Key Lime Pie
An elevated key lime pie recipe: buttery, sweet pecans in the crust, a filling that hits the right balance of tart to sweet and holds up well to slicing while staying perfectly creamy.
Its origins are debated but most agree – key lime pie is one of the best spring and summer time desserts (and maybe thanksgiving now too?). For me, It wasn’t a dessert that was available as a kid growing up in CO, but I started to run into it over the past few years when we moved closer to central VA.
Many local restaurants we go to have it as a dessert option and a mama friend was telling me how it was her favorite dessert, so I decided to try it out. Sometimes after ordering it, I’d be satisfied but most of the time I found myself wishing there was… just more to it.
I’d often want it to be more tart (well, you already know this about me and citrus), I wanted the filling to be thicker and creamier, the crust to be more than basic graham… all the things.
At its core, key lime pie filling is one of the easiest bakes with just a few ingredients: key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and a third ingredient to help the pie set up. Before making mine, I compared the six most popular recipes for key lime pie online and found they were all pretty similar in ingredients and ratios, but either used egg yolks or sour cream/yogurt. You’ll note in my recipe, I use both sour cream and egg yolks.
Recipe Origins
I promise I didn’t do this to be difficult. Using egg yolks means that they’ll help turn the filling into more of a set custard; you see those perfect not messy slices in my photos? That’s the yolks’ doing. It also means that because of them, I am able to add more liquid (lime juice!) which makes it more tart.
But I didn’t want to forsake the benefits of sour cream either; it makes for a creamy & smooth filling. So I used some of that too.
Most key lime pie recipes use either a store-bought crust or a simple graham cracker crust. I wanted to keep this recipe simple but also add more flavor to the crust, so I added a cup of ground pecans; the toasty, buttery pecans really enhance the flavor and it pairs well with the tart filling.
Please note, this is not a traditional or classic key lime pie. There are ground nuts in my crust. The filling sets up a bit differently (sturdy but creamy) and it’s definitely on the tart side of sweet. To me it’s the best key lime pie, it might not be yours but I hope you’ll try it!
Recipe Ingredients
Cookie crumbs: Graham cracker crumbs or digestive cookies (I use the latter). If you are using a sandwich cookie, remove the cream first as the added oils will mess up the ratio of fat to cookie and leave you with an oily crust that falls apart.
Pecans: If you can, buy raw whole pecans and toast them yourself: spread on a sheet pan at 350 F for about ten minutes or until fragrant. Let them cool then grind them (if you grind them when they are still hot, it’ll turn into a paste).
Also – if you don’t want to use pecans you can use another nut (I very nearly went with pistachio but I’ve done so much of that recently!). If you need to omit the nuts entirely, add another half of a cup of cookie crumbs.
Butter: any kind, and cold is fine.
Powdered sugar: I use this partially to sweeten the crust but mostly to help the crust hold up and bind the nuts to the cookie crumbs.
Egg yolks: two large egg yolks from whole eggs.
Sour Cream: full fat, no need to have it at room temperature. Substitutes can be greek yogurt or labneh.
Sweetened condensed milk: two fourteen ounce, full fat cans. No substitutes.
Limes for Key Lime Pie: Key or Persian?
The original key limes that were behind the creation of the pie are long gone as the key lime plantations in the Florida Keys were destroyed by a hurricane in 1927 and were replaced with persian limes. Today, we import key limes from Mexico and the flavor is quite different; more acidic and less floral. I love them, but Key limes are difficult to find and almost impossible to juice: 1 pound of key limes got me about ¼ cup of juice. For my pie, I used a mix of key limes and persian limes. Regular limes work just fine.
There are bottled key lime juices; if you’ve used it before but the only one I could find that is 100% key lime juice is Florribean.
How to make Key Lime Pie
Prep the pie pan & preheat the oven:
If you’re using a springform pan you can just set a piece of parchment at the bottom then clip the belt of the pan. If you’re using a cake pan, press the parchment into the bottom of a greased pan and use metal clips to hold it in place.
Make the crust
Grind the cookies & the nuts then mix the crust ingredients until the mixture is like wet sand:
Press into the prepared pan: start with the bottom then work the crumbs up and against the sides. Use a measuring cup to press it in firmly and evenly. Take your time.
Bake for 10 minutes. This helps set the crust so it isn’t overly messy when slicing. It also helps deepen the flavor.
Make the filling
Zest & juice the limes: it’s best to zest then juice, (here I had zested a bunch but since limes aren’t very juicy I had to slice some more to juice)
Whisk together the filling ingredients. I started with the lime zest and the sweetened condensed milk.
