This easy key lime pie recipe is cold, creamy, and so refreshing. The simple key lime filling is loaded with fresh key lime flavor thanks to key lime juice and key lime zest. The perfect summer dessert… just one bite will transport you to the Florida keys!
Key Lime Pie Recipe: Why you’ll Love it!
- No other dessert on earth will transport you to the Florida keys like key lime pie! No airfare required.
- Wonderfully light yet satisfying. The perfect summer dessert!
- Silky smooth and ultra creamy key lime filling. So much fresh key lime flavor!
- Classic graham cracker crust… so crunchy and buttery.
- Tastes a million times better than any key lime you’d grab from the grocery store or even a fancy bakery!
- You can use fresh key lime juice or bottled key lime juice.
- Make it ahead of time, so dessert is ready to go when you are. This will stay fresh in the fridge for 5 days! Or you can freeze key lime pie for 2 months.
- Delicious on its own or topped with freshly whipped cream or ice cream.
Graham Cracker Crumbs Pie Crust
- Oven Prep: Preheat the oven 30 minutes before you plan on baking the pie crust. Grease a 9-inch deep dish pie pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
- Make the Pie Crust: In a large bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and combine.
- Pie Pan: Press the graham cracker crumbs into the pie pan. Press the crumbs firmly down the bottom to create a solid pie crust.
- Bake the Crust: Place the pie pan in the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Cool while you make the key lime filling.
You can make and bake the pie crust up to 4 hours before you plan on making the key lime filling and baking! Just let it sit at room temperature until needed.
Make the Key Lime Filling
- Ingredients Part 1: Whisk together the egg yolks, sour cream, key lime zest, sweetened condensed milk, ground ginger, and salt.
- Ingredient Note: Do not sub evaporated milk or regular milk for the sweetened condensed milk! If you need to sub the sour cream, full-fat plain Greek yogurt might work.
- Ingredients Part 2: Slowly pour in the key lime juice, adding a little bit at a time and whisking constantly. Then fold the flour into the key lime filling.
How to Make Key Lime Pie
- Make the Crust: It’s so easy and million times tastier than the pre-made ones sold at grocery stores. You’ll partially bake the crust before adding the key lime filling. This ensures the graham cracker crumbs crust stays nice and crunchy. You’ll want to cool the crust before adding the filling.
- Add the Key Lime Filling: Pour the filling on top of the partially baked pie crust. Place the pie crust in the oven and bake until the center in almost completely set.
- Bake the Key Lime Pie: This usually takes 28 to 30 minutes. But can vary depending on your oven and pie pan. Thicker pans, especially ceramic ones, will take longer to bake. Thin pans, especially metal or aluminum, may bake faster.
- Cool the Pie in the Pie Pan: Remove the pie pan from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool the pie completely; this will take about an hour and a half.
- Chill in the Fridge: Once the pie is at room temperature, transfer to the fridge. Chill for at least 6 hours before cutting the pie. If you slice before this time is up, your pie will be runny! The good news, you can make this up to 5 days in advance and store in the fridge!
Can you Freeze Key Lime Pie?
You can absolutely freeze key lime pie! You can freeze the whole pie, or just a few leftover slices. Just make sure to follow these steps carefully, and you won’t notice any major changes in taste or texture!
- Cool Completely: You’ll bake this pie as directed, then cool completely at room temperature.
- Place in the Freezer: Place the pie plate inside the freezer. Make sure you have enough room cleared in your freezer to accommodate the pie plate. It should be on a flat even surface.
- First Freeze: Freeze the pie until it’s no longer soft to the touch. This usually takes 3 to 4 hours.
- Remove and Wrap: Once solid enough to wrap, remove the pie from the freezer. Wrap the entire pie and pie plate with plastic wrap. Make sure the saran wrap covers every inch of pie! Then wrap again with heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Final Freeze: Label and date your pie, then pop it back in the freezer. Frozen properly, this key lime pie will stay fresh for up to 2 months!
- Note: Never freeze a key lime pie with whipped cream on top! The whipped cream will become watery in the freezer and ruin the pie.
How to Thaw Frozen Key Lime Pie
- When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen key lime pie, transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator.
- Allow the pie to slowly and safely thaw in the fridge overnight. Do not thaw at room temperature or attempt to microwave the pie to speed up the thawing process.
- Once thawed, you can slice the key lime pie and top with whipped cream!
Key Limes vs Regular limes
- Key limes are tangy and sweet… while regular limes and tangy and slightly bitter.
