in a bag and hit them with something heavy. Or blend them in a food processor. Takes like 2 minutes. You want crumbs, not powder. Some chunks are fine.

Melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Easiest way is microwave. 30 seconds. It’s melted. Pour it over the crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Mix it all together with a spoon. It should look like wet sand. Like it’s all mixed together but you can still see some crumbs.

Step 2: Press the Crust into a Pie Pan

Get a 9-inch pie pan. Pour the crumb mixture in. Use your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup and press it down. Press it into the bottom. Press it up the sides. You want an even layer all over. Takes like 2 minutes. Don’t go crazy. Just press gently so it forms a crust shape.

Step 3: Bake the Crust (Optional But Good)

You can bake it for 8-10 minutes at 350°F to make it more crispy and structured. Or you can skip this and just go straight to the filling. Skipping it still works but baking it makes it crunchier. If you bake it, take it out and let it cool a little while you make the filling.

Step 4: Make the Filling

This is where it gets stupid simple. Get a bowl. Pour in one can of sweetened condensed milk. Add the key lime juice. Stir them together. They’re gonna mix really easily. Lime juice plus condensed milk is like instant pie filling.

Add the egg yolks. Stir them in really well. You want everything combined and smooth. If you got lime zest, add that now and stir. Taste it. It should taste sweet and tangy. Like lime cream basically. Good smell. Bright smell.

Step 5: Pour It In the Crust

Pour the filling into your pie crust. Right into the pan. Spread it out with a spatula if there are lumps. But it should be smooth already so probably just pour and it spreads itself.

Step 6: Bake It

Put it in the oven at 350°F. Bake for 15 minutes. That’s it. 15 minutes. What happens is the heat sets the filling a little. The egg yolks cook. The filling gets a texture instead of being liquid. But it’s still gonna jiggle a little in the middle when you take it out. That’s right. That’s what you want.

After 15 minutes, take it out. The top should look set but like, there’s still a tiny bit of jiggle in the absolute middle. One inch circle maybe. That’s perfect. Don’t overbake it or it gets rubbery.

Step 7: Cool It Down

Let it sit on the counter for like 30 minutes. Let it cool. It’s still cooking a tiny bit from the residual heat. The jiggle is getting less.

Step 8: Put It in the Fridge

After it cools to room temperature, put it in the fridge. This is when the real magic happens. The cold is what makes it creamy and set. It needs at least 3-4 hours in the fridge. Overnight is better. By the next day it’s perfect. Creamy, tangy, firm but still soft. That’s key lime pie.

Step 9: Serve It

Take it out of the fridge maybe 15 minutes before you serve it so it’s not ice cold. Slice it. Top with whipped cream. Maybe a lime slice if you’re feeling fancy. Eat it. It’s gonna be good.

Stuff That Actually Changes How It Tastes

If you use regular lime juice instead of key lime juice – It still works but it’s not as tangy. Regular limes are milder. Key lime juice is brighter and more sour in a good way. Use key lime if you can.

If you don’t zest the lime – It’s still good. Zest just adds more lime flavor and looks nice. Not necessary but good.

If you skip baking the crust – It’s still fine. It’s just not as crispy. If you like a softer crust, skip it. If you like crunch, bake it.

If your eggs are room temperature – Mix better with the condensed milk. Cold eggs don’t mix as well. Take them out 30 minutes before.

If you overbake it – It gets rubbery and loses that creamy texture. 15 minutes is right. Don’t go longer.

If you don’t chill it long enough – It’s soft and kind of custardy. Still tastes good but not the perfect texture. At least 4 hours. Overnight is better.

If you use too much filling – It overflows when you bake it. This filling makes almost exactly the right amount for a 9-inch pie. Measure the condensed milk can. It’s usually 14 ounces.

If you crack the crust while pressing – It’s fine. The filling holds it together. You’re not gonna have crust pieces floating around in your pie.

The Best Key Lime Pie Recipe – Creamy & Tangy Dessert

Make the best Key Lime Pie with creamy, tangy lime filling and a buttery graham crust. A refreshing American dessert perfect for summer or any occasion.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Cooling + Chilling time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 5 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 slices

Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

• 9-inch pie pan
• bowl
• Spoon
• Oven
• Measuring cups and spoons
• microplane or grater (optional)

Ingredients

  

Crust:

• 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp sugar

Filling:

• 1 can 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 4 egg yolks
• ½ cup key lime juice
• 1 tbsp lime zest optional

Topping:

