Easy No-Bake Key Lime Pie

If you love the tart creamy goodness of a key lime pie but the simplicity of an icebox pie, have I got a treat for you! This easy no-bake key lime pie is simple but delicious!

Simple Key Lime Pie Recipe

I don’t know about you but Key Lime is one of my favorite flavors. I enjoy a good key lime cheesecake and I have an easy (baked) key lime pie recipe that I adore. But I was looking for something simple for the holidays, so I went on a search across the web for a no-bake key lime pie recipe.

I found what I was looking for at The Recipe Critic. I already had a graham cracker crust. I had the limes. I even had lime juice. So I whipped up two of these pies for our Christmas dinner. They were a big hit with the family! (And talk about an easy dessert!)

This recipe is super light and creamy. It’s got a rich lime flavor but it’s packaged in such a fluffy texture that it takes you by surprise!

I’m convinced you’re going to love the ease of this recipe. Let’s start by taking a quick peek at what you’re going to need.

No-Bake Key Lime Pie Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick peek at what you’re going to need. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand. I need to give a disclaimer about the photo above: I accidentally pulled lemon juice from the fridge for the photo but ended up using lime juice in the recipe. (Just in case you were wondering. Oops!)

Key Lime Filling Ingredients

• Room temperature cream cheese
• whipped cream
• sweetened condensed milk
• key lime juice (or regular lime juice)
• lime zest

Topping Ingredients

• heavy whipping cream
• powdered sugar
• Lime zest

Graham Cracker Crust(s)

• Use two store bought crust or make one by using graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.

How to Make No Bake Key Lime Pie

This pie was super simple to make! Unlike my “baked” key lime pie recipe, this one comes together without having to heat up the oven! I just love these easy no-bake recipes.

This recipe makes two key lime pies, which is why you’ll need two crusts.

Place heavy whipping cream in a cold bowl and whip until soft peaks form. You can use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with whisk attachment. Set aside.

Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature. I was in a hurry and mine wasn’t fully softened, which led to a few lumps. (Another oops.) Place in a separate bowl and whip until light and fluffy. Add lime zest.

Add liquid ingredients, a little at a time, until they are all fully incorporated. Continue to mix.

Fold in the whipped cream. If you like you can add a dot of green food coloring gel to give the pie that lovely green color.

Pour filling into prepared crust and spread into an even layer. Place in the refrigerator.

In a separate bowl whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Top the chilled filling with whipped cream.

You can choose to decorate the top of the pie if you like but I was transporting mine in the original container and it didn’t allow for much space on top.

Add lime zest to the top. If you choose, you can decorate with lime slices.

Repeat the process with the second pie crust.

Talk about the perfect summer dessert!

Chill several hours until set, then slice and serve.

Store this perfect dessert in the refrigerator, covered (or place in an airtight container). It will keep for 2-3 days. Too much longer and the whipping cream will start to break down.

What to Expect from this No-Bake Pie

Y’all, this is an amazing pie! The crust is crunchy and delicious. The filling is wispy soft. The topping is sweet and perfect, especially with the lime zest on top. It’s cool and luscious, perfect for a hot summer day (or any time of year)!

The light filling reminds me a little of the mousse in my Mint Oreo Trifle. I also used a similar mousse in my DIY Cupcake Trifles.

I think this is a perfect pie. I love the creaminess and the tart taste of the lime. Mostly, I loved the ease of making this one. It’s a perfect recipe to make again and again.

Variations on this Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe

I just love a good traditional key lime pie and I’m always happy to find a recipe that’s simple!

This was such an easy pie to make. I think it’s the perfect base for a variety of flavors. Here are some I hope to try:

Lemon: You could easily make this into a lemon icebox pie by substituting lemon juice and lemon zest.

Lemon-Berry: Stir in raspberries, chopped strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries to the filling before spooning it into the crust.

Orange: I love orange flavoring. I’m guessing it would be pretty delicious in place of lime.

Chocolate: Turn this into a chocolate ice box pie. Skip the lime components and use a box of instant chocolate pudding.

Coconut Cream: Replace the filling with Coconut pudding or mousse.

Questions People are Asking about Key Lime Pie

Can I use regular limes?

Absolutely. Key limes have a slightly different flavor but you probably won’t notice much of a taste difference. I bought actual key limes but for my baked key lime pie I used regular.

Is this the same thing as a Key Lime Cheesecake?

Yes. And no. This recipe has a lighter, fluffier texture but basically the same ingredients. I would probably add about half of that amount of whipping cream to the mix after the cream cheese mixture is fully mixed.

Can I leave out the whipped cream altogether in the filling?

Yep. Use the following ingredients for the filling:

• 1 block room temperature cream cheese
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• zest of one lime
• juice of one lime (or bottled key lime juice)

Can I use graham crackers to make my crust?

Yes. You’ll probably need about 8 large rectangular pieces. You can grind them up in your food processor or put them into a baggie and pound with a rolling pin. A homemade graham cracker crust is even tastier than a store-bought crust.

Other Easy Pies from Out of the Box Baking

I don’t know about you but I love a good pie! And there are many great recipes on this site. Here are some of my favorites:

No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Pie: It’s creamy, it’s loaded with cherries on top, and it’s absolutely delicious. Best of all, this pie is a breeze to make.

Classic Homemade Cheesecake: If you love a really good homemade cheesecake like you get at fancy restaurants, you’ve come to the right place. This recipe is simple enough to make at home but rich enough to make you feel like you’ve spent a fortune for a slice of it! 

Easy Coconut Cream Pie: It’s lush, rich, sweet, and loaded with coconutty goodness! Perfect for special occasions or any day of the week!

Easy Blackberry Pie with Decorative Pie Crust: If you’re looking for a luscious pie with both fantastic flavor and a memorable look, you’ve come to the right place! This blackberry pie is delicious and beautiful. 

Easy Apple Pie with Homemade Crust: If you love the warm rich flavors of apple and cinnamon and the lovely crisp crunch of a flaky crust, this is the recipe for you! Thanks to the addition of canned apple pie filling this Easy Apple Pie comes together so easily. . .but it tastes like it took hours!

That’s it for this post, friends. I hope you enjoy this luscious no-bake key lime pie. It’s a real crowd please.

Trust me: This is one of those no bake desserts you’re going to love. I sure did!

See this recipe at

• Full Plate Thursday 
• Weekend Potluck
• Busy Monday

About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.

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