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This No Bake Key Lime Pie is the perfect pie recipe that’s totally no bake! With a thick graham cracker crust and creamy key lime filling, this is best no bake pie recipe ever – you’re going to love it.

key lime pie with whipped cream and sliced limes on top.


Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If you love key lime pie you’re in the right place! Traditional Key Lime Pie is baked and has a filling that is a bit like lime curd. While it’s delicious, I love the creamy no bake version even more for so many reasons:

  • You don’t need to heat up you house by turning on the oven.
  • This pie filling has the creamiest texture with the best key lime flavor from zest and juice.
  • You can start with a store-bought crust or make mine from scratch.
ingredients in key lime pie laid out on a white counter.

Ingredients Needed

  • Graham Cracker Crust: Make mine or buy yours from the store! My graham cracker pie crust starts with graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter and tastes amazing.
  • Key Lime Juice: The acidity of the lime juice helps to set the pie – and because this is a key lime pie, you’ll want to use key lime juice.
  • Lime Zest: Check out my How to Zest a Lemon tutorial for tips. Lime zest gives SO much flavor, so don’t skip it.
  • Cream Cheese: Make sure it’s softened to avoid lumps in the creamy filling.
  • Whipped Cream: Make my delicious homemade recipe! This light and fluffy whipped cream will be pipped around the edges.

Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!

Key Limes vs Regular Limes

There is a difference between regular limes and key limes. Persian limes are larger and have a more acidic taste, whereas key limes are more floral and sweet and smaller in size.

You can use regular limes for zesting, but be sure to use key lime juice for the filling (bottled or fresh).

process shot of key lime pie being made.
process shot of key lime pie being made.
process shot of key lime pie being made.

How to make Key Lime Pie

  • Beat cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl using an electric mixer.
  • Stir in sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, and zest. Mix until smooth.
  • Pour into prepared crust. Chill until set.
  • Before serving, garnish with whipped cream and lime slices.
slice of key lime pie with whipped cream and sliced lime on top.

Expert Tips

  • With cream cheese, it is so important to let the cream cheese be at room temperature when you start using it to avoid a lumpy pie.
  • When making fresh whipped cream, be sure to use heavy whipping cream (also called heavy cream) and beat it until stiff peaks form. You can also substitute cool whip for garnish if you prefer.
  • Make my homemade graham cracker crust, or buy one from the store, but use a 9-inch pie plate so the filling fills it up. You could also use a Golden Oreo cookie crust or shortbread crust.
  • Store the pie in the fridge or place leftovers in the freezer.
key lime pie with whipped cream and sliced limes on top.

No Bake Key Lime Pie Recipe

5 from 3 votes
This Key Lime Pie recipe is the perfect summer pie. It has key lime throughout every bite and it is the easiest no bake pie recipe ever!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield 12 servings
Serving Size 1 serving
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Ingredients
 

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Instructions

  • If making crust, prepare as directed and chill until ready to fill.
  • Beat cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl using a mixer.
  • Stir in sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and zest. Mix until smooth.
  • Pour into prepared crust. Chill at least 2 hours, or until set.
  • Before serving, garnish with whipped cream and lime slices.

Recipe Notes

  • Only use block cream cheese
  • Make sure cream cheese is room temperature to avoid lumps
  • You can use bottled key lime juice or juice your own.
  • Regular limes may be substituted for zest, but be sure to use key lime juice.
  • Make sure to use the exact amount of juice, the pie needs the acid in the citrus to
    help it set up.
  • Store in refrigerator loosely covered. Pie can also be frozen.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 3 votes

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6 Comments

  2. I like that this recipe is simple & has just a few ingredients, but I just made this recipe tonight & I noticed while I was making it, it was quite runny & loose; I made sure that I used softened cream cheese. I even had to blend it up in my Ninja blender because it was as if the cream cheese looked curdled. I don’t know if it was because I used sweetened condensed coconut milk, instead of regular sweetened condensed milk. Hopefully it sets up in the fridge overnight! Did I do something wrong?

    Reply

    1. I have never heard of sweetened condensed coconut milk – that may be the issue. Also was the cream cheese fully softened?

      Reply

  3. I love, love, love everything Key Lime. My favorite is key lime pie. Can’t wait to make these recipes because I love key lime and I love your recipes which always turn out so tasty and easy to make.

    Reply