• Whipped cream
• lime slices optional

INSTRUCTIONS

• Crush graham crackers to make 1.5 cups of crumbs. Mix crumbs with 6 tbsp melted butter and 2 tbsp sugar till it looks like wet sand.
• Press mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Press into bottom and sides evenly.
• Optional: Bake crust at 350°F for 8-10 minutes to make it crispier. Let cool if you do this.
• Mix sweetened condensed milk with ½ cup key lime juice in a bowl. They blend easily.
• Add 4 egg yolks to the mixture. Stir really well till everything’s combined and smooth. Add lime zest if using.
• Pour filling into pie crust. Spread evenly with a spatula if needed.
• Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. The top should look set but the very middle should jiggle slightly. Remove from oven.
• Let cool to room temperature for 30 minutes on the counter.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Cold is what makes it creamy and set.
• Top with whipped cream and lime slices if desired. Serve cold.

Notes

• Key lime juice is important. Regular lime juice works but isn’t as tangy.
• Don’t overbake. 15 minutes is right. Longer makes it rubbery.
• The jiggle in the middle is correct. It sets up in the fridge.
• Chilling overnight makes it better than 4 hours. Give it time.
• The pie is good for 4-5 days in the fridge. Covered.
• Freezes well for 2 months. Wrap it good.
• Sweetened condensed milk can should be 14 oz. Check the label.
• Egg yolks are safe when baked. Use them. They make it creamy.
• Taste test before serving. Adjust sweetness if you want.
• Room temperature eggs mix better than cold eggs.

NUTRITION (Per slice): Calories: 320-350
Protein: 3g
Carbs: 42g
Fat: 15g
Fiber: 0g

Keyword best key lime pie, creamy key lime pie, easy key lime pie, homemade key lime pie, key lime pie recipe, tangy dessert

What to Serve With Key Lime Pie

Key lime pie is complete on its own but some stuff makes it better.

Whipped cream – Fresh is better than canned but canned works. Whipped cream on top makes it richer.

A lime slice – Just for looks. Looks fancy even though the pie is stupid simple.

More lime zest – Sprinkled on top. Adds color and more lime taste.

A little salt – Just a tiny pinch on top. Salt makes desserts taste more dessert-y. Brings out the flavors.

Drizzle of honey – Not traditional but some people like a little extra sweetness. Optional.

You don’t need anything. The pie is good by itself. But whipped cream makes it feel more special.

How to Keep Key Lime Pie Around

In the fridge: Put it in a covered container or cover the whole pie with foil. Lasts 4-5 days. The flavor actually stays consistent. Doesn’t get better or worse. Just stays the same.

In the freezer: You can freeze it. It freezes really well actually. Wrap the whole pie or slices with foil or plastic wrap. Good for like 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before serving. When you freeze it, the texture gets a tiny bit icy but it’s still good.

Reheating: You don’t reheat it. You eat it cold out of the fridge. If it got too warm, stick it back in the fridge for 20 minutes. Cold is how it’s supposed to be.

Leftover filling: If you somehow have leftover filling, you can save it in a container for like 3 days. Eat it as pudding basically.

Other Desserts You Should Try

Lemon meringue pie – Similar idea but with lemon and a meringue top instead of whipped cream. Takes a bit longer. Looks fancy.

Lime cheesecake – Lime flavor but it’s cheesecake. Richer. Takes longer to make. More steps.

Lemon bars – Shortbread crust with tangy lemon filling on top. Bake the crust, pour lemon custard on it, bake again. Takes 30 minutes. Way easier than key lime pie. Dust with powdered sugar, cut into squares.

Key lime bars – Like key lime pie but in bar form. Same filling basically. Easier to serve.

Coconut cream pie – Similar technique. Coconut instead of key lime. Creamy and sweet.

Chocolate cream pie – Same crust. Chocolate custard filling instead. Rich and decadent.

Passionfruit pie – Same idea. Passionfruit juice instead of lime. Tropical and sweet.

Tart lemon curd – Not a pie but it’s tangy and creamy. Use it on toast, in pastries, whatever.

Why Key Lime Pie Is Worth Making

Key lime pie is one of those desserts that seems like it’s supposed to be fancy and complicated. It’s not. It’s literally one of the easiest pies you can make. You mix stuff. You bake it. You chill it. Done.

The thing that’s crazy is how good it tastes for how simple it is. Creamy but tangy. Sweet but not overpowering. Bright and fresh tasting. When people eat it they think you spent hours on it. You spent like 15 minutes of actual work.

And it keeps well. You can make it ahead. You can freeze it. You can eat it for days and it’s still good. So make this when you need a dessert that tastes fancy but doesn’t make you stress.

Slice it. Top it with whipped cream. Eat it. People are gonna lose their minds. That’s the whole point.