These mini key lime pies are everything we love about classic key lime pie baked in individual servings. Each mini pie has a buttery graham cracker crust and smooth, creamy key lime filling. Top with homemade whipped cream and lime slices for a refreshing treat!
Summer and key lime pie go together like Ben and Jerry, mac and cheese, vacation and margaritas. Key lime pie is the type of dessert that takes minimal effort, which makes it perfect when the weather’s warm. As in, when there are a million other things you’d rather do than spend the afternoon in a hot kitchen.
What makes key lime pie even easier (and quicker)? Bake it in a muffin pan rather than in a pie pan. Less bake time, less slicing, less chill time. Plus (and this is the best part!) it is perfectly acceptable to have more than one. Not to mention, mini key lime pies are totally kid-friendly. Little hands, little appetites, little pies! I love these things.
Why You’ll Love These Mini Key Lime Pies
- Quick and simple to prepare
- Just as delicious as key lime pie bars
- Baked in a muffin pan
- Each bite is buttery, sweet, and a little tart
- Cool and refreshing
- Perfect for sharing at pool parties, picnics, and for your BBQ dessert
- The ultimate summer dessert
2 Parts to Mini Key Lime Pies
And only 7 ingredients in the entire recipe.
- Graham Cracker Crust: We use my favorite graham cracker crust for the base of today’s pies. I use this crust recipe for pies, cakes, cheesecakes, and more. The buttery and slightly crisp texture is the exact contrast I want with these little key lime pies. You only need 3 ingredients: butter, graham crackers, and sugar. To ensure a compact crust, make sure you press the mixture tightly into each individual muffin cup. You’ll use a little over 1 Tablespoon of crust mixture in each individual pie.
- Key Lime Pie Filling: Our key lime pie filling is tart, sweet, and creamyโexactly as key lime pie should be. Cream cheese acts as the base of the filling, providing a little structure and a subtle cheesecake flavor. (By the way, if you like key lime pie and cheesecake, you have to try my key lime cheesecake.) Also adding a little structure, as well as a rich texture, are egg yolks. To those, we’ll add sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice. For best flavor, make sure you use key lime juice, though regular lime juice works in a pinch.
An optional but tasty third part is a generous dollop of whipped cream on top ๐
Use a Standard Muffin Pan
We use a standard 12-count muffin pan for today’s mini key lime pies, not a mini muffin pan. Line your pan with liners, then layer in the graham cracker crust. Try to really pack it downโsometimes I use the back of a teaspoon to help along the edges. Pre-bake the crust for a few minutes, then pour the filling evenly onto each crust.
After they’re baked, let them cool at room temperature then place the entire muffin pan in the refrigerator for a couple hours.
By the way, if you’re looking for another fun key lime option, you will LOVE these upside down key lime pies.
Is it just me or do teeny tiny versions of food taste better? Individual key lime pies > actual key lime pie. They’re quicker to make, chill, and serve than a traditional key lime pieโand cuter, too! ๐ This is the same process we use to make mini margarita cheesecakes (try those next!).
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Mini Key Lime Pies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 mini pies
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
What’s better than key lime pie? Little mini key lime pies!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers)
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
Filling
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 4ย large egg yolks
- one 14-ounce can (396g) full-fat sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) key lime juice*
- optional: lime slices and whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Line a 12-count muffin pan with liners and a second 12-count muffin pan with only 4 (since this recipe makes only around 16). Set pans aside.
- Make the crust: Before you begin, here are all of my tips for a perfect graham cracker crust. If you’re starting out with full-sheet graham crackers, you can use a food processor or blender to grind them up. Or crush them in a zipped top bag with a rolling pin. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar together with a silicone spatula in a medium bowl until combined. The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy. Press a heaping Tablespoon of mixture down into each liner, making sure the crust is tight and compact. You might have a little crust leftover. If so, press a little more into each linerโif desired! Pre-bake the crusts for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Make the filling:ย In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. On medium-high speed, beat in the egg yolks, scraping down the sides as needed. On high speed, beat in the sweetened condensed milk and lime juice until combined.
- Pour the filling evenly into each crust. Bake for 15โ16 minutes or until the centers of the pies only slightly jiggle (I check this by wiggling the muffin panโwith an oven mitt on!โwhile itโs still in the oven). Allow the pies to cool at room temperature in the pan set on a wire rack. Once completely cool, place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
- Once chilled, serve the key lime pies cold with whipped cream and a lime slice if desired. Store leftover pies in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 1 week. If they last that long!
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Up to 1 day in advance, you can prepare the crust ingredients and the filling ingredients separately. Store each covered tightly in the refrigerator until ready to assemble and bake. Likewise, as noted in set 4, you can bake the key lime pies and store in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving. Key lime pies freeze well, up to 2โ3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):ย 12-count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners | Food Processor or Blender | Glass Mixing Bowl | Silicone Spatula | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack
- Key Lime Juice: For the best flavor, make sure you use key lime juice. You can juice your own key limes or buy it from the store. It is usually with the regular lime and lemon juice in the juice aisle. I buy Nellie & Joe’s brand. In a pinch, you canย use regular lime juice.
- For a Full-Size Key Lime Pie: To make these as a pie, simply use this crust and filling recipe. Press crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Pre-bake for 12 minutes at 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Pour in filling. Bake for 18 minutes, and then allow to cool at room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Adapted from Key Lime Pie Bars.
- Non-US Readers: โโDon’t have graham crackers where you live? Use 2 cups (200g) ground digestive biscuits instead (about 13โ14 biscuits), the same amount of butter, and add a bit more sugar (about 1/3 cup, or 67g). You may need to add a few extra minutes to the pre-baking time, as digestive biscuits are not quite as crispy-crunchy as graham crackers.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally! Could I do these in a silicone muffin pan and skip the liners? I loved the Key Lime Bars and wanted to try these in my new silicone muffin pan. Thank you.
