Key Lime Pie

This homemade Key Lime Pie is made with fresh lime juice, creamy sweetened condensed milk, and a crunchy gluten-free oat graham crust. It’s the kind of pie that’s tart, sweet, and smooth all at once, and a perfect dessert for spring and summer, just like these Easy Key Lime Mousse Tarts. You only need a few ingredients for this pie, and the hardest part is waiting for it to chill.

Key Lime Pie is an American classic dessert, and I always wonder why I don’t make it more often! It’s just so good. The perfect balance of tart and sweet shines in recipes like this one. If you love that combination, you’ll want to try my Lemon Mousse Filled Crepe Cups with Berries and Frozen Lemonade Pie. That citrusy zing paired with creamy texture is what makes these desserts so refreshing and crowd-pleasing.

Homemade Key Lime Pie

This recipe has a few steps to it, but it’s so worth it. The hardest part is zesting and juicing all of the key limes. Since key limes are smaller than regular limes, it will take more of them to get the amount of zest and juice needed. For this recipe, I used about 15 key limes and the zest from 5 of those. You can use regular limes (4 – 6 limes for the juice and zest from 2). While you can use bottled lime juice, using fresh key limes is best.

The filling is made with sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest. The homemade graham cracker crust is made from Nairn’s gluten-free Oat Grahams, sugar, and butter and pressed into a springform pan. This simple dessert is perfect for spring gatherings, summer barbecues, or simply as a refreshing sweet treat after any meal.

Timesaving Tips and Variations

Here are some helpful tips to make your pie even easier or to customize it to your liking. A little planning can go a long way in saving time and effort in the kitchen.

• Use bottled key lime juice – If you don’t want to juice fresh limes, bottled works in a pinch.
• Swap the oat grahams – Use regular graham crackers.
• Swap in regular limes – You’ll need about 4–6 regular limes for the same amount of juice.
• Make it ahead – Chill it overnight and garnish right before serving.
• Top it your way – Try coconut whipped cream or a sprinkle of crushed graham crackers and berries.
• No food processor? – Crush the oat grahams in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin.

You can even buy already crushed regular graham cracker crumbs, they’re in the baking aisle. These tips can save time, especially the make-ahead one, if you need the pie for an event.

Easy Spring Desserts to Try

If you’re planning a spring get-together or just want something sweet to pair with your Key Lime Pie, these easy spring desserts are light, fresh, and full of seasonal flavor.

• Easy Mini Mango Tarts
• Strawberry Lavender Muffins
• Lemon Raspberry Crumb Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Jelly Roll Cake
• Blood Orange and Cardamom Bundt Cake

These simple spring desserts are ideal for brunches, Easter, Mother’s Day, or whenever you’re craving something sweet and seasonal.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Essential Tools for Making Key Lime Pie

You don’t need a lot of equipment for this pie, just a few basics to keep things easy and mess-free. There’s no need for a mixer, just a whisk to combine the lime pie filling. Clean up is easy, too.

Hiware 9 Inch Non-stick Cheesecake Pan Springform Pan with Removable Bottom/Leakproof – BlackDeiss PRO Citrus Lemon Zester & Cheese Grater — Parmesan Cheese, Lemon, Ginger, Garlic, Nutmeg, Chocolate, Vegetables, Fruits – Razor-Sharp Stainless Steel Blade + Protect Cover – Dishwasher SafePyrex Essentials (3-Piece) Glass Mixing Bowls Set For Prepping, Baking and Cooking, Preheated Oven, Dishwasher, Freezer, and Microwave SafeChef Craft Premium Silicone Wire Cooking Whisk, 10.5 Inch, RedBLACK+DECKER Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper, Stainless Steel Blade, 8-Cup Capacity, 450W Power with Attachments to Shred, Slice, Mince, Grind, and PureeChefAide 5 Pieces Silicone Spatula Set, Food Grade Rubber Spatula, Upgrade Strong Handle with Ergonomic Grip, Heat Resistant Up to 600°F for Nonstick Cookware, Cooking

 

These tools will help you efficiently prepare the crust and filling, ensuring your Key Lime Pie comes out perfectly every time.

Ingredients for Homemade Key Lime Pie

The ingredients for this recipe are easily found in your grocery stores or online. You’ll love how these simple components come together to create such a bright and refreshing dessert.

• For the Crust: Nairn’s Gluten-Free Oat Grahams, granulated white sugar, and butter combine to form a wholesome, crunchy foundation for the pie.
• For the Filling: Sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, fresh key lime juice, and key lime zest create the signature creamy, tart, and sweet center of the pie.
• Optional Garnish: Whipped cream or Cool Whip and lime slices can be added for a light topping and decorative touch.

These ingredients combine to create a Key Lime Pie that is both incredibly flavorful and wonderfully refreshing, perfect for any occasion.

This easy homemade Key Lime pie recipe is your dessert go-to for dessert any night of the week, Easter desserts, or your next spring or summer potluck. It’s sure to become a family favorite!

How to Make Key Lime Pie

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have a 9-inch springform pan ready. Using a blender or food processor, blend the oat grahams until they are a crumb consistency. Place the graham crackers in a large bowl. Add the sugar and melted butter. Mix together until everything is incorporated.

Pour into springform pan and evenly press crumb mixture firmly on the bottom of the pan up the sides about an inch. Bake for 7 minutes and then remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.

While the crust is cooling, zest the key limes to get about one tablespoon of zest. Juice the limes to get just a bit more than 3/4 cup of lime juice. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I like to wrap the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil, just in case any filling seeps through. I also place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and zest. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust and bake for 10 minutes.

Let the pie cool slightly before chilling. Chill for at least 3 hours. Top with whipped cream and lime slices, if desired.

Serve this pie after something bold and simple like these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas. They’re easy to make, and the fresh lime in both dishes ties the whole meal together.

Enjoy!