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Homemade key lime pie
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5 from 7 votes

Key Lime Pie Recipe

This Classic Key Lime Pie Recipe has a graham cracker crust, key lime custard filling and whipped cream topping. It's totally from scratch!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 255kcal
Author: Dorothy Kern
Cost: $8

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups (157g) graham cracker crumbs (about 9 full graham cracker sheets)
  • 1/4 cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • 7 tablespoons (99g) unsalted butter, melted

Key Lime Pie Filling:

  • 1 14 ounce can (390g) sweetened condensed milk full fat
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 4 ounces key lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons key lime zest

Whipped Cream:

  • 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar optional (see note)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make the crust:

  • If starting from graham cracker sheets, place them in a bag and seal the bag except for the edge (to allow air to escape). Roll with a rolling pin to crush the graham crackers.
  • Add crushed grahams to the melted butter with the brown sugar and stir with a fork. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
  • Bake the pie crust for 7 minutes and leave the oven on.

Make the filling:

  • When crust is done pre-baking, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, key lime juice, and zest. Pour into crust.
  • Bake an additional 20-22 minutes or until top is set.
  • Cool completely before topping with whipped cream or serving.

Make the whipped cream:

  • Beat cold heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. If desired, add cream of tartar during mixing to create a more stabilized cream (see note).
  • Store pie in refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s best to top with whipped cream right before serving. Garnish with lime slices, if desired.

Video

Notes

  • Learn how to make whipped cream here.
  • You don’t have to add cream of tartar to your whipped cream, but if you are planning to let the pie sit out for a bit or want to top it a few hours before serving, it will help stabilize the whipped cream.
  • Can’t find key limes? Use bottled Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice instead and the zest of regular limes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 678IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg