No Bake Key Lime Pie Recipe
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This No Bake Key Lime Pie Recipe is a sweet but tangy summer dessert you’ll want to make again and again!
Key lime pie is just one of those flavors that screams “summer”, don’t you think? Not just the beginning of summer but the dog days of summer too, those days so hot and dry that all you want to do is sit in front of the air conditioning or lay next to the pool. That’s the essence of the key lime pie flavor. (Am I the only one that associates certain flavors with certain types of days like that?!)
As we head into late summer, we’re definitely in the perfect time of year for key lime pie….and also the perfect time of the year to not heat up the oven. That’s why I love this No Bake Key Lime Pie recipe so much. No hot kitchen and a delicious dessert to enjoy by the pool.
Now, to be clear, you do have the option of making this No Bake Key Lime Pie with little effort by purchasing a graham cracker pie crust, or you can make your own graham cracker crust. Both ways are delicious and honestly, whether or not I make my own crust depends entirely on how lazy I’m feeling. (In the notes, I have included an extra yummy crust recipe made with vanilla wafers – it does require baking, though.)
Either way, the filling of this No Bake Key Lime Pie can be whipped together in just a few minutes and tastes so refreshing. I love serving this up in the summer to guests at parties or just enjoying a slice by the pool. Now that I’ve shared it with friends, I get requests to make it all the time!
What Is the Difference Between Key Lime Juice and Lime Juice? Key limes and limes are not the same. Key limes originated in Asia and are smaller, with a thin yellowish skin. The difference in the juice between key lime juice and lime juice is small but important when making desserts like this icebox key lime pie. Key lime juice is much more aromatic with a stronger, bolder flavor.
Other no-bake desserts you might like:
- Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
- Microwave Chocolate Molten Lava Cake
- Boozy (or not) Frozen Margarita Pie Recipe
- Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
- Golden Graham Rice Krispies Treats
- Easy, No Bake Mini Cheesecake Bites
- Easy Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie Recipe
No Bake Key Lime Pie
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This easy and oh-so-yummy Key Lime Pie is the ultimate summer dessert! It’s a no bake key lime pie if you use a store-bought crust.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 – 2/3 cups graham crackers, crushed
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter. melted
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
Filling:
- 1/2 cup key lime juice (about a pound of key limes will give 1/2 to 3/4 cup of juice -room temp to release most juice)
- 1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- (optional) Up to 3 to 4 drops of each yellow and green food coloring to achieve the desired coloring
- 1 8 oz container whipped topping, divided
- Additional lime slices and cookie crumbs for garnish
Instructions
Crust:
- In a bowl, combine crushed graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9″ pie dish.
Filling:
- Zest limes to measure 3 tsp zest.
- Juice limes to equal ½ cup juice.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together until combined. Stir in zest and juice.
- Add optional food coloring until the desired color is achieved.
- Gently fold in whipped topping.
- Pour mixture into crust and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Garnish pie with remaining whipped topping and lime slices.
Notes
- Make sure your cream cheese has come to room temp before beating – otherwise, you might have lumps in the cream cheese.
- ‘Nilla wafer crust: +/- 40 vanilla wafer cookies, ¼ cup melted butter, 1 ½ tbsp. sugar. Combine cookies, sugar, and butter in a food processor and process till everything is combined. Press cookie crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake the crust for 9 minutes at 350 F. Let cool.
