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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 249 votes

Key Lime Pie

This authentic Key Lime Pie recipe comes straight from Savannah, Georgia. It is smooth and creamy with the perfect blend of tart and sweet.
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 great as a substitute or in addition to fresh squeezed key lime juice.
Pie Crust Options: A graham cracker crust is the 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. My personal preference is Biscoff cookies - so good!
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