This key lime pie is tangy, sweet, and creamy. The pie is easy to make and has a no bake filling that doesn’t require any eggs. The pie takes only a few minutes to prepare and is a cool and refreshing dessert.
This version of key lime pie is so easy to make. Even though there are no eggs in the custard, the filling tastes just like traditional key lime pie filling. The filling is a rich, creamy custard that only needs 2 ingredients and doesn’t even need to be baked. This pie is best served chilled, making it a great summer dessert.
Ingredients
- Frozen Pie Crust
- Lime Juice
- Condensed Milk
Frozen pie crust: I used pre-made frozen pie crust to make this pie even easier. I recommend using the kind that is already shaped in the pie pans because there will be less shrinkage when you bake the pie crust. If you want to avoid the oven altogether, you can also use a premade graham cracker crust which won’t require any baking.
Lime juice: Traditional key lime pie is made with freshly juiced key limes. If you don’t have key limes available you can make this with regular limes. I also have a lemon version.
Condensed milk: This recipe uses full fat sweetened condensed milk. When the lime juice and condensed milk are mixed together, the acid from the limes interacts with the milk protein in the condensed milk, making the mixture thick and custard-like.
How to Make Key Lime Pie
- The pie crust is first pre-baked until golden and cooked.
- While the pie crust is cooling, make the filling by mixing together the lime juice and condensed milk until the two are evenly combined. Once the pie crust is cool, add in the filling. Then place into the fridge for a few hours until the pie is set. If desired, you can decorate the pie with fresh whipped cream and lime zest or lime slices.
Pie Texture
The pie crust is buttery and firm. The filling is creamy and thick, like a custard. Even though the recipe doesn’t require any eggs in the filling, the filling is very similar to traditional key lime pie filling.
More Pie Recipes
3 Ingredient Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
- 1 frozen pie crust
- 1 cup (8 fl oz/237 ml) lime juice see note
- 2 (14 oz) cans full fat sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Let pie crust soften to room temperature, about 10-15 minutes. (Most frozen pie crust brands recommend a higher baking temperature in their instructions, usually 400°F, but I found that baking at a lower temperature for a few extra minutes helps prevent too much shrinkage).
- Use a fork to prick the bottom of the pie crust several times (I did about a dozen times). You want there to be holes fairly evenly spread across the bottom. This will prevent the pie crust from puffing up during baking.
- Bake pie crust for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked. Let pie crust cool fully.
- While crust is cooling, prepare the filling. Add lime juice and condensed milk to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until lime juice is fully incorporated. Your mixture should be thick, like a pudding.
- Once crust is fully cooled, pour the filling into the crust. Place pie in the fridge for several hours (at least 2-3 hours) to set. I like to refrigerate overnight. Keep pie in the fridge until ready to serve. You can also decorate the pie with fresh whipped cream before serving.
Notes
- This recipe uses two full (14 oz) cans of sweetened condensed milk, or a total of 28 oz. 28 oz refers to weight and not volume.
- For the most authentic key lime pie, you want to use juice from key limes. However, you can use regular limes. You can also use store bought lime juice. There are brands tha sell pure key lime juice but they are harder to find at the grocery store. If using store bought, make sure that the only ingredient is lime juice. Just because it is labeled "100% lime juice" does not necessarily mean there aren't other ingredients in the bottle so make sure to check the nutrition label. I have made this pie successfully with Santa Cruz Organic 100% lime juice and Whole Foods 365 Organic Lime Juice. The RealLime brand will not work.
- I like using Wholly Wholesome or Marie Callender's frozen pie crust which comes already preshaped in a pie baking pan. You want to use pie crust already shaped in the pie pan because there will be much less shrinkage when it is baked.
- Dairy-free condensed milk substitutes like oat milk or coconut condensed milk will not work. The pie filling thickens up because of the interaction of the acid from the limes and the milk protein in the condensed milk.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
