Key Lime Pie Recipe – SugarHero

This real Key Lime Pie recipe is easy and delicious! It has a buttery graham cracker crust and a sweet-tart creamy filling, bursting with up to date lime style.

Slice of Key Lime Pie with bite taken out of it.

💚 Standard Key Lime Pie: That’s the Precise Deal

Key lime pie is the quintessential citrus dessert. It has a straightforward and creamy lime filling that’s bracingly tart nevertheless not too bitter – the correct mixture of sweet and tangy.

If you’re in search of the particular deal, this key lime pie is it! It’s set atop a crisp, buttery graham cracker pie crust, and garnished with sweetened whipped cream. The refreshing tart fashion makes it an excellent summer time season dessert, nevertheless you’ll benefit from it any time of yr!

Photo comparing two different limes next to each other: a small yellow key lime on the left, and a larger green Persian lime on the right.

What’s in Key Lime Pie?

An real key lime pie filling has 3 major components:

egg yolks
sweetened condensed milk
key lime juice

It will doubtless appear to be an unusual combination, until you understand the origins of this primary American dessert.

Key lime pie originated in Key West, Florida inside the late 1800s the place key limes are plentiful. Since up to date milk and entry to refrigeration weren’t obtainable, people utilized canned milk, subsequently the sweetened condensed milk on this recipe.

(Questioning what the heck key limes are, and the way in which they differ from “widespread” limes? Attempt our article about key limes vs widespread limes proper right here!)

Desk of Contents

🧾 What You’ll Need

Elements & Substitutions

Just some notes on the substances you’ll need for this pie. The whole itemizing of drugs and the portions needed will likely be found inside the recipe card underneath. (Hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks and I earn a small price from qualifying purchases.)

For the Crust

Graham crackers: You’ll need about 10 rectangular graham crackers to make 6 oz (1 1/2 cups) of crumbs for the graham cracker crust. I like using a do-it-yourself graham cracker crust, nevertheless you may even use a pre-made graham cracker crust in case you prefer.
Unsalted butter and salt: I wish to make use of unsalted butter when baking so that I can administration the amount of salt. If you don’t have unsalted butter, merely use salted butter and miss the rest of the salt generally known as for inside the crust.
Granulated sugar: Offers a contact of sweetness to the crust.

For the Filling and Topping

Egg yolks: This recipe makes use of six large egg yolks. Proper right here’s my full info to separating egg yolks and whites in case you need a refresher. Don’t neglect to keep away from losing the egg whites for a future batch of Meringue Cookies or buttercream!
Sweetened condensed milk: Make sure to utilize sweetened condensed milk—not evaporated milk or one different form of canned milk. The cans may look associated, nevertheless they are not the equivalent issue and obtained’t present the same outcomes.
Lime juice: Current key lime juice is traditionally used to make this pie, nevertheless you must use any limes that you have. You should have about 18-20 key limes ( or 5 large Persian limes) to get 1 cup of juice. To look out the juiciest fruit, seek for limes which is perhaps heavy for his or her dimension, and have a bit give when you squeeze them. Attempt our article on the excellence between widespread limes vs key limes when you want additional data.
Lime zest: Current lime zest gives a further punch of lime style, along with beautiful specks of inexperienced all via the pie filling.
Heavy whipping cream: To make the fluffiest, most safe whipped cream, use COLD heavy whipping cream. You might also chill your mixing bowl and beaters to rush up the whipping course of.
Powdered sugar: Helps to thicken and sweeten the topping.

Key Lime Pie slice on a white plate with a twist of lime next to it.

Gear

Microplane: It’s good to use a microplane to easily zest the limes. If you don’t have a one, a cheese grater will work as properly.
Juicer: Squeezing by hand works, nevertheless you don’t get virtually as quite a bit juice out of the limes. I wish to suggest using a countertop juicer to maximise the juice you get out of your fruit.
Pie pan: Use a 9 x 2″ pie plate for a deep-dish crust that will keep all the filling.
Piping bag and Star tip: I like these disposable piping baggage (I wash them and re-use them to reduce waste!) and used an enormous star tip (Ateco tip #867) to make the whipped cream rosettes.

