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A slice of the best key lime pie being served with a pie server, southern recipe.
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5 from 248 votes

Easy Key Lime Pie

"This has got to be the best key lime pie I have ever made. The recipe was so easy to make. My husband requests this pie at least once a month. It has become our all time favorite.” – Reba
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Key Lime, Key Lime Pie, Pie
Servings: 8
Calories: 342kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 1/3 cup butter melted
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

For the filling:

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 6 key limes for zesting and juicing
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice (if needed)
  • whipped topping to garnish (optional)

Instructions

For the crust:

  • Combine melted butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in crushed graham crackers.
    Graham cracker crumbs in a bowl with melted butter to make a key lime pie crust recipe.
  • Spread evenly into 9-inch pie plate and press onto bottom and sides to form an even crust. The bottom of a measuring cup works great for pressing the crumbs firmly into the pie plate.
    Chill for an hour until firm OR bake at 375-degrees for 5 min and allow to cool before filling.
    A graham cracker crust being pressed down with the back of a measuring cup, making the bottom of a key lime pie crust.

For the filling:

  • Preheat oven to 350-degrees. 
    Zest key limes until there are 2 teaspoons of zest, then juice them. Pour the fresh key lime juice into a 1/2 cup measuring cup.
    If the 1/2 cup isn't filled, add bottled key lime juice to fill it completely.
    A box grater with zested and juiced limes next to it in preparation to make a key lime pie recipe.
  • Whisk the egg yolks until they are thick and turn to a light yellow. Use a stand mixer or an electric mixer. Slowly add sweetened condensed milk while mixing on a low speed. 
    Key lime pie filling being mixed with electric beaters so the texture is smooth and creamy.
  • Gradually add the key lime juice and zest and continue to mix on a low speed just until blended.
    Key lime pie filling being mixed with electric beaters
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell and bake 15 minutes.
    Creamy key lime pie filling being poured into a graham cracker crust for a southern-style key lime pie.
  • Remove and let it cool to room temperate then store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
    A key lime pie after the filling has been poured into the crust
  • Serve with a garnish of whipped topping lime slices and little lime zest, if desired.
    Key Lime pie ready to serve with a pie serve on the side, Savannah style recipe.

Video

Notes

Lime Juice Tip: If using key limes, you'll need about 15-25 key limes to get 1/2 cup of juice. They're small but flavorful! No time to juice? High quality bottled juice like Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Juice works beautifully as a substitute or in addition to fresh squeezed key lime juice.
Pie Crust Options: A graham cracker crust is a classic crust for this pie. However, you can switch things up by using vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, or Biscoff cookies in place of the graham crackers.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the whole pie (without the whipped topping) for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 228mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 499IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 1mg