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Looking for the PERFECT Key Lime Pie? You’ve found it! It has just the right amount of lime goodness, the texture is smooth and creamy and it tastes amazing!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
I am craving summer. And nothing says summer to me like a key lime pie. This delicious pie is like a Caribbean vacation for your mouth. The tart key lime flavor and the smooth custard is pretty amazing. I truly believe this is the perfect recipe and it is the next best thing to being in the Florida Keys!
What is a Key Lime?
The difference between a key lime and a Persian lime (the limes usually found in the grocery store) is mainly the size, color and a slight flavor difference. A key lime is smaller, a little more yellow in color and slightly tarter in flavor. Because they are not readily available in my grocery stores, I always use Nellie & Joe’s key lime juice, which works perfectly every time. The key lime juice is usually found in the juice aisle of the grocery store. Be sure and use key lime juice rather than the juice of a regular Persian lime for this easy key lime pie recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- Graham crackers crumbs
- Sugar
- Butter. I use salted butter
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Sour cream. Could substitute plain Greek Yogurt.
- Key lime juice
- Lime zest and Whipped Cream for garnish
How to Make Key Lime Pie
Graham Cracker Crust
- You can buy a pre made crust at the store, but a homemade graham cracker crust is so much better and so easy to make. All you need is graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. You can find my post on how to make a graham cracker crust here. It is the perfect base for this pie!
- Combine crumbs, sugar and butter. Mix until blended
- Press crumbs into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
- Bake the crust at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
- While the crust is baking, whisk together your key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and sour cream. Stir until it is completely combined and smooth.
- Pour the key lime mixture into your graham cracker crust. You don’t have to wait for the crust to cool before filling it because it’s going right back into the oven.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Watch for little bubbles to form just underneath the surface of the pie, turn off the oven and let it sit in the warm oven for another 30 minutes. Just make sure to remove it before the pie starts to turn brown.
- Allow it to cool after removing it from the oven and then chill it in the refrigerator overnight to allow it to set up. The waiting is the hardest par!! But I promise, it’s worth the wait.
- Top the pie with whipped cream. Follow my directions for making perfect whipped cream here using a stand mixer and a whisk attachment. I don’t sweeten the whipped cream because the pie is so sweet. I do add the vanilla to the whipped cream though.
- Put the whipped cream in a piping bag with a large start tip to get the great border on my pie above. Then sprinkle a little key lime zest onto the whipped cream, add a lime slice as a garnish and you’ve got perfection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Key Lime Pie need to be refrigerated?
Keep uneaten pie in the refrigerator. The pie will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator and freezes well when stored airtight for 1-2 months.
Can I use regular limes instead of key limes?
You can but there will be a slight difference in flavor. I always use key lime juice.
Favorite Pie Recipes
Here are a few more of my favorite pie recipes.
Other favorite key lime treats:
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Key Lime Pie Recipe
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 5 Tbsp butter melted
- 2 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup key lime juice
- grated lime zest for garnish
- Whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
Crust
- Combine crumbs, sugar and butter. Mix until blended
- Press crumbs into bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie panBake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F
Pie
- Combine sweetened condensed milk, sour cream and key lime juice. Stir until smooth
- Pour into pie pan
- Bake for 10 minutes in 350 degree oven, until tiny bubbles form on the surface.
- Turn off oven and let pie sit in oven for 30 minutes – do not allow to brown.
- Chill before serving
- Garnish with whipped cream and lime zest
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Glenna Przybylski says
Delicious key lime pie. Turns out perfect every time.
Sburgess says
Hands down, the best key lime pie I’ve ever made!!
Connie says
10 out of 10! Delicious!