Key Lime Pie in a white pie plate with whipped cream rosettes around the edge.

Go away a Consider!

If you make this recipe, inform us! Go away a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe underneath, and go away a comment, take {a photograph} and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!

For the graham cracker crust:

To make the graham cracker crust:

Crush the graham crackers in a meals processor until they’re fantastic crumbs. (Alternately, place them in a zip-top bag and roll over them with a rolling pin until very finely crushed.)
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, about 2½ TBSP of the melted butter, granulated sugar, and salt in a bowl, and stir until well-combined. The mixture must have the texture of moist sand, and keep collectively a bit when you squeeze it between your fingers.
If the crust nonetheless feels a bit dry, add the remaining butter and stir collectively to make it the fitting texture.
Press the crust evenly on the underside and up the sides of a 9 x 2” pie plate. Bake at 350º F for quarter-hour, until set and flippantly golden. Let the crust cool completely sooner than filling.

To make the necessary factor lime filling:

Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Zest the up to date key limes with a microplane until you could have 2 tablespoons of latest zest, then juice the limes and measure out 1 cup of juice.
Whisk collectively the yolks and a few cans of sweetened condensed milk. Then add the lime zest, lime juice, and salt, and whisk until straightforward and well-combined.
Pour the filling on excessive of the baked and cooled graham cracker crust. Bake at 350º F for 20 minutes, until the center solely barely jiggles when you nudge the pie.
Let the pie cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate in a single day.

To finish:

Combine the heavy cream and powdered sugar inside the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high velocity until the cream is thick and holds medium peaks.
Swap to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe rosettes throughout the outer fringe of the pie. Garnish with a sprinkle of lime zest on the whipped cream, and a twist of lime inside the middle.
Key lime pie will remaining for as a lot as 5 days inside the fridge.

Baking Concepts

Use freshly squeezed juice
Pre-bake the crust (prevents sogginess)
Use a deep dish pie pan (2-inch deep)
Chill the pie at least 6 hours to set

Make-Ahead Data

I don’t advocate making the filling far ahead of time, nevertheless you’ll prep the graham crust prematurely. Assemble and bake the crust as directed, then retailer it inside the fridge for 7 days or inside the freezer for 3 months. Whilst you’re ready to utilize it, thaw it inside the fridge, then proceed with the recipe as instructed.

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we extraordinarily advocate using a kitchen scale for baking at any time when doable. Nonetheless, in case you prefer to utilize cups, amount measurements are provided as properly. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t match this technique.

Want to check additional about baking measurements and conversion?

Snap a pic and hashtag it #SugarHero. We wish to see your creations on our Instagram @elabau.

📷{Photograph} Tutorial: How To Make Key Lime Pie

Proper right here’s a quick overview of straightforward strategies to make the graham cracker crust and key lime pie filling for this simple Key Lime Pie recipe. Study the recipe card for printable instructions and ingredient measurements. And don’t miss the embedded video!

Make The sweet Graham Cracker Crust

Make graham crumbs. Crush 10 graham crackers in a meals processor until they’re fantastic crumbs, or put them in a zip-top bag and roll over them with a rolling pin until crushed to make 6 oz (1 1/2 cups) graham cracker crumbs.
Mix crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt. Combine graham cracker crumbs, 3 oz (6 TBSP) melted butter,1 1/2 TBSP granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium bowl.

Stir. Stir all of the issues collectively until it’s well-combined and has the texture of moist sand.
Press into pan. Press the crust mixture evenly on the underside and up the sides of your pie pan.
Bake and funky crust. Bake at 350ºF for quarter-hour. Allow it to relax completely on a wire rack sooner than together with the filling.

Make The Key Lime Pie Filling

Zest limes. Zest the up to date key limes with a microplane until you could have 2 TBSP of latest zest.
Juice limes. Juice the limes and measure out 1 cup of juice.

Mix egg yolks and milk. In an enormous mixing bowl, whisk collectively 6 large egg yolks and a few cans (28 oz entire) of sweetened condensed milk.
Add lime juice and zest. Add 1 cup up to date lime juice, 2 TBSP zest and 1/4 tsp salt to the bowl.
Whisk the filling. Stir until it’s thick and simple.

