Key Lime Pie

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Martha's classic recipe is simple to make—and absolutely delicious.

Homemade Key Lime Pie
6:39
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr
Servings:
8
Yield:
1 pie

It's hard to beat Martha's classic Key lime pie recipe. Made with just a few ingredients, it's easy to pull together and has an irresistible flavor. Some versions of the pie use a pastry crust—food historians say this was the original crust, but it was supplanted by the graham cracker crust, which was preferred for ease. We stick with graham crackers here, which are combined with melted butter and a touch of sugar, then baked until crispy and undeniably delicious. Seek out Key limes if you can find them as they really do make the most wonderful filling—and don't skimp on the whipped cream topping.

Five Reasons Why We Love Condensed Milk So Much
Key lime pie with a slice served on a plate garnished with lime slices alongside a serving utensil

Jacob Fox

What Are Key Limes?

Also known as Mexican or West Indian limes, Key limes are prized for their high juice content and intense aroma. They are smaller than standard limes (also known as Persian limes) and have a thin, leathery skin.

Choose Key limes that are heavy for their size, firm, and shiny. Store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator—or keep them on the counter if you plan to use them within a few days. Note that you'll need to squeeze between 15 and 20 Key limes to reach 1/2 cup of juice.

If you can't locate Key limes, you can make this recipe with standard limes instead. The flavor of the filling will be a bit less intense but still very delicious.

Sweetened Condensed Milk vs. Evaporated Milk

Sweetened condensed milk is a key ingredient in our smooth and creamy Key lime pie. It's made by combining whole milk with sugar, then slowly cooking the mixture until it's reduced to a thick and syrupy consistency. Sold in cans, it has quite a long shelf life and is worth stashing in your pantry for anything from pies and poundcake to homemade fudge.

When shopping, be sure to not confuse sweetened condensed milk with evaporated milk—although the products look similar, they cannot be used interchangeably. Evaporated milk is less thick and does not contain any added sugar. It's more commonly used in savory applications like macaroni and cheese, soups, and casseroles.

Directions

Key lime pie ingredients arranged in bowls and containers

Jacob Fox

  1. Preheat oven and make crust:

    Heat oven to 375°F. Combine graham-cracker crumbs, butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl; mix well.

    Bowl of crumb mixture with a wooden spoon

    Jacob Fox

  2. Press crust into pie plate and bake:

    Press into a 9-inch pie plate, and bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled.

    Graham cracker pie crust in a round baking dish

    Jacob Fox

    Make filling:

    Lower oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, gently whisk together condensed milk, egg yolks, Key lime juice, and zest. Pour into the prepared, cooled crust.

    Pouring a pie filling mixture into a crumb crust in a dish

    Jacob Fox

    Baked key lime pie in a dish with a graham cracker crust

    Jacob Fox

  3. Bake and cool pie:

    Return pie to oven, and bake until the center is set but still quivers when the pan is nudged, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

    A prepared key lime pie in a baking dish on a cooling rack shown overhead

    Jacob Fox

  4. Make whipped cream topping:

    Shortly before serving, combine cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

  5. Spoon cream over pie; add zest:

    Spoon over cooled pie; garnish with zest. Serve immediately.

How to Store Key Lime Pie

Key lime pie should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze the dessert, wrapped well in plastic followed by a layer of foil, for up to 3 months; thaw frozen pie in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying.

Variations and Other Topping Ideas

Crust: If you can't find graham crackers, use ginger snaps or speculoos cookies (such as Biscoff) instead.

Filling: A combination of lemon and lime juice can be swapped in for all lime juice, though it will change the flavor of the filling somewhat.

Topping: Finishing this Key lime pie with a layer of pillowy whipped cream and a sprinkling of lime zest is easy and delicious. Alternatively, you can pipe the cream around the edge, leaving the center bare, and garnish with thin lime wheels or a few pieces of candied lime peel.

5 More Key Lime Recipes to Try

Updated by
Esther Reynolds
Headshot of Esther Reynolds
Esther Reynolds
Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.
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