Key Lime Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust
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Salted graham crust, plenty of lime zest, and a filling that should still wobble a little when it comes out. Then at least four hours in the fridge while everyone walks past and sighs.
The short version
Bake a graham crust at 350°F for 10 minutes, whisk condensed milk, yolks, lime juice and plenty of zest, pour it in and bake at 325°F until the center barely jiggles, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool, then chill at least 4 hours. Don't skip the chill.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Bake the crust first. Ten minutes in the oven turns loose crumbs into a firm shell that slices cleanly and stays crisp under the filling.
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Use a full tablespoon of zest. Juice gives sourness; zest gives the actual lime flavor, with a floral edge you can't get any other way. It's what keeps the pie from tasting like sweet lemonade.
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Whisk the filling for a full minute. The acid in the lime juice thickens the condensed milk and yolks as you whisk. A thick filling goes into the crust ready to set evenly.
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Pull it when the center still wobbles. The pie keeps cooking from its own heat and sets fully in the fridge. Baking until it's firm in the oven gives you a rubbery, slightly eggy filling.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Graham cracker crumbs1½ cups
- Granulated sugar2 tablespoons
- Unsalted butter6 tablespoons
- Sweetened condensed milk1 can
- Egg yolks4 large
- Finely grated lime zest1 tablespoon
Crust
Filling
To serve
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Heat the oven
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 350°F.
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Make and bake the crust
Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt together in a bowl, then pour in the melted butter and mix until the crumbs look like damp sand. Tip them into a 9-inch pie plate and press firmly over the bottom and up the sides, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to pack the corners. Bake for 10 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Set it on a rack.
Press hard. Loosely packed crumbs fall apart when you cut the pie.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Lower the oven temperature
Turn the oven down to 325°F while the crust cools slightly.
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Whisk the filling
In a medium bowl, whisk the condensed milk and yolks together until smooth. Whisk in the lime juice and zest, then keep whisking for about a minute, until the filling looks slightly thicker and glossy.
Whisk by hand. A mixer whips in air, and air bubbles leave a pocked surface.
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Fill and bake
Pour the filling into the warm crust. Bake until the edge is set and the center still wobbles like gelatin when you nudge the pan, 15 to 17 minutes. It should not brown.
If the whole surface ripples, it needs a few more minutes. If it's firm like a cake, it went too long.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cool, then chill
Set the pie on a rack and let it cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 3 hours, or overnight, until completely cold and firm.
About 60 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Top and serve
Whip the cream with the sugar to soft, floppy peaks. Spread or pipe it over the chilled pie and add lime slices or a little zest. Cut with a sharp knife wiped clean between slices.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Fresh Key limes are small and seedy; you need 12 to 14 for half a cup. Bottled Key lime juice is a fine shortcut. Regular Persian limes make a slightly less floral pie that's still very good.
- Use a standard 9-inch pie plate, not a deep-dish one. A deep dish needs a bigger filling and a longer bake.
- Use only the yolks. Whole eggs make the filling taste eggy and set a little rubbery.
- Want a meringue top instead of whipped cream? Spread it over the filling once the pie has baked just until the filling thickens, then bake until golden.
- Storage. Covered in the fridge, 3 days. Freezes well, unwhipped, for 1 month; thaw in the fridge overnight and top with fresh cream.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Why is my Key lime pie runny?
It was underbaked, or it wasn't chilled long enough. The center should barely wobble when it comes out, and it needs at least 3 hours in the fridge to finish setting. Cutting it warm gives you soup.
Can I use regular limes instead of Key limes?
Yes. Use the same amount of juice and zest. The flavor is a little less floral and a little less sharp, and most people won't notice.
Why did my Key lime pie crack or turn rubbery?
It baked too long. Pull it when the center still jiggles, and let it cool slowly on the counter before it goes into the fridge.
Is Key lime pie supposed to be green?
No. The filling is pale yellow from the yolks. Green means food coloring, and we skip it.
Can I make Key lime pie ahead?
Yes, and you should. Bake it the day before and keep it chilled; the flavor gets better and the slices cut cleaner. Add the whipped cream just before serving.
Do I have to bake the crust?
You can chill an unbaked crust for 30 minutes instead, but a baked crust is firmer and holds the filling better. It's 10 minutes of effort.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 29, 2026.