This Key Lime Pie recipe comes straight from Savannah, Georgia. It is smooth and creamy with the perfect blend of tart and sweet.
A Southern Favorite
I got this Key Lime Pie recipe when I was visiting Savannah, Georgia with my friend, Amie. Savannah has got to be one of the most beautiful and charming cities ever. We had so much fun touring the historic city squares, walking along the river, and eating! We went to Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room for a southern style dinner that was incredible. We had to wait in line for a while to get in, but, it was totally worth it. It was southern cooking and hospitality at it’s best.
When we were shopping downtown, I found this recipe on a magnet. Key lime pie has got to be my favorite kind of pie so I bought it and tried it out as soon as I got home. I made it for my family and we can’t get enough of it! I love how tangy and sweet it is. This is a super easy recipe (it is even EASIER if you just buy a pre-made graham cracker crust). It is now a favorite family recipe!
The Key Lime Color
Now, traditional key lime pie is not bright green in color. It is more of a pale greenish-yellow color. Sometimes we like to add a little green food coloring if we are making this for St. Patrick’s day or to make the green “pop” a little more. Most of the time we just leave it how it is though.
Key Lime Pie Topping
This key lime pie is perfect for the summer time when you are wanting a nice, cool, citrusy dessert. Some people prefer to have their key lime pie with a meringue topping instead of using whipped cream. We have topped this key lime pie with the meringue recipe from our Lemon Meringue Pie and it is FABULOUS. Try it both ways and decide which way you like it best!
How to Make Key Lime Pie
Key Lime Pie
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers
- 4 large egg yolks
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 lime
- 1/4 cup key lime juice
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- Whipped topping to garnish
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Melt butter, add sugar and then add crushed crackers.
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Spread evenly into 9" pie plate and press onto bottom and sides to form an even crust.
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Chill for an hour until firm OR bake at 375-degrees for 5 min and allow to cool before filling.
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Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
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With electric mixer beat the egg yolks until they are thick and turn to a light yellow (it takes a while, just keep beating).
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Slowly add sweetened condensed milk while mixing on a low speed.
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Zest 1 lime, then juice it. Pour the fresh lime juice into a 1/2 cup measuring cup then fill the cup with the Key Lime juice to make a full 1/2 cup of juice. (I like the Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice.)
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Gradually add the lime juice and zest and continue to mix on a low speed just until blended.
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Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell and bake 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
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Serve with a garnish of whipped topping and a small slice of lime if desired.
More Delicious Pie Recipes from Favorite Family Recipes
- Coconut Cream Pie – Coconut Cream Pie is a dreamy island dessert with a flaky crust, coconut filling that is made from scratch, and toasted coconut sprinkles.
- Creamy Lemon Pie – This Creamy Lemon Pie is packed full of tart, lemon flavor and creamy goodness. This recipe is super easy to make and is always a crowd pleaser!
- Butterscotch Pie – This creamy butterscotch filling is spread into a flaky pie crust and drizzled with butterscotch topping then sprinkled with butterscotch chips. It’s basically a butterscotch lovers dream.
- Island Pecan Pie – Loaded with coconut, pecans, and pineapple, this pie is creamy and full of flavor.
- German Chocolate Pie – This pie recipe comes straight from Amish country. The rich, gooey, chocolate filling is to die for!
Jana and Kyla says
I've been looking for a good Key Lime Pie recipe…think I just found it! Thanks!
Bea sandridge says
I have never had success with my key lime getting firm With any recipe
Christy says
I love, love, love Key Lime Pie!!!
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Linda Chipman says
I made this key lime pie for Sunday dinner and my family said it was the best key lime pie ever. I loved that it was so easy to make.
Jamie says
What if I live in Missouri & it’s January & I can’t use Key limes?!
Erica says
hmm… if you are in desperate need of key limes you could probably find a place that will ship them to you!
mk brighton says
If you live in St.Louis Dierbergs market carries key limes. But it is not necessary..I use the liquid from Nellies & Joes and it tastes fine. I have made at least 5 of these pies this month. It has been so cold and this just screams…warmth and sand and sun!!!
Erica says
Couldn’t agree more!
sel says
that is easy….ever heard of Roses lime? Used
in making margaritas…..it works in a pinch…
And it is tasty.
Michael says
Sel, with all due respect, as the owner/operator of a chain of nightclubs, we use Rose’s in mixed drinks, but my opinion is that it has a twinge of bitterness after taste to it, which might not translate well into this recipe. Same as grocery store bottled lime juice (ReaLime brand), which is not nearly as clean and bright in flavor as real squeezed limes. Although, its companion brand “ReaLemon” is totally satisfactory to use in place of real squeezed lemons, and does not have that “off” after taste that Rose’s and ReaLime has. Note, that I have not tried your suggestion in this recipe so I could stand corrected. Just a cautionary.
