Here’s a classic and foolproof Key Lime Pie recipe—tangy, creamy, and perfectly balanced with a buttery graham cracker crust. It uses real key lime juice for that signature flavor (but you can substitute if needed).
🥧 Classic Key Lime Pie
🍋 Filling Ingredients:
-
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
-
4 large egg yolks
-
½ cup key lime juice
(fresh is best, but bottled like Nellie & Joe’s works too) -
1 tablespoon lime zest (optional, but adds great flavor)
🧈 Crust Ingredients:
-
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10–12 crackers)
-
⅓ cup granulated sugar
-
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
-
Pinch of salt
🔪 Instructions:
1. Make the crust:
-
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
-
Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and salt in a bowl.
-
Press firmly into a 9-inch pie dish (bottom and sides).
-
Bake for 8–10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Prepare the filling:
-
Whisk together the egg yolks and lime zest until slightly thickened (about 1 minute).
-
Add sweetened condensed milk and mix well.
-
Slowly whisk in key lime juice until fully incorporated and smooth.
3. Bake the pie:
-
Pour filling into the warm crust.
-
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until just set (it may jiggle slightly in the center).
4. Chill:
-
Let cool at room temp for 30 minutes.
-
Refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
5. Serve:
-
Top with whipped cream, lime zest, or thin lime slices before serving.
🧁 Optional Whipped Cream Topping:
-
1 cup heavy whipping cream
-
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
-
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Whip together until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe onto chilled pie.