This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This single serving Key Lime Pie has a buttery graham cracker crust and a tart, creamy filling. Baked in a ramekin with just 5 ingredients, it comes together quickly and easily.
Featured Comment
“This recipe was just what I was looking for! A single key lime pie treat for myself. Very easy to make, delicious and satisfying.”
– Judy
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes (includes chilling)
- Equipment: 10-ounce ramekin
- Cook Method: Baked
- Servings: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Tart and citrusy with a bold lime flavor balanced by thick, creamy sweetness, set over a buttery graham cracker crust with a toasted crunch.
This small key lime pie recipe bakes in two short stages, the crust first and then the filling, before it chills in the fridge until firm.
Why I Love This Single Serving Key Lime Pie Recipe
A traditional key lime pie makes 8 to 10 slices, which is a lot of pie when you’re cooking for one. So I created a small key lime pie baked in one ramekin, with the same filling and graham cracker crust you’d get from the full-size version. A dollop of homemade whipped cream on top finishes it off.
The lime flavor is what makes this pie. I use fresh lime juice for a bright, clean tartness you notice from the first spoonful, and the sweetened condensed milk rounds it out into something tart and sweet at the same time.
Getting the filling right in a portion this small took some testing. The combination I landed on is two egg yolks, two and a half tablespoons of lime juice, and a quarter cup of sweetened condensed milk. The filling bakes up creamy and holds its shape when you spoon into it. You’ll have two egg whites left over, so save them for any of my egg white recipes and nothing goes to waste.
The recipe fills one 10-ounce ramekin, and if you want to make two, double everything and use two ramekins or one 5×5-inch baking dish.
This single serve key lime pie is proof you can make a real, from-scratch citrus dessert without committing to a whole pie. It’s been part of my single serving and small batch dessert recipes for years.
Looking for more mini pie recipes? Try my single serve lemon meringue pie, mini coconut cream pie, banana cream pie for one, or small peanut butter pie.
Ingredient Notes
A few notes on the ingredients that make this single serve key lime pie recipe work. If you have any ingredients leftover, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Graham cracker crumbs: These form the crust. You’ll need about ¼ cup, which is two standard graham cracker sheets crushed fine. Gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, or digestive biscuits work too if that’s what you have on hand.
Leftover crumbs are good in a no-bake single serving cheesecake, baked s’mores dip, or single serve peanut butter pie.
Salted butter: Melted butter binds the crumbs and helps the crust hold together once baked. If you only have unsalted, add a small pinch of salt to the crumbs.
Egg yolks: The yolks thicken the filling and give it a smooth, custard-like texture. You’ll have two whites left over, so save them for my egg white recipes.
Lime juice: Fresh juice gives the brightest flavor. The regular green limes at most grocery stores are called Persian limes, and they work well here. Key limes are smaller and more tart, with a more aromatic flavor, so use them if you can find them. Bottled key lime juice is a fine shortcut when fresh limes aren’t around.
Sweetened condensed milk: This sweetens and thickens the filling at the same time, which is why key lime pie needs so few ingredients. Freeze leftover sweetened condensed milk for up to 3 months or use in single serving chocolate ice cream, small tres leches cake, or small batch microwave fudge recipe.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few tested ways to change up this individual key lime pie:
Crustless key lime pie: Skip the crust and pour the filling into a buttered 10-ounce ramekin. Bake the filling for 15 minutes, then chill as directed.
Add lime zest: Whisk ½ teaspoon of lime zest into the filling along with the juice for a stronger, more aromatic lime flavor.
Swap the crust: Use crushed gingersnaps or vanilla wafers in place of graham crackers for a different flavor in the base.
Top with meringue: For a different finish, top the pie with meringue instead of whipped cream. Follow the meringue method from my mini lemon meringue pie.
No-bake key lime version: For a no-bake option, make it like my lemon cheesecake mousse for one, using lime juice and zest in place of the lemon. It comes together in minutes with no oven.
How To Make A Key Lime Pie For One
These step-by-step instructions show how to make a single serving key lime pie. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
Make the Crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Crush 2 graham cracker sheets into fine crumbs using a rolling pin or food processor, which gives you about ¼ cup.