Natasha says
I’m so excited to make this! This may sound like a dumb question, but in your ingredients you say you need 1/4 cup lime juice but in the method it says you put half a cup in. Is this on the basis that you’d be getting 1/4 cup from the actual lime but then you must add another 1/4 cup of lime juice? Sorry, it’s probably a silly question but I don’t want to accidentally make the most sour pie in the world haha. Thanks x
Erica says
That is right, you use 1/4 c. fresh and 1/4 c. of the key lime– making 1/2 c total
sel says
In this particular recipe for the key lime pie….notice the canned milk used, it is very sweet, and believe me condensed milk takes
it to another level of sweetness. So go ahead and use what the recipe indicates. No fear!
There are many recipes out there for this pie, and i have tried them all……
sel says
all one has to do is remember the color of the inside of the lime….it is never bright green. Take it from there.
Jocelyn says
This was delicious, and so easy. Thank you for helping me find my go to key lime pie recipe!
Erica says
Thank you for taking the time to comment! Glad you liked it 🙂
Yara says
Can we use lemon instead??
Echo says
Yes, it will absolutely work with lemon. We also have these lemon pie recipes you can try:
https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/creamy-lemon-pie/
https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/sour-cream-lemon-pie/
https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/moms-lemon-meringue-pie/
Yara says
Can we use lemon instead?
Echo says
Yes, it will absolutely work with lemon. We also have these lemon pie recipes you can try:
https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/creamy-lemon-pie/
https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/sour-cream-lemon-pie/
https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/moms-lemon-meringue-pie/
Elizabeth says
This may be a silly question but would it be okay to just use a 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice?
Echo says
Yes, you can definitely do that. The key lime juice has a slightly different flavor, but either will taste great!
Tina says
I am not huge fan of Key Lime pie but husband loves it. I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago and he said it was the best ever. I tried it and I really liked it. I am making it again today. Thank you.
Erica says
So glad you and your husband liked it! This is our favorite recipe for Key Lime Pie hands-down (and we are big fans too)!
Debra Bland says
Do you have to refrigerate the pie to firm it.I put it in the oven at 350 degrees and it rose up some but still had a lot liquid.so I put it in refrigerator.
Favorite Family Recipes says
That should be totally fine. If it was still liquid-y I would but it in the refrigerator to firm. Hope this helps!
Andrea says
I can’t find key limes in my local store, can I use regular lime juice?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Yes you can, they just won’t have that key lime tangy-ness. Hope this helps!
Julie says
How far in advance can you make this? This looks like a good recipe and I can’t wait to try it.
Favorite Family Recipes says
You can make this probably 2 days in advance … I wouldn’t do much longer than that. Hope this helps!
Hugo John Charles Skucek says
Sounds very delicious, as I live in Brazil, can you tell
me what the crackers are and what can I use as a substitute.?
We have wonderful limes here in Bahia , can I use all this juice etc.
Thank you so much.
Hugo Skucek
Favorite Family Recipes says
Hi Hugo– Graham crackers might be tricky to find in Brazil. If you can’t find them, you can use Nilla Wafers, ginger snaps, or any kind of plain vanilla cookie. Even animal crackers. Hope this helps!
Sheila Capute says
Can this pie be frozen? How long will it keep frozen?
Favorite Family Recipes says
We haven’t tried freezing it before but it I’m sure it is possible. I wouldn’t keep it frozen than more than a couple weeks, if it were me. I don’t like the freezer flavor so the less time in the freezer (at least for me) the better!
Rob says
Excelent recipe !!! It was a hit !! Will make again !!!
Lorelei Bachman says
Absolutely perfect. I have tried many that did not set up or were too sweet. This is as good as the restaurant with the best key lime pie where I live. Thanks for sharing.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Thank you for the compliment! I love this recipe. It turns out perfect every time. I’m also a fan of the tartness of the pie. I’m so glad you like it!
Gemma says
How do you add the meringue topping? Do you bake the key lime first then reduce the temp and add the top and then bake the extra 10 minutes or add the topping before baking the key lime?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Hey Gemma- Usually we don’t go meringue topping on the Key Lime pie but if you would like to, you can use these instructions from our lemon meringue pie: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/moms-lemon-meringue-pie/ Hope this helps!
Nikyah says
Love this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Ellen says
I made this last night. I found it to be way too sweet. Next time I will use a cup and a half of lime juice and five egg yolks.
John Shupe says
As a variant, you can whip the whites from the eggs until stiff peaks form and fold them into the milk, yolk and juice mixture. Fill the crust and bake as directed in the recipe. Makes for a lighter textured pie and cuts a bit of the sweetness. Plus it uses up those pesky extra whites.
FWIW – I have made variations of this pie using real key limes, bottled key lime juice, RealLime lime juice and fresh juice from standard limes. They ALL work and they all make delicious pies. The fresh lime juice just makes an EXTRA delicious pie…
Favorite Family Recipes says
Great ideas, thank you for suggestions and also for sharing your information about the lime juices. Super helpful!