Key Lime Pie with Sour Cream
Key Lime Pie with Sour Cream is sweet, tart, creamy and packed with delicious key lime flavor. The sweetened condensed milk and sour cream give this traditional key lime pie a depth of flavor while maintaining that ultra smooth and creamy texture. Top with homemade whipped cream and everyone will be asking you for this recipe!
For more delicious key lime desserts, be sure to try my Key Lime Pie Cookies and Key Lime Pie Cake! They have every element of the delicious pie but in cookie form!
Why This Recipe Works
- Key lime pie with sour cream. This key lime pie recipe without cream cheese is so creamy and delicious! The key (see what I did there?) is to use sour cream! It gives a smooth texture and the perfect flavor.
- Zesty lime flavor. Using fresh limes and lime juice gives us the ultimate key lime pie flavor.
- Creamy key lime pie recipe. The sour cream and sweetened condensed milk give us a creamy texture that is makes this the best key lime pie recipe!
- Easy key lime pie recipe. The key lime filling for this pie only calls for 3 ingredients!
Ingredient Notes
- Homemade Graham Cracker Crust: I’ve linked my favorite buttery graham cracker crust recipe here. It’s my foolproof, go-to recipe. You’ll love it! You’ll need graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Since this key lime pie with sour cream recipe doesn’t use cream cheese, we get that delicious, creamy texture and sweet flavor from the sweetened condensed milk.
- Sour Cream: You may be thinking, sour cream? Yep! Trust me on this, sour cream in this pie is super yummy! It keeps the smooth filling and adds a nice flavor complex you don’t get in traditional cream cheese-based pies.
- Key Lime Juice & Key Lime Zest: I would recommend using actual key limes to get the best flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the graham cracker crust. Follow my recipe to make 1 graham cracker pie crust. Bake at 350ºF for 6-8 minutes and let cool. Keep the oven on.
- Make the key lime pie filling. To a large bowl add 3 cups sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3/4 cup key lime juice, and 1 tablespoon grated lime zest. Using a hand mixer, beat until well combined and smooth.
- Pour filling into graham cracker crust. Pour the key lime pie filling into the baked and cooled graham cracker crust.
- Bake pie. Bake the key lime pie for 10 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and let sit at room temperature until warm, then chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
- Make the whipped cream topping. Combine 1 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Beat until stiff peaks form. Use as topping for the key lime pie recipe. Top with lime slices for decoration. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can use a whisk and just whisk vigorously. (Get that arm workout in with this recipe!)
You can make key lime pie in a traditional All Butter Pie Crust if you’d prefer. I love key lime pie with sour cream made in a graham cracker crust, so that’s what I would recommend!
If you don’t want to use sour cream, you can swap out for Plain Greek Yogurt. Use full fat sour cream or full fat Plain Greek Yogurt.
You want the pie to sit out at room temperature once you pull it out of the oven so that you aren’t shocking the pie by taking a hot pie and placing it in a cold fridge. Let the key lime pie with sour cream cool and come to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge.
This key lime pie recipe with sour cream needs to sufficiently chill in the fridge prior to serving or else the pie won’t have time to set and you won’t get good slices. Let the pie chill in the fridge for a couple of hours (3-4) for best results — or even let it chill overnight in the fridge!
If you can’t find fresh key limes at the store, you can use the zest of regular limes. However, I wouldn’t use fresh lime juice from regular limes because key lime juice makes a big difference in bringing in that strong key lime pie taste! So if you can’t get fresh key lime juice, then you can usually find bottled key lime juice at most grocery stores. I like the Nellie & Joe’s key west lime juice.
You know the pie is ready when you see tiny bubbles that begin to burst on the surface of the pie— look closely! And do not brown the pie.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
You can definitely make the graham cracker crust recipe ahead of time and then make the pie.
Store leftover key lime pie with sour cream in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To freeze key lime pie, flash freeze the pie uncovered until firm (about 60 minutes). Once fully frozen, wrap the pie completely in plastic wrap two times. Then store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Remove the frozen key lime pie from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge. Then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving — or serve frozen if you’d like.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The dairy base requires the pie to be refrigerated. Key lime pie will last covered in the fridge for about 3-4 days.
