A great Key Lime Pie should be tangy, creamy, and perfectly balanced—not bitter. This version focuses on bitterness management, because the truth is, even a perfect recipe can go wrong if the limes are handled harshly.
Last time I made this, I used a one-pound bag of key limes, and it wasn’t enough—I needed closer to two pounds to get the full amount of juice. But the real secret lies in how you squeeze them. Press gently to release juice without forcing the bitter oils from the rind. Over-squeezing can make even the best key lime pie taste acrid instead of bright.
The texture of this pie is one of the most luscious you’ll ever taste—smooth, custardy, and balanced with just the right bite of citrus. The combination of sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and sour cream gives it body and depth, while the graham cracker crust adds that buttery crunch.
Skip the vanilla here; the pure lime flavor deserves the spotlight. This is the kind of classic key lime pie recipe that brings Florida sunshine to your table—creamy, tart, and unforgettable.
Classic Key Lime Pie – Silky Perfection
Ingredients
- Crust:
1½ cups (≈ 150–160 g) graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
Pinch kosher salt
6 Tbsp (≈ 85 g) unsalted butter, melted
- Filling:
Zest of 2 key limes (reserve some for garnish)
¾ to 1 cup fresh key lime juice (≈ 180–240 ml) — adjust depending on your limes’ strength
2 (14-oz) cans sweetened condensed milk (so ~28 oz total)
1/2 cup sour cream
4–6 large egg yolks (depending on size, I tend to use around 5)
Pinch of fine salt
- Topping / Garnish:
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, well chilled
1 heaping TBSP sugar
½ tsp vanilla
Additional lime zest or thin key lime slices
Directions
- Preheat & prepare crust
Preheat oven to ~350 °F (175 °C).
Mix graham crumbs + sugars + salt, then pour in melted butter and stir until well combined. Press firmly into bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep dish pie plate (crust thickness ~¼ inch).
Bake crust for ~8–10 minutes (until lightly golden) to set it and prevent sogginess. Let it cool while preparing filling. - Make the filling
Zest first (so you don’t lose your oils).
In a bowl, whisk together the lime zest and egg yolks to bring out aroma.
Add sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, and salt; whisk until smooth.
Juice the limes - be very careful, if you squeeze the whole lime too aggressively, you will introduce a lot of bitterness. As such, ensure not to squeeze the skin of the lime and just focus on carefully extracting the juice.
Gradually whisk in the key lime juice. The acid begins to react with the dairy and yolks, starting the thickening process.
Taste (carefully) — you want a sharp brightness, but if your limes are extremely tart you could hold back a Tbsp of juice and adjust at the end. - Bake
Pour filling into the cooled crust.
Lower oven temperature to ~325 °F (163 °C) (some recipes do this step) and bake ~25-35 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is just a bit wobbly (it should move as one unit, not look liquid). The internal temperature of the pie, with the thermometer inserted about 2/3 of the way from the edge, should register at 160F. It might even take 40 minutes, but watch very closely and don't overbake. This recipe, due to increased size does take longer to bake than many other recipes for this pie.
Let cool in the pan to room temperature, then refrigerate (uncovered) for at least 4–6 hours (or ideally overnight). - Finish & serve
Whip the heavy cream + sugar + vanilla to medium/stiff peaks and spread or pipe decoratively over the chilled pie.
Garnish with extra lime zest or thin slices of key lime.
Keep chilled until serving.