Then I added the fresh lime juice, egg yolks, and sour cream
Whisk together until creamy
Then pour it into the cooled, baked crust:
Bake until it jiggles only in the center: you’ll want to keep a close eye on it in the oven and check it at ten minutes (depending on pan size and material the pie will take more or less time to bake).
Let it cool on the counter for awhile until it’s at room temperature then transfer to the fridge to chill fully, for a few hours.
Getting the pie out of the pan:
After the pie has chilled, open the springform and use an offset spatula to run it underneath to loosen the bottom from the pan. Then transfer to a plate. If you’re using a cake pan, use the offset spatula to loosen the sides then use the parchment to lift it out.
Save making the topping until the day of serving. Top with whipped cream or a meringue if you like. Garnish with lime zest.
How to know when key lime pie is done baking
Baking time will vary depending on the accuracy of the oven temperature (I use a secondary thermometer to check mine) and the size and material of the pan. A bigger, more shallow pan will cook quicker than a smaller taller pan. Visual cues are best.
Since this is an egg/sugar/milk mixture we treat it like a custard: you’re looking for set edges and a slight jiggle in the center.
How long should you chill key lime pie?
This key lime pie recipe will set up in the fridge for slicing after about 2-3 hours of chilling, but the flavor won’t be as developed. I found it best the day after baking; overnight the lime juice became more prominent.
Topping Options for Key Lime Pie
Stabilized Whipped Cream: my whipped cream is ‘stabilized’ because it’s made in a food processor where instead of a lot of air being whipped into it (those air bubbles will eventually deflate and the whipped cream will seep). I set all the ingredients (heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt) in a food processor and process until thickened. The whipped cream holds its shape without seeping for days, if kept in the fridge.
Torched Meringue: use this swiss meringue recipe and a kitchen torch to toast it when it’s on the pie. Depending on how grand you want the meringue to be, you can use 3-5 egg whites (and adjust the sugar according to the notes in the recipe).
Key Lime Pie Recipe
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
Pecan Cookie Crust
- 250 g or 2 cups digestives or graham crackers
- 100 g or 1 cup pecans roasted or see note in “ingredients” for how to toast raw pecans
- 70 g or 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Key Lime Filling
- Zest of 10 key limes or 5 persian limes careful not to zest the white pith
- 2 egg yolks from 2 large eggs
- 792 g or two 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk
- 80 g or ⅓ cup sour cream full fat
- 240 g or 1 cup key lime juice can use a mix of persian limes and key limes
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch fine sea salt
Whipped Cream (this makes a thick layer of cream, halve it for a more modest amount)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch fine sea salt
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Method
First, make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lay a sheet of parchment paper over the bottom of a nonstick 8 or 9 inch springform pan then attach the top and buckle to seal it.
- Grind the cookies and the pecans in a food processor until fine.
- Melt the butter and stir with the ground nuts and cookies and the powdered sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- *If the mix isn't holding together when you squeeze some of it in your palm, add another tablespoon of melted butter; it should clump but not leave an overly greasy residue on your hand.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. Take your time pressing the crumbs into an even layer and all the way up the sides. Use a measuring cup to press the crumbs in tightly (dip it in powdered sugar so the crumbs won’t stick to it).
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. When it comes out it might have bubbled a bit, use the measuring cup to press it back into shape.
Second, the filling:
- Zest the limes then juice them until you have 1 full cup of juice and place the zest and juice in a large bowl. Add the sweetened condensed milk, the vanilla, salt, egg yolks and the sour cream and whisk until smooth.
- Pour into the baked pie crust then set back in the oven until the center only still wobbles when you shake the pan, for about 20-25 minutes. (Time depends on the size of your pan, bigger mores shallow pans will bake the custard quicker than smaller, deeper pans. Pan material will conduct heat differently too. Go by visual cues not the time listed.)
- Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature then set in the fridge to chill for about 4-8 hours (preferably overnight).
The day of serving, make the whipped cream:
- Set all the ingredients in a food processor and process on high until thickened. Stop it when it looks creamy but if you run a spoon through it it holds shape, 2-4 minutes. (Keep an eye on it, it can go quicker depending on the strength of your food processor).
- Spread over the top of the cooled pie and zest some limes over it to decorate.
- Store the pie in the fridge. Leftovers keep for a few days but the pie will start to seep liquid after awhile.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Can you do the wbip topping day before and refrigerate with it already on the pie?
you can!
