Easy Key Lime Pie

A key lime pie with a graham cracker crust and whipped cream pinwheels along the edges of the top of the pie.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Chill time: 3

Total Time: 3 45

Servings: people

Calories: 568kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

This Key Lime Pie is the perfect blend of sweet and tart. This recipe is so much easier to make than you'd think...especially if you go with bottled Key lime juice! Enjoy!!

Print Recipe

Equipment

9-inch pie dish

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 cup graham crackers pulverized (use a food processor or rolling pin)
1 cup vanilla wafers pulverized (use a food processor or rolling pin)
8 tablespoon unsalted butter melted, 1 stick
½ cup sugar

For the Filling

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
½ cup key lime juice
8 oz sour cream

For the Topping

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Lime slices for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the Pie Crust

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium-sized bowl, use a fork to mix together the pulverized cookies, melted butter, and sugar (it will still be very crumbly).
1 cup graham crackers, 1 cup vanilla wafers, 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, ½ cup sugar
Press into a 9-inch pie dish. Use the back of a spoon or flat measuring cup to compact the mixture, which should go up the sides of the dish.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool on a rack.

Make the Filling

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine the condensed milk, egg yolks, juice, and sour cream in a medium bowl, and whisk until fully blended and smooth. Pour into the cooled pie crust (it will only go about halfway up the sides).
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, 3 egg yolks, ½ cup key lime juice, 8 oz sour cream
Bake the pie for 15 minutes.
Remove and let cool for at least 15 minutes. Then refrigerate for at least 3 hours to let the filling set.

Make the Topping and Finish the Pie

Place a medium/large metal mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.
1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Remove bowl from the freezer and add sugar, cream, and vanilla (if using).
Using an electric hand mixer (or stand up mixer, or by hand with a whisk)...beat the cream on high until medium peaks form (about 5 minutes). If doing by hand...this will take about 20 minutes.
Pipe the whipped cream to the top of the pie, or spread over completely with a small spatula. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.
Lime slices

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video near the top of the recipe for visual guidance.

For the crust, we love using a combination of our favorite cookies that we've pulverized in our food processor. Wonderful choices are graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or gingersnap. If you don't have a food processor, you can place the cookies in a baggy and crush them with a mallet, hammer, rolling pin, or bottle.

You will most likely have some of the crust mixture leftover. It's amazing as a topping for ice cream.

Be sure to let the crust completely cool after baking before pouring in the batter. You can expedite this process by placing the pie dish on a hot pad in the fridge or freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Regular lime juice can certainly be substituted for key lime juice, however, key lime juice can be found in the juice aisle of most well-stocked supermarkets, or bought online.

The topping can be made up to 4 hours in advance.

The pie keeps in the refrigerator for up 1 one week. You can wrap the pie in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw completely before serving.

Nutrition