This easy Key Lime pie recipe is one of my all-time favorites, made with a homemade graham cracker crust and a simple, 4-ingredient filling.

My love for homemade pie is no secret, and if you’re looking for pies that are no-bake, or extra quick and easy try my Peanut Butter Pie, No Bake Cheesecake, or Pecan Pie.

Homemade Key Lime Pie with one slice taken out.

What I love about this recipe:

  • EASY – The most amateur baker in the world will look like a pro after making this key lime pie. It’s so simple and fool-proof.
  • Three-Ingredient Crust – Store-bought crusts are flavorless and flimsy! My easy graham cracker crust recipe makes this pie next-level. A gingersnap cookie crust is also delicious with it, especially around the holidays.
  • Fast and Can Make Ahead – You can make and bake this pie in about 35 minutes, and it’s a great one to make in advance because it stays good for several days.

Ingredients Needed:

  • Graham cracker crust: Please take 5 minutes to make it from scratch! Tastes so much better!
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Cream Cheese: Use full fat cream cheese, and make sure it has softened to room temperature. It adds stability and extra creaminess to the filling.
  • Key Lime Juice: (available bottled, at most grocery stores)
  • Lime Zest
  • Heavy Cream, for garnish
The ingredients needed to make the BEST Key Lime Pie recipe: Key Lime Juice, Graham Cracker Crust, Lime Zest, Sweetened Condensed Milk, and Cream Cheese.

How to Make Key Lime Pie:

Beat Cream Cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth.

Cream Cheese in a mixing bowl all mixed around.

Add sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest and mix until smooth.

The batter for Key Lime Pie in a glass mixing bowl with lime zest sprinkled on top.

Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.

A homemade key lime pie ready to bake.

Refrigerate: Allow the pie to cool completely, then refrigerate for a few hours to give it time to set up, before serving.

A fork cutting a bite of a piece of easy Key Lime Pie.

Limes vs Key Limes; What’s the difference?

The most common limes found in US grocery stores are called Persian limes. You’ll notice key limes are a lot smaller than regular limes (only around 1 ½ inches in diameter) have a more intense flavor, and contain more seeds.

Pro Tips:

  • Use Key Lime Juice: There are 2 ways you can get key lime juice for this recipe. Juice about 20 of your own small key limes, or do what I do and buy a bottle of Nellie’s Key Lime Juice (available at most grocery stores). I don’t recommend substituting regular lime juice for key lime juice, but if you have to, make sure the limes are fresh squeezed.
  • The Secret Ingredient: The addition of a little cream cheese adds stability to the filling and an extra smooth and creamy texture. You won’t notice a cream cheese taste.
  • Use Full Fat Cream Cheese and Sweetened Condensed Milk: The low fat options won’t allow the pie to set up as well.
  • Fresh Lime Zest is Essential! It gives an extra boost of flavor and it adds little specks of green to the filling that help give the pie it’s signature look.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: You can make the graham cracker crust and mix the filling a few days in advance and store in the fridge until ready to assemble and bake. Baked key lime pie will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

To Freeze: Allow pie to cool completely. Add a small piece of parchment paper on top of the pie, then cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze key lime pie for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator.

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Recipe

A Key Lime Pie with one piece taken out.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 35 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
  

Graham cracker crust:*

  • cups ground graham crackers (about 12 full sheets, crushed)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons butter , melted

Key Lime Filling:

  • 2 14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
  • ¾ cup key lime juice*
  • zest from 2 regular limes , or 4 key limes

Whipped Cream Topping:

Instructions
 

  • Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl. Pour crumb mixture into an 8" – 9.5" pie pan and press it firmly in the bottom of the pan and a little bit up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the Filling:

  • Make the filling: Add cream cheese to a mixing bowl and beat well with electric beaters until smooth. Add both cans of sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest and mix again until smooth. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Allow pie to cool for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, before serving.
  • Whipped Cream Toppings: Add heavy cream to a mixing bowl and beat with electric mixers for 1 minute. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe the whipped cream on top of the cooled pie.

Notes

Gingersnap Cookie Crust: Assemble and bake the same way.
  • 1 ½ cups crunchy gingersnap cookie crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
Key Lime Juice: either juice about 20 small key limes, or (recommended) use a bottle of Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice (available at most grocery stores).
Make Ahead Instructions: You can make the graham cracker crust and mix the filling a few days in advance and store in the fridge until ready to assemble and bake. Baked key lime pie will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezing Instructions: Allow pie to cool completely. Add a small piece of parchment paper on top of the pie, then cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze key lime pie for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 7gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 242mgPotassium: 309mgSugar: 46gVitamin A: 780IUVitamin C: 6.4mgCalcium: 222mgIron: 0.6mg

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I originally shared this recipe August 2017. Updated November 2019 and May 2022 and November 2022.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Great results! Absolutely DELICIOUS! The pie was so easy to make…although I clearly need to step up my pie decorating game (pic posted on Instagram).

  2. 5 stars
    Well, my girlfriend thinks it’s the greatest thing ever and is super upset I gave it 2 stars. She says it deserves 5 stars. Visually and texturally I agree, it’s perfect. Maybe I needed that zest? The flavors definitely mellow after 24 hours? I still want to try different variations to know the possibilities🤣 Thanks Lauren!

  3. 2 stars
    My pie came out beautifully using the exact ingredients shown in the recipe. Perfect crust and topping with ideal firmness in the filling. My only complaint is how the filling has a condensed milk after taste. Which some people might enjoy. I know other recipes substitute 3 eggs for a second can of condensed milk though, which I assume would mellow out that distinct condensed milk flavor. In Lauren’s defense, I skimped on the lime zest which might have done the trick but… I’m under the impression that condensed milk in abundance will always compete to be the flavor at the forefront? What do I know, I’m a total pie rookie. If the 3 egg trick doesn’t work in the next one, I’ll do this one again with the zest and see if it changes. Thanks for teaching me something- J

  4. 3 stars
    Thanks for sharing your culinary talents with us. I wanted to give you some honest feedback on my outcome of making this. I love how simple this recipe is! I made this last night as a test run for our family Christmas dinner. Wanted to bring something light and tasty and unique for dessert after the big evening. And I love Key Lime Pie!! Unfortunately, I was disappointed and don’t know where things went wrong. I measured twice and checked the recipe to be sure.
    I am a gal who eats fresh lime and lemons so it’s strong when I say that this is way too tart even for my tastes. My roommate barely touched any.
    I also had to cook it for nearly 20 minutes instead of 10, to get the outer 2 inches to set, unfair now slightly browned.
    I think way more cream cheese, less juice, and some vanilla might work, and a lower oven temperature may help. After 30 minutes cooled on the counter and overnight refrigeration the center is pudding.
    Thank you!

  5. 5 stars
    I made this for the first time to take for my mother-in-law for her birthday 🎂 The whole family loved it 😋 Even the professional chefs in the family lived it ❤️ Thank you so much for sharing 😊

  6. This pie is delicious. Used the ginger snap crust alternative! Just Heavenly. Thanks Lauren for all your great recipes!

  7. This recipe was so easy to prepare. My family raved. Will be making this pie again. The Key lime juice was easy to find here in Florida. I added the juice of the limes too for extra tartness. Delish :o)

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