Fill crust and bake. Pour the filling into the baked and cooled graham cracker crust, and bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. The pie is accomplished when the center barely jiggles when you switch the pan.
Cool completely. Let the pie cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours so it models up completely.

Adorn The Pie

Make whipped cream. Combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/3 cup powdered sugar inside the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high velocity until the cream is thick and holds medium-stiff peaks.
Pipe whipped cream. Swap the mix to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe rosettes throughout the outer fringe of the pie.
Garnish. Finish with a sprinkling of lime zest and a twist of lime inside the center.
Slice, serve, and devour!

Overhead shot of Key Lime Pie with several slices removed and a pie server holding one slice.

💭 Variations

Wanting to switch points up? Listed beneath are a pair methods:

Use store-bought crust. For those who want to save a bit little little bit of time, you must use a store-bought graham cracker crust. Nonetheless, store-bought crusts is maybe shallower than do-it-yourself crust, so you might end up with a bit extra key lime filling.
Try a singular crust style. As an alternative of graham crackers, try using shortbread cookies, gingersnaps, or crunchy coconut cookie crumbs.
Go for meringue. Try toasted meringue instead of whipped cream for the topping.
Change up the citrus. Most bitter citrus fruit will work on this recipe, and produce a delicious creamy sweet-tart filling. Lemon is a pure choice, nevertheless grapefruit is delicious too! For those who want to make this with orange, I like to recommend using half orange and half lemon juice, since oranges are quite a bit sweeter and the pie desires a couple of of lemon’s sourness to steadiness it out.

Photo of a slice of key lime pie on 3 stacked rounded white plates.

💡 Concepts and FAQs

Listed beneath are a few of my methods to make the right Key Lime Pie!

Use freshly squeezed juice. Bottled juice incorporates preservatives that will make the juice fashion “off” or barely stale. I wish to suggest freshly squeezing the lime juice for the right style!
Pre-bake the crust. Whereas graham cracker crusts can typically be used with out baking, this pie is most interesting with a pre-baked crust. The extra baking time ensures the graham crust doesn’t get soggy.
Let the crust cool. After you pre-bake the crust, let it cool completely sooner than you add the filling so it has time to company up.
Use a 2-inch deep pie pan. This recipe makes ample filling to fill a deep dish crust, so I wish to suggest using a 2-inch deep pan.
Chill the pie. After the pie is prepped and baked, chill it inside the fridge in a single day (or for at least 6 hours) sooner than you chop into it so it might set.

What are key limes?

“Widespread” limes, or Persian limes, are the limes we often see in grocery retailers. They’re greater, with a thicker peel and darkish inexperienced pores and pores and skin.

Key limes, additionally known as Mexican limes or West Indian limes, are small, spherical limes with a yellow-green coloration, skinny pores and pores and skin, and a shiny, intense lime style.

For tons additional particulars about key limes, don’t miss our detailed publish regarding the distinction between widespread limes and key limes!

Can you substitute widespread limes for key limes?

Utterly! Widespread limes will nonetheless produce a delicious pie. You don’t must make any modifications — merely use the equivalent amount of zest and juice generally known as for inside the recipe.

Are you able to make the most of bottled lime juice in key lime pie?

It’s true that you might buy bottled key lime juice, nevertheless I don’t advocate using it. Bottled juice merely doesn’t fashion the equivalent as up to date juice. It has a harsh, flat, one-dimensional fashion that’s far inferior to up to date juice. At any time when doable, I wish to suggest using up to date limes of any type instead of bottled lime juice.

Make-ahead and Storage Instructions

Key lime pie will remaining for as a lot as 5 days inside the fridge.

I don’t advocate making the filling far ahead of time, nevertheless you’ll prep the graham crust prematurely. You probably can assemble and bake the crust as directed, then retailer it inside the fridge for 7 days or inside the freezer for 3 months. Whilst you’re ready to utilize it, thaw it inside the fridge, then proceed with the recipe as instructed.

Key Lime Pie Recipe – SugarHero