Key Lime Pie is a quick and easy crowd-pleasing dessert with only 15 minutes of prep time. Made with a graham cracker crust, tangy lime juice, sweet condensed milk, rich egg yolks, and topped with whipped heavy cream, it’s a guaranteed success!
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make the key lime pie one or two days ahead and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Decorate the pie with whipped cream topping right before serving.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use sour cream or heavy cream instead of Greek yogurt
- Biscoff cookies, vanilla wafers, or digestive cookies also work well for the crust.
- If you want to save your time and not squeeze out juice from limes, you can use bottled key lime juice.
- Toppings. You can decorate your key lime pie with meringue instead of whipped cream.
Store and freezing Instructions
Storing. Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in a refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing. I recommend freezing key lime pie without whipped cream topping. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe ziploc bag or an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The texture can be slightly watery.
Easy 35-Minute Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust:
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- pinch of salt
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
For the key lime pie filling:
- 28 oz sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tbsp lime zest
- pinch of salt
For the whipped cream topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt using a fork. Pour in the melted butter and mix until combined. Transfer this mixture to a 9-inch pie pan. Using the back of a measuring cup, press the graham cracker crumbs mixture to the bottom and sides of the pan creating a crust.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the crust is fragrant and starts to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, Greek yogurt, egg yolks, lime juice, lime zest, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Pour the filling over the pie crust and spread evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes. The center should jiggle slightly, but the edges look set. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack. Then, chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
- When 3 hours of chilling is almost passed, prepare the whipped cream topping. Using an electric mixer, beat together the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and salt until medium peaks form. Spread over the chilled pie. Decorate with lime slices and sprinkle with lime zest. Slice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions about Key Lime Pie
1. Can I use bottled lime juice instead of fresh?
I highly recommend using fresh lime juice, but you can substitute bottled lime juice for the same amount. Fresh lime juice has a brighter taste, better flavor, and no preservatives.
2. What if I can’t find graham crackers for the crust?
You can use Biscoff cookies, vanilla wafers, or digestive cookies instead.
3. What’s the best way to zest limes without special tools?
If you don’t have a citrus zester, you can use a box grater or a cheese grater. If you don’t have any of them, just omit the lime zest in this recipe.
4. How long does the pie need to chill before serving?
Remove the pie from the oven and let cool completely before placing it in the refrigerator. Then, let the key lime pie chill for at least 2-3 hours in the refrigerator, or even overnight.
5. Do I need an electric mixer for the whipped cream topping?
Usually, I use an electric mixer to whip the heavy cream because it’s quick and easy, but if you don’t have an electric mixer, you can whip the cream with a hand whisk.
6. How do I know when the pie filling is set?
Bake the key lime pie at 350°F for about 15 minutes. The pie filling will be set when the center is slightly jiggly, but the edges look set.
7. Can I make this pie ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