Made this for the first time. Easy-peasy and the crust is perfect! Huge hit and by far the best Keylime pie we’ve eaten hands down. Made it the night before as suggested so flavors melded and it became perfectly set. Sliced like a dream. This crust will be my new go-to vs regular graham cracker. Way less sugary. Can’t wait to use it for my banana cream pie recipe. ❤️🌺🥰
Magnificent and outrageously delicious!!! I’ve made this pie twice now, once with nuts and once without and it is a huge hit with literally everyone I share it with!!!
Question, what tips can you provide me if I needed to make 6 pies to serve on the same day? What can I safely make ahead without impacting the flavor and texture? How would you approach this? Thank you!!
oh wow, six! The pies need time to chill so you need to make them very early in the am (if you can do some the day before, do that). I’d do all my grinding (nuts and cracker cookies) ahead of time and portion it as needed. You can also make the filling ahead of time then just pour it into the pie crust when ready to bake.
THE BEST KEY LIME PIE recipe! I’ve made it successfully several times. Only thing I would change is to add something (gelatin worked for me) to the whipped cream to stabilize it. But I had to do research to find what would be best for me and also b/c I had it on-hand. Thanks for sharing it! It’s my go to decadent dessert and even better than our local pie shop that I adore. YUM!!!
Key lime pie is one of my favourite desserts and I have tried dozens of recipes. This one is my perfect recipe: an elevated version of the classic. I’ve made it several times and the last time, I actually had someone literally licking the plate clean! It is truly that good.
Delicious!!! Very light
Key lime pie is my husband’s favourite dessert, and he says this is the best he’s ever had! (And I wholeheartedly agree!) Sooooo yummy and creamy, and it turned out just like the picture. Thank you so much, Sam!
Hi this looks amazing (like all of your recipes!), can’t wait to make it!
Any substitution suggestions for a nutless crust (for my friends w nut allergies)?
Thanks
Hi Monique! From the ‘ingredients section’: “If you need to omit the nuts entirely, add another half of a cup of cookie crumbs.”
Wow! I made this pie for a family gathering tonight and it was a huge hit! I have made many key lime pie desserts over the years since it is one of my family member’s favorite dessert and this one tops them all. The only changes I made was adding browned butter (in addition to some melted butter) in the crust and used 7 regular limes as I couldn’t get key limes, but it was fantastic. I did not think I would be able to make mine look as gorgeous and impressive as Sam’s, but it really came out just like the pictures. This one’s a keeper!
This recipe is perfection. Turned out just like the picture. My family (and I) just about died when we took our first bite. Just made for the second time and I can’t wait to indulge tomorrow!!
gah, that is so wonderful to hear Arielle!
Trying to respond to your question, thanks!
No, I used large egg yolks. I use large eggs for everything because I bake a lot. On my second try I used four large egg yolks instead and it cooked in 20 minutes. Came out great! Most delicious key lime pie ever, and I love how tall it turns out!
This didn’t turn out at all. The custard refused to set even though I cooked it longer per everyone’s helpful comments. I think the reason why is this custard doesn’t have enough eggs. Usually for key lime pie it’s two egg yolks per can of sweetened condensed milk. With two cans this really needs four egg yolks. I plan on trying it again but with four yolks.
I’m wondering if your egg yolks were from large eggs? Small yolks could be the culprit.
This came together easily and was the best key lime pie I’ve made!
Thank you Sam, for this AMAZING recipe. I followed the directions to the letter and it came out perfectly. It was a huge hit and is one that I will enjoy making again and again. Instead of the whipped cream layer, I chose to top it with a Swiss meringue. I used your recipe for Swiss meringue and as a lover of Swiss meringue, it exceeded my expectations. It was the perfect compliment to the tangy key lime filling. I didn’t have an 8” springform so I used a 9” and it worked great. Thank you for including the weight for each ingredient. As someone who bakes by weight, it’s so nice to see when it’s included in a recipe. Weighing ingredients not only lessens the chances of failure, I believe, it truly makes the difference between a good dessert and a great dessert. This dessert isn’t just pretty to look at, it’s the best tasting key lime pie I’ve ever had!
For the stabilized whipped cream, could I use a normal kitchen blender?
You can – but keep an eye on it and go by what you see, look for thickness and for it to not droop off the spoon when lifted.
YESSSS!! Magnificent. Just made it. The best ever and I’m not a baker /cook but I do love my key lime pie.. easy enough for me to do and turned out So Good! Thank you for offering this recipe up.
sooooo! your pie is amazing. I’m not a huge key lime fan, but my family is. I wanted a different type of pie and found this one. after googling several different recipes, I decided I wanted a high pie, so I used 1.5 as the filling guide and baked for 30 minutes. less zest than called for, but the pie comes out AMAZING! I’ve made this 3 times in a month for people. I serve it with either fresh berries or a blueberry compote.
