Anthony’s Key Lime Pie is one of the most popular desserts at the restaurant. You can easily make this creamy and tart key lime pie with graham cracker crust at home.
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Tart and creamy filling, with a sweet, crispy crust, what’s not to love about a key lime pie? If you are looking for something sweet to serve that is way more impressive than brownies or cookies but not much more challenging to make, then you need to try this easy key lime pie recipe.
What is a Key Lime?
Key limes are citrus known for their tartness. Although they originally came from Southeast Asia, they thrived under similar tropical conditions in the Florida Keys, earning them their common name in the US. Key limes are round and about half the size of the regular limes in US grocery stores.
If you can’t find key limes where you live, you have two options. The first one is to use the key lime juice available in most supermarkets as well as online. However, a better solution is using freshly squeezed juice from regular limes since it tastes better than bottled key lime juice. The choice is yours.
How to Make Key Lime Pie Crust
An authentic key lime pie must always have a great graham cracker crust. No problem. Graham cracker crusts are easy to make. Start by crushing the graham crackers in a plastic bag using a rolling pin. Since this recipe calls for three-quarters of a pound (about 4 cups) of graham crackers, it’s easier to crush the graham crackers in two separate batches. Most people prefer key lime pies with a fine graham cracker crumb, but if you are looking for more of a crunch, leave the pieces coarser.
Once crush the graham crackers, combine them with the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a fork. Next, microwave the butter at 40 percent power for 30 seconds in a microwave-safe bowl; a Pyrex measuring bowl with a handle and a spout is ideal. Remove the bowl from the microwave and give it a good stir. Return to the microwave and heat at the same power level for another 30 seconds. If the butter doesn’t melt completely, repeat at the same power level for 10-second intervals until it melts. When the butter melts, stir into the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Don’t over mix, but make sure there are no dry bits before starting to form the crust.
To form the crust, spread about half the crust mixture on the bottom of the pie tin. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to press the crumbs into an even layer. Use your fingers to press the crumbs onto the side of the pie tin. Try to make the thickness of the crust as even as possible to ensure even baking.
Put in the fridge for at least an hour to cool before filling and baking.
Tips for the Best Key Lime Pie
- Save a lot of time by using a pre-made graham cracker crust. Just remember that this recipe is for a 10-inch wide and a 2-deep pie and most pre-made graham cracker crusts are much smaller than that. Therefore, you will need to buy more than one to use up all the filling.
- Keep a covered key lime pie in the fridge for two to three days. If you want to store it for up to two months, wrap it loosely with plastic wrap and put it in a large freezer bag. Allow the pie to thaw in the fridge or serve while still semi-frozen.
- Garnish with whipped cream and lime twist.
Check out some of our other great pie recipes on Youtube.
Anthony’s Key Lime Pie Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Light brown sugar
- Butter
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Egg yolks
- Lime juice
- Whipped cream
- Lime slices and mint sprigs for garnish
How to Make Anthony’s Key Lime Pie
- In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter.
- Press the mixture onto the bottom and sides of a 10-inch fluted pie plate.
- In another bowl, mix condensed milk, egg yolks, and lime juice on low speed of mixer until well-blended.
- Pour the pie filling into the prepared pie crust.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 24 minutes.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate the pie for 6 to 8 hours before serving.
- Garnish with whipped cream.
- Place fresh lime slices and mint sprigs on top if desired for decorating the pie.
Recipe Notes
This key lime pie is made in a fluted 10-inch pie pan with removable bottom. If you can’t find one, use a deep-dish pie pan or a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
You will be happy with this rich and luscious pie.
Love homemade pies? Try these recipes!
- Blueberry Cheesecake Pie
- Cherry Cream Cheese Pie
- Eggnog Pie Recipe
- Fried Apple Pie
- Kool Aid Pie
- Old Fashioned Apple Pie
- Shoney’s Strawberry Pie
- Toll House Pie Recipe
Popular Desserts to Make
- Cherry Turnover Recipe
- Easy Lemon Squares
- How to Make a Poke Cake
- Lemon Cream Cake Recipe
- Pistachio Pudding Cake Recipe
Check out more of my easy pie recipes and the best family dessert recipes here on CopyKat!
A fellow viewer found this recipe of one of Houston’s most famous restaurants in the Houston Chronicle.
Anthony’s Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
- ¾ pound graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter plus 1 tablespoon
- 42 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 5 egg yolks
- 2 cups lime juice fresh or bottled
- 2 pints whipped cream
- lime slices and mint sprigs for decorations
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl, combine crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter.
- Press the mixture ¼ to ½ inch thick on the bottom and sides of a 10 x 2-inch fluted pie pan.
- In another bowl, mix condensed milk, egg yolks and lime juice on low speed of mixer until well-blended (it should be creamy color and slightly thickened) about 2 minutes.
- Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 24 minutes (pressing the surface lightly with a finger should leave a mark).
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate the pie for 6 to 8 hours before serving.
- Garnish with whipped cream, fresh lime slices, and mint sprigs.
Patricia
I did make the key lime dessert this weekend Janet for a dinner party and it was a huge hit! Love the flavours, texture and presentation.
I was wondering, I had to add more melted butter to make the crust hold. Was the crust supposed to be very loose?
Otherwise, great! I especially appreciated the tip about not over crunching the graham crackers to give a crunchier crust! Very nice indeed!
Patricia
Stephanie Manley
Some additional butter could have helped, but also pressing it down into the pan is also helpful. I am glad you enjoyed how it tasted. I know it’s hard to get pie out when the crust is crumbly.
Reisha
Delicious! I used this recipe for the custard and substituted 1/2 C full fat yogurt for sour cream. For the crust, I used a recipe that @Kopykats the crust that “Houston’s” restaurant used. I substituted 1/2 C packed brown suger, added pecans (or macadamia nuts), sea salt, cinnamon. It came out delicious and the tip of no sugar in the whipped cream (just Vanilla)worked well as the pie and crust were sweet enough!
Janet
Why say the recipe is delicious when you have made so many changes to make it your own recipe?
Patricia
Good point. I hope to make this recipe this weekend, following the recipe.
Charles
Having eaten this a lot we tend to detect the presence of pecans in the crust. If we wanted to add them how would you recommend we do so?
Stephanie
I would add about 1/4 cup of pecans, and add an additional 2 teaspoons of melted butter to the crust.
jane
How many cups is 3/4 th of a pound, and is this for a 9 inch deep dish or the 9×13 version
Stephanie
It would be 12 fluid ounces.
jane
How many cups is 34ths of a pound,
Kristina König
Is there a chance that I get that recipe with german units of measurements? That would be perfect! =)
And is there a video about that key lime pie?
Liz Nelson
This pie was absolutely wonderful I made it for a dinner party and everyone loved it!
jane
How many cups is 3/4 th of a pound, and is this for a 9 inch deep dish or the 9×13 version