Key Lime Pie Recipe

Prepare crumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form (alternatively, put crackers in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin). Measure 1 1/2 cups crumbs.

Combine and press

In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and a pinch of salt. Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter until just melted and pour into the crumbs. Stir until evenly moistened and mixture holds together when pressed.

Form crust and bake

Transfer crumb mixture to a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish. Press evenly along the bottom and up the sides (use the bottom of a measuring cup for an even press). Bake in preheated oven 8–10 minutes until fragrant and slightly set. Remove and let cool while preparing filling. Reduce oven to 325°F (160°C).

Temper and combine yolks (optional step for safety)

In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk 4 large egg yolks briefly. Warm 1/4 cup of the lime juice gently in a small saucepan until just warm (do not boil). Slowly drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the warm lime juice into the yolks while whisking to temper, then gradually whisk in the remaining warm juice. This step reduces risk from raw yolks; alternatively proceed without warming if using very fresh eggs and you prefer the classic method.

Make filling

In a large bowl, combine one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, the tempered yolks (or raw yolks if you skipped tempering), the remaining lime juice (if you warmed 1/4 cup earlier subtract that amount so total equals 2/3 cup), and 1 tablespoon key lime zest. Whisk until smooth and uniformly pale. Taste and add a small pinch of freshly ground black pepper if desired (this is optional but brightens citrus).

Fill and bake

Pour filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 12–15 minutes, or until the filling is mostly set but still has a tiny jiggle in the center. Avoid overbaking to keep it creamy. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature on a wire rack for about 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 3 hours (preferably 6 hours or overnight) to fully set.

Chill tools

About 20 minutes before whipping, place a medium mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk) in the refrigerator to chill. Cold equipment helps cream whip faster and hold structure.

Whip cream

Pour 1 cup heavy cream into the chilled bowl. Add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (about 2–3 minutes). Stop when peaks hold shape but are still silky — do not overbeat or it will become grainy.

Assemble and garnish

Remove chilled pie from refrigerator. Dollop or pipe whipped cream around the pie edge or in individual slices. Sprinkle the additional lime zest or arrange thin lime slices on top for garnish. Refrigerate any leftover pie covered.