This pie was easy to make and tasted wonderful! My only issue is that the graham cracker crust was really crumbly. I added in the extra butter too. I’m not sure what happened there or if I needed more butter to hold it together?
Hi Heather! Sorry about that, I wonder if it could be that the graham cracker you used was less buttery than usual, what brand was it?
Made this for a dinner party and it was a huge hit! I used a little less lime zest mostly because I was tired of zesting but it was fabulous. Will be making again over the summer, and excited to try more recipes from this site! Oh meant to add that I did 2 at once (one for the party and one for my kids who were mad that it wasn’t for them) and doing the same steps in a glass pie plate worked exactly the same. For both set the filling about 25 minutes and that was perfect.
aw I love that you made another one just for the kids! That’s a sweet mama =)
Wondering if you or anyone has ever used just a regular ol’ corning ware 9″ pie plate on this recipe instead of a springform pan? Unflinching sentimental reasons dictate exclusive use of the former opposed to the latter.
Hi Anne, I looked up the pie plate and two things came to mind: ceramic pie plates conduct heat less efficiently so the pie will take longer to heat and longer to cool. This can mess with the timings. The other is it looks quite shallow and this is a rather tall pie, especially with the whipped cream on top !
When you use the food processor for the whipped cream, did you use the regular blade or the dough blade?
I have seen some use a little gelatin to stabilize the whipped cream, how much do you think I should use?
Regular blade. Don’t use gelatin, you don’t need it here and it will throw off the taste. Just keep an eye on it and stop running the food processor when it’s thick and smooth.
What can I say, this pie is unquestionably the best of the best! I loved how quickly it came together, especially for how amazing the flavor was. The pie had a thick and creamy consistency with a tart lime flavor! The pecans in the crust added a nice extra crunch and very slight nutty flavor. Everybody who tried it raved and declared it to be the best they’d ever had!
INCREDIBLE. This, to me, was as good as the best key lime pies I’ve had. I’m new to this site and not an experienced baker so I loved all the tips and deeper explanations. One note: for me, inexperienced, judging when it was done was difficult. I over-cooked the first pie and made a second. I ended up googling “how to tell when it’s done” and that helped. Not sure there’s anything to do about that, but it’s a tip for other bakers who come here — if you’re unsure, google it and check out a video.
Hi Amy, the recipe video of the pie includes a clip showing when the pie is done and how it should (and shouldn’t) shake or wobble. I’m so happy you liked it!
Great taste and impressive presentation, I’ll make this recipe again.:
love to hear it! thanks!
this is a very delicious and easy pie to make it is very delicious
Followed this easy recipe that was a big dinner party hit, I baked the crust for 12 minutes(I keep a thermometer in my oven to confirm temps are correct) for the crust and 30 minutes on the filling, used bottled lime juice, plus I always add some unflavored gelatin to stabilize whipped cream so that it doesn’t deflate on top of a dessert. Easy, cool and light I would definitely make this again.
Amazing recipe, I was a bit intimidated at first looking at how perfect and beautiful the recipe photos were but it was so easy to make! Tasted and looked better than any lime pie I’ve made before! A suggestion would be to add a few drops of lime green food gel colouring to the filling to make it look brighter, however this is absolutely not necessary as it is just purely for improving the aesthetic of the cake. Overall I would give this recipe 5/5 and I am so delighted to have come across this page on Instagram. Thank you!
To make this pie is very labor-intensive (for a person who is not known to spend time cooking or baking) and it was worth every minute: it’s outstanding! Feedback i received was that it was a bit too tart (how is this possible? A lime pie IS TART!) so i cut the amount of zest in half the second time I made it. My opinion: the pie is perfect either way but i preferred the zest of all ten limes. great recipe and fun to make for this kitchen amateur.
Absolutely the BEST Key Lime Pie I have ever tried!! Love the pecan crust!!!
this just made me so happy =)
This key lime pie turned out perfectly. I used walnuts and gluten free graham crackers for the crust since that’s what I had. It was my first time to make a key lime pie and I think it was the best I’ve ever had…so don’t change a thing! Everyone raved about it and it cut beautifully!
The flavor in this pie is incredible!! As someone who grew up in Miami (and went down to the Keys often) I can tell you this pie is legit AND then some with the pecans in the crust.