Stir the crumbs together with melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when you press it.
Press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of a 10-ounce ramekin using the back of a spoon, then bake for 15 minutes.
A pre-baked crust stays crisp under the filling instead of turning soggy. Set it aside to cool while you make the filling.
Make the Filling
Whisk the egg yolks and lime juice together in a small bowl until well blended.
Add the sweetened condensed milk and keep whisking until the filling is smooth and slightly thickened. You want no streaks of yolk and no lumps, so take an extra few seconds here for a silky filling.
Pour it over the cooled crust.
Bake for 15 minutes. The filling is done when it’s set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center, which is exactly what you’re looking for. It firms up as it cools, so don’t wait for the center to bake solid or the texture will be dense.
Cool at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours until fully set.
Top with homemade whipped cream just before serving.
Expert Tips
Bring your egg yolks to room temperature. Cold yolks blend less evenly into the sweetened condensed milk, which can leave streaks in the filling.
Use a 10-ounce ramekin, not a smaller one. The filling needs room above the crust. A smaller dish can overflow as the filling sets and rises slightly.
Don’t overbake the filling. Pull it from the oven while the center still jiggles slightly. An overbaked key lime filling turns dense and can crack on top as it cools.
Chill the pie fully before serving. The filling needs at least 3 hours in the refrigerator to set. Cutting the chill short leaves the center loose and the slice won’t hold its shape.
Measure the lime juice, don’t eyeball it. Too much juice thins the filling and it won’t set properly. Stick to 2½ tablespoons.
Troubleshooting
If your key lime pie isn’t turning out quite right, here is how to fix common issues like a runny filling, a soggy crust, or a cracked top.
Why is my key lime pie filling runny?
A key lime pie filling is runny because it hasn’t chilled long enough to set. The filling firms up as it cools, so it needs at least 3 hours in the refrigerator. If it’s still loose after chilling, too much lime juice was added, which thins the filling.
Why did my key lime pie crack on top?
A key lime pie cracks on top when the filling overbakes. Pull it from the oven while the center still jiggles slightly, since it keeps cooking and firms up as it cools. A crack won’t affect the flavor, and whipped cream covers it easily.
Why is my key lime pie crust soggy?
A key lime pie crust gets soggy when it isn’t baked before the filling is added. Bake the crust on its own for 15 minutes first so it stays crisp. If the crust seems loose, add a little more melted butter to bind the crumbs.
Why does my key lime pie filling have streaks of egg yolk?
Egg yolk streaks happen when cold yolks aren’t fully blended into the filling. Whisk the yolks and lime juice together first, then add the sweetened condensed milk. Room-temperature yolks combine more smoothly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, regular Persian limes work in this key lime pie. They are the larger green limes sold at most grocery stores. Key limes are smaller and more aromatic, but Persian limes give nearly the same bright, tart flavor. Bottled key lime juice also works.
Yes, bottled lime juice works in this key lime pie. Fresh juice gives the brightest flavor, but both bottled regular lime juice and bottled key lime juice are reliable substitutes when fresh limes aren’t available. Use the same amount, 2½ tablespoons.
Yes, you can make this key lime pie without a crust. Pour the filling into a buttered 10-ounce ramekin, skip the crust step, and bake the filling for 15 minutes. It sets the same way as the version with a crust.
Key lime pie lasts up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Keep it covered so the filling stays fresh and the crust doesn’t soften. It’s best eaten within the first two days.
Yes, key lime pie can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep it covered and refrigerated, then add the whipped cream just before serving. Making it ahead actually helps the filling set fully.
Yes, key lime pie freezes well for up to 1 month. Wrap the chilled pie tightly without the whipped cream, then thaw it in the refrigerator before serving. Add the topping after thawing.
A 10-ounce ramekin is the ideal size for this single serving key lime pie. Any oven-safe dish of similar size works. The dish needs enough depth to hold the crust and filling without overflowing.
Double all the ingredients and use two 10-ounce ramekins or one 5×5-inch baking dish. The bake time stays the same.
RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this mini key lime pie or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen, please let me know how it turned out by leaving a star rating and a comment below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Key Lime Pie For One
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust
- ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs (Two full graham cracker sheets crushed into fine crumbs or use pre-packaged crushed crumbs)
- 1 tablespoon salted butter – melted
For the filling
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
For the whipped cream (optional)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Stir the crumbs and melted butter together until evenly moistened.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 10-ounce ramekin.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then set aside to cool.
Make the filling
- Whisk the egg yolks and lime juice together in a small bowl.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and whisk until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Pour the filling over the cooled crust.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until set around the edges but slightly jiggly in the center.
- Cool at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate at least 3 hours until set.
Make the whipped cream (optional)
- Beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Spoon or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled pie just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Can I make this in a 4 inch spring form pan ?
Colleen
It should work fine.
It was tasty. But, my crust was hard and crunchy. Next time I’ll bake for considerably less than 15 minutes. I wonder if a 15 minute crust bake followed by a 15 min pie bake is too much for such a small pie. Also, the consistency of the custard wasn’t what I’d expect in a key lime pie. I’d expect a texture more like cheesecake and this was not like that.
Again, it was tasty and I LOVE that having a recipe that doesn’t make a huge pie. But next time I will modify the recipe to better suit my tastes.
Thanks so much for your comment, and I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor and the smaller size of the pie! When testing this recipe, we found that baking the crust for 15 minutes gave us the best results. The crust firms up nicely and holds the filling well during the second bake.
As for the filling, traditional key lime pie has more of a silky, custard-like texture rather than the dense consistency of a cheesecake. If you’re looking for a firmer filling, you might try baking it just a bit longer or chilling it a little more before serving.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and for giving the recipe a try!
I love your recipes, and enjoy your posts. This recipe is delicious!! However, if made with regular limes it is a LIME pie, not a KEY LIME. It needs to be made with key limes to be considered a key lime pie.
Thanks so much for your kind words about the recipes and posts! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the key lime pie recipe. You’re absolutely right, traditionally, key lime pie is made with key limes, which have a distinct flavor profile compared to regular limes.
We understand that finding fresh key limes can be tricky depending on location and season. In the ingredient notes section of the recipe, we actually recommend regular limes as a perfectly acceptable substitute! They will still deliver a delicious and refreshing lime pie. For those who can’t find fresh limes at all, bottled key lime juice (like Nellie & Joe’s) is another option to achieve a similar flavor.
So, whether you use key limes, regular limes, or bottled juice, the most important thing is to enjoy a delicious homemade pie!
I think I would try to add a bit more lime juice or some zest since I really didn’t taste any lime. Also more crust since I love Graham cracker crusts. Overall a good recipe and great to be able to make small desserts for myself!
Easy to make for a single-serve! Next time I make it I might:
– add some lime zest as I wished it had just a bit more zing.
– use vegetable shortening with the graham crackers for the crust, as I do with my cheesecake. This graham cracker crust with melted butter was perfectly fine, but I could’ve used another crunch element (or maybe just more crust!)
All in all, it’s an easy recipe and I’ll definitely make it again! lastly, I froze the leftover condensed milk in 1/4 cup increments.
This recipe makes the best Keto Key Lime Pie. I substituted the crust with sugar free homemade graham crackers and used sugar free condensed milk. This tastes just like the pies we sell at the bakery. My in-laws thought I bought it from the bakery! Thank you so much!
Great recipe. If you use the same amount of either lemon juice or orange juice, instead of lime juice, and keep the amounts of the rest of the ingredients the same, you can have a great and tasty lemon or orange pie.
I love the idea of using orange juice in this recipe – I can’t wait to try that version. Thank you for the suggestion.
Thank you, Ms. Zisk. I LOVE your website.
I love the idea of an orange pie! I have all the ingredients so as soon as I demolish the key lime pie, I will try an orange pie! Yum!
Great recipe.
Can’t wait to make this but without the crust for less calories. Thanks for posting.
Really like this idea to cook or bake for one person.