I’m sure it would taste amazing. 🍋 Let me know if you make any daring adaptations!
This key lime pie is baked, even though there aren’t any egg yolks. I’m sure there are variations of this pie that are no-bake.
Key lime pie is actually Florida’s official dessert. It’s rumored that the pie came from a lady named Aunt Sally, according to The Economist. Aunt Sally was the cook of a Florida millionaire who made the pie from limes from the Florida Keys. While no report can confirm if that’s the case, the pie remains the state dessert.
Yes! If you have regular limes (also known as Persian limes) instead of key limes, I’d say go ahead and make the pie with those. The flavor won’t be much different. Key limes have a sharper flavor, stronger smell and are more acidic than regular limes, according to the Tasting Table.
The traditional key lime pie isn’t green. Key lime pie will have a pale yellow color. Unless it’s St. Patrick’s Day, then go crazy on the green food coloring 🙂
Key Lime Pie Day is on September 26.
Sure! Just press the graham cracker crust mixture into an 8×8-inch square pan and bake as directed. Then pour the perfect key lime pie filling on top of the cooled crust and bake as directed. Keep an eye on the oven and remove when the filling starts to have tiny bubbles on top. Don’t brown.
More Delicious Pie Recipes
- Fresh Peach Pie
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
- French Silk Pie (AKA Chocolate Cream Pie)
- Praline Pumpkin Pie
- Homemade Pie Crust
- Banoffee Pie
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch graham cracker crust
- 3 cups sweetened condensed milk - about 2.5, 14 oz cans
- 1/2 cup sour cream - full fat
- 3/4 cup key lime juice - about 15-20 limes, depending on how juicy they are
- 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
Whipped Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the graham cracker crust for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a large bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, key lime juice, and lime zest. Using a hand mixer, beat until thoroughly combined. About 1 minute. If you don’t have a hand mixer you can use a whisk and just whisk vigorously. Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Tiny pinhole bubbles will begin to burst on the surface of the pie (hard to see so watch closely). Do not brown the pie.
- Remove the pie and let sit at room temperature until warm. Then chill thoroughly before serving.
- Garnish with freshly whipped cream and lime slices.
Whipped Topping
- In a medium sized bowl add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form.
Recipe source: All Recipes
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7 Comments on “Key Lime Pie with Sour Cream”
I made this for the first time last week. It was easy to make and very good! I’m fact, it was so good that my family and in-law family members fought over the leftover pie. My father-in-law insisted I bring it to the family Super Bowl party this weekend and said I now need to bring one for every family gathering. Thank you for sharing this! I love your recipes!
What an amazing response from your family! I’m glad you found this recipe both easy and delicious, especially since it sounds like it’s going to become your signature dessert. Thanks so much for your review. Whatever happens Super Bowl Sunday, at least your dessert will be a winner 😉
I loved this simple recipe. I had some really sweet strawberries and threw them in, and they weren’t half bad….in fact, it was pretty dang yummy:)
I made your Key Lime Pie–I had full bag from my Key Lime shrub.
I am 71 years young and have made several Key Lime pies–BUT–your recipe is the absolute BEST !! I am not sure but believe it is the addition
of the sour cream.
I do a merinque topping and a whipped cream topping. Equally delicious. It
depends on what I have on hand–heavy whipping cream or egg whites.
Yes, Whipped topping is also good–but this pie is GREAT !
Happy Baking.
Made this pie for my family and there were a few key lime pie fanatics and they asked for this recipe! That’s how you know it’s a keeper!!
I’m a big fan of key lime pie and sometimes recipes don’t deliver. This one delivers. Easy to make. Quick. My kind of kitchen participation. I’d definitely recommend this recipe.
thank you for this recipe, key lime pie isn’t a go to pie recipe for me traditionally since key limes aren’t native to where I live, but now are almost everywhere, so much appreciated!