I wonder if you have any tips on how to better set the pie filling when making it non-dairy though? I am lactose-intolerant but LOVE key lime pie so I used condensed oat milk (though I would have preferred condensed coconut, but it was not available) and all other ingredients as listed. Sadly the filling remained pretty liquidy despite a longer bake time (30 minutes) so it wasn’t a pretty pie but my friends and I devoured it nonetheless!
Any suggestions you may have for the next attempt would be appreciated and I’ll keep playing around with it as well. Also LOVE the whipped cream trick! I will have to try it out with coconut whipping cream so I can eat more than just a bite of it next time! ????
Hands down some of the best key lime pie that I’ve had, let alone made! The pecans really elevated the crust and the actually pie filling was amazing. Made this for our housewarming and it was a huge hit! I would note that the baking time was 30 mins and the custard filling set perfectly, so 10 mins wouldn’t have been nearly enough in my oven. This will definitely become a regular dessert recipe in our home
Wish there were more stars to give! EXCELLENT recipe!
What size springform pan did you use?
Made this today using 8” springform pan with the parchment paper covering the bottom. Used toasted pistachios with graham crackers for crust. Delicious flavor, especially the thick vanilla whipped cream on top. Will be adding this to my dessert rotation. Next time I won’t put the lime zest in the filling and add more butter to crust. My crust crumbled around the edge also but I think it just needed more butter. The sour cream was the surprise ingredient for me but added such a creamy texture to filling. Thank you for another 5 star recipe.
PISTACHIOS!! This is what I wanted to do when I first made it so I’m delighted to hear you used them. I’ll add a note about butter amount to the crust too – thanks for the feedback!
Experienced home baker (including regularly making cheesecakes in springform pans with graham cracker crusts) and made this recipe in a tall 8” springform pan. Thank you for the recipe—it is delicious overall. A few things to note, however:
* My crust stuck to the sides of the pan, even though I ran a knife around the pie before removing the ring of the springform. It said parchment the bottom but nothing about preparing the sides of the pan before pressing in the crust. Should the sides be greased, too?
* My crust was too crumbly. After baking and cooling and removing the springform pan ring, all the portions of the crust above the level of the pie crumbled onto the pie (not just a few crumbles—all of it). It was also very difficult to get a uniform piece as the crust crumbled when slicing and removing pieces.
* The recipe states bake 10-15 mins, but as another reviewer said, I had to bake mine for 30 mins. This is a pretty big variance.
* FYI regarding quantity of limes: I used the zest from 10 key limes, but to get enough juice, I had to use 10 key limes and 4 regular limes.
Hi Bird, bake time will always vary – I’ve been writing my recipes lately to say, look for (….) and then saying how long mine took but giving a range. The visual cues are much more important because pan material can differ, oven temperature and the temperature of the pie going in, and ofc, the size of the pan. The sides shouldn’t be greased if you’re using a non-stick springform pan as instructed. I am wondering about the type of cookie used in the crust and if this is what caused the issues with it crumbling and sticking – graham crackers can vary greatly in terms of how much butter and sugar is in them. I am sorry the recipe wasn’t a success but grateful for your input!
Made mostly as written with an 8” springform pan. Used bottled Nellie & Joe’s
Key lime juice since there are no key limes anywhere near me. The filling took almost twice as long to bake, but maybe that was my oven? Delicious and I loved the springform shape – really impressive. Would feed an army.
Glad to hear it Jess! Bake time is always going to vary but you did good looking for the visual tell rather than the minutes listed.
Hi! This is currently cooling- I used an 8″ springform and the filling filled all the way to the rim- Is the one you pictured from an 8″?? Also, you reference ‘Lemon” juice in your instructions vs. lime juice. Mine had to cook for probably over 30 minutes…Very excited to try it tomorrow.
Citrus Queen, long may you reign.
Made it as written, but used a deep 8” cake pan instead and lined with parchment to be able to pull it out. Worked beautifully for those without the right size springform. Dreamy and tart and everyone loved the addition of the toasted pecans. Also, secretly super easy but looked difficult – the best kind of dessert. Make it!!!!
I’m over the moon you liked it bc I know you were waiting for me to publish! Thank you for making it and for your sweet comments =) <3
Another winner. I grew up in Florida and my mother would get a key lime pie from Publix every Thanksgiving. I make one or two a year. I’ve been making a lot of your recipes lately so I thought I’d give this one a go. It was fantastic. Thank you!
April that’s wonderful to hear (you’re the first that’s made it that I know of). Thank you for the comment!