- Key limes are much smaller than Persian limes, and have thin skin. They also have a more aromatic profile than standard limes, which makes them beloved in the baking world!
- They’re easiest to find between June and August, and typically appear at specialty grocery stores.
- Key limes can be pretty tricky to hunt down year round. You can easily find standard limes at grocery stores, big box stores, and even bodegas.
Can I use Regular Limes?
In short, yes, you can use regular limes. This pie won’t have the same exact flavor as it would if you used key limes! It’ll be slightly more bitter and have less depth of flavor. You could use half regular lime juice and half lemon juice for a more interesting flavor profile.
Best Bottled Key Lime Juice
- For great key lime flavor without all the hassle of finding – and squeezing – key limes, use bottled key lime juice!
- This is available in the cocktail aisle of most grocery stores, or can be purchased online!
- I love Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lime Juice! Then just use regular lime zest when it’s called for!
How to Decorate Key Lime Pie
While this key lime pie is delicious enough to serve on its own, why not doll it up and turn it into a stunner?
- Simply whip some heavy cream and confectioners sugar together until stiff peaks form!
- Then you can spread it on top of the pie. Or scrape it into a piping bag fitted with a star top and swirl beautiful dollops around the edge of the pie!
- Next, finely grate some key lime zest and sprinkle it on top of the whipped cream.
- And finally, if you’re feeling extra fancy, top with lime spirals!
These extra steps only take about 5 extra minutes, but will transform your humble pie into a total showstopper! Plus, the sweet whipped cream helps break up the intense lime flavor, making it perfectly balanced and delightfully delicious!
More Key Lime Recipes:
- Key Lime Cheesecake
- Key Lime Pudding
- Chocolate Covered Key Lime Pie on a Stick
- Mini Key Lime Cheesecakes
- Key Lime Pie Bars
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Deep Dish Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 240 grams
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 grams
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar, packed 17 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 85 grams
For the Key Lime Pie Filling
- 4 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream 113 grams
- 3 teaspoons key lime zest finely grated
- (2)14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk 28 ounces in total
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger optional
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/4 cups key lime juice 283 grams
- 2 teaspoons flour
- 1 cup whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside until needed. In a large bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and, using a rubber spatula, stir until well combined. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, and press the crumbs firmly down the bottom and then up the sides of the pan.Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool while you make the filling.
For the Key Lime Filling
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sour cream, lime zest, sweetened condensed milk, ground ginger, and salt. Slowly whisk in the lime juice, adding a little bit at a time and whisking constantly. Fold in the flour. Pour on top of the partially baked crust. Smooth the top with a spatula, then place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. It should be set, but still slightly wobbly in the middle. Transfer pie to a cooling rack and cool completely in the pan. Then transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours before serving! Top with whipped cream, if using, then slice and serve!
Noelle says
I’ve made this pie at least four times and it’s absolutely delicious every single time.
Beth says
Delicious! Perfect keeper recipe.
Noreen says
I would give this recipe 10 stars if I could. Ashley, it was SO DELICIOUS! Perfect tart and sweetness, so smooth, light, ginger in the crust is such a nice touch! I made it exactly as written and baked in a springform pan. It was so pretty. I dusted lightly with graham crumbs and lime zest with a thin slice of lime in the middle. You are right…it’s the best key lime pie recipe. THANK YOU!
Noreen says
Can I make this pie in a springform pan? Making tonite for tomorrow. Thank u Ashley!
Jenny says
Please can you let know if this freezes well? I’m looking for ideas for the coffee shop Deli but need things with a bit of ashelf life
Susan says
I made this pie twice last week and each of them were delicious. However, i did change flavoring slightly. Cardamom instead of cinnamon and 1 cup of key lime and the additional 1/4 cup was replaced with fresh orange juice. Both were fabulous! Thank you!
Chris says
I made this recipe last week for my son, who loves sweet/tart desserts. I mostly followed the directions exactly but omitted the whipped cream topping and used the 4 egg whites to make a meringue instead, spread over the lime filling 10 minutes before it was due to come out of the oven. It was delicious! The sour cream added the perfect amount of richness. Thanks.
Mike says
I go strictly by the recipe……..this one did not say what kind of flour. Please advise.
Ashley Manila says
All-purpose flour.
Cherr says
Hi! Is the ground ginger supposed to be for the crust or the filling? Thank you!
Ronniekatu says
When she gives the list of ingredients she specifically said For Crust. And the next list says for the filling. Ginger is on the FOR The Filling list. I’m not sure why you were confused about that.
Janet says
Are you using a deep dish pie dish for this recipe? Thank you!