Hi Teri, we haven’t tested it but can’t see why not – let us know if you try!
I just finished a batch, and i am not sure what I did wrong, but I had lots of leftover crumbs but the batter filled 12 standard muffin tins exactly. I used a heaping T of crumbs for each. They are in the oven, so the taste test remains!
The mini cakes are delicious. However the recipe made much, much more crust than needed unless you want them to be half crust. Also, I filled the muffin tins about 2/3 full and barely got 13.
Maybe a silly questionโฆdo you remove the liners before serving or serve in the cupcake liners?
Hi Kate, either way works!
Made this for Fatherโs Day and it was a hit! Prepped the crust and filling the night before and assembled and baked the day of. Super easy and super delicious! Another great recipe from Sally!
Delicious! I made these last week and got 48 minis from mini muffin pans and 6 that were larger made in a regular muffin pan. I would definitely make these again.
Easy to make! Sooo tasty and cute! Loved that regular muffin tins are used. Perfect size!
These fell after coming out of the oven. Also
Used gluten free graham cracker crumbs and crust is very greasy
Can this recipe be doubled?
Hi Susan, we always recommend making separate batches when you can. Working with more volume of batter/dough/mixtures always risks over or under mixing. Best to make separate batches to guarantee success! That being said, some readers have doubled the recipe and reported success.
Made this as a quick summer dessert in a pie form for many years! Itโs easy peasy and everyone likes it! Sometimes I add a bit of toasted coconut to the Graham cracker crumbs! Awesome dessert that everyone loves!
Can I use food rings/molds instead of a muffin pan?
Hi Celeste, that should work, as long as they are sealed well. Let us know if you try it!
A few days ago I asked about making this recipe with the tinier petite four liners and tin. They were outstanding! Everyone was crazy for them!!! I baked the crusts for 7 minutes and again with the filling for 13 minutes. Perfect!!! Thanks so much!
Thank you! I was going to try making them in a mini muffin pan. This is perfect.
Thank you for your instructions! I followed them to a tee, and they were awesome!
I did 1 standard pan of 12, and then got 22 minis as well!!
Can I use the tinier tin and liners?
Hi Michaeleen, absolutely. Weโre unsure of the exact bake time, but it will be quite a bit shorter since they are so much smaller than regular muffin pans. Let us know how you like them!
Hi – Always love Sally’s recipes! Making these today for the first time and wondered about the 4 egg yolks instead of the 3 called for in most recipes – is it for the cream cheese addition? Also, I only use XL eggs – would 3 be enough?
Many thanks!!!
Hi Yvonda, yes, using 3 XL egg yolks should be fine here. Enjoy!
I skip the nuts and add some brown sugar and salt to the graham cracker crust. I have successfully frozen the composed tarts replete with browned meringue topping. Thaw in the refrigerator when desired.
I made these today. So good. Thank you.
Instead of using cupcake liners, can I just use a silicone muffin pan? Will they still come out easily?
Hi Dorothy, we haven’t tried baking these in a silicone muffin pan, but can’t see why that wouldn’t work.
I used silicone muffin pans. They came out perfectly.
These were so good! They taste just as good as key lime pies- everyone loved them!
Love this recipe! I made these in mini cupcake tins and holders, and it yielded 68 mini tarts. Perfect for a work event!!!! I used a mini tart shaper to smash the graham cracker crumbs into the mini cupcake liners before baking and baked crust as directed, and they turned out perfect! I cooked 1 batch at 350 degrees for 13 minutes and another for 14 minutes. Both turned out great! I did watch closely since I knew the smaller “tart” sized bites would cook faster. These peel from the liners with ease, and I will definitely put this in my regular rotation! I am a key lime pie LOVER, but I am watching my waistline and greatly appreciate the mini-mini version for a sweet treat! The smaller size is also great for potlucks or events where guests want to try multiple desserts!
I should have noted I doubled the recipe for the number of tarts yielded ๐ AW
Don’t you need 8 oz of cream cheese for this recipe. 4 oz seems inadequate
We recommend sticking with 4 oz for this recipe!
hi, can i use the saltine crackers for the crust? like the atlantic beach pie crust? Thanks
Hi Giorgia, we haven’t tested it ourselves, so it may take some tinkering of the other ingredients to perfect the crust. Let us know what you try!
Does anyone know if this will turn out well in a premade pie crust? I donโt have a cupcake pan at the moment but would love to try, and all the recipies Iโve tried from this site have turned out beautifully!
Hi SB, yes, absolutely! See recipe Notes for details on making as a full-sized pie. You can use a premade crust.
Hey Sally! Love your recipes. I’ve made the full key lime pie recipe and that was great, so I was looking at these side by side and am curious about the cream cheese. Is the cream cheese addition and sweetened condensed milk reduction here a change to increase stability because of the decreased baking time with the size?
Hi Lilly, We typically add a little cream cheese mini pies or bars for stability and structure. For a full size, custard-y pie, we can skip it!
I make the key lime pie bars a LOT and everyone LOVES them!! I have a question about the mini key lime pies, though. I want to make them two days ahead but am concerned that they won’t turn out well. On the one hand, the recipe says you can make them and refrigerate them for 2 hours and UP TO ONE DAY beforehand. But, on the other hand, it says you can store leftovers in the fridge for a week. So how bad is it to make them two days ahead of using them? Thanks!
Hi Jane, it should be ok. The main thing is the crusts will become softer over time.
These were soooo good and simple to make! I already know I’ll be making these again and again!