Easy Key Lime Pie

Slice of no bake key lime pie with graham cracker crust on plate topped with piped whipped cream, a lime slice, and lime zest.

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Starring simple ingredients, tangy key lime juice, and a store-bought or homemade graham cracker crust, this key lime pie is incredibly silky and easy to make.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Chilling4

Total Time4 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

9-inch pie pan

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs ~18 graham cracker sheets or 2 sleeves
½ cup unsalted butter melted
1 pinch sea salt

Key Lime Pie

1 cup heavy whipping cream COLD
1 (8-ounce) package full-fat cream cheese at room temperature
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lime zest about 2-3 regular limes
½ cup key lime juice see note
1 9-inch graham cracker crust homemade or store-bought

Instructions

For the Crust

Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350℉.
If using whole graham crackers, break them in half and add to a food processor fitted with an s-blade. Pulse until they become fine crumbs.
To the graham cracker crumbs, add the melted butter and a pinch of salt and pulse again to bring the mixture together. It should resemble wet sand.
Transfer the mixture into a 9-inch deep pie plate. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan.
Bake for 10 minutes until the crust is golden. Let cool completely while you prepare the pie filling. You can skip baking the crust, but I find a homemade graham cracker crust has the best texture when quickly baked and cooled.

Key Lime Pie

Pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream into a large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Using a handheld mixer or the whisk attachment, beat the cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Set aside. If using a stand mixer, transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Add 1 (8-ounce) package full-fat cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer or into a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy - no lumps! This will take 2-3 minutes.
Once the cream cheese is smooth, add in 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons lime zest and beat again on medium speed, until well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
With the mixer still running on medium speed, slowly drizzle in ½ cup key lime juice until fully incorporated.
Turn off the mixer and then gently fold in the whipped cream, about a cup at a time, until no streaks remain.
Spoon the key lime mixture into the prepared pie crust, spreading it out into an even layer.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight is best.

Video

Notes

Key Lime Juice: I prefer using bottled key lime juice -- Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice is my preferred brand. If you want to use fresh key lime juice, you will need 16-20 key limes. If using regular limes, you will need about 4 large limes.

Cream Cheese: Be sure softened and full-fat is best. Do NOT use fat-free cream cheese, as the flavor and consistency is not the same.

Graham Cracker Crust: Use the homemade recipe provided OR a store-bought 9-inch deep graham cracker crust. Note that you can skip baking the homemade crust to keep this dessert truly no-bake, but the crust will likely not stay perfectly intact when sliced.

Use a 9-inch springform pan: Press the pie crust over the bottom of the pan and bake the graham cracker crust as directed. Remove the sides after chilling and slice and serve.

Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free graham crackers or a gluten-free store-bought crust.

Freeze if desired: Freeze tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving frozen.

Storage: Cover with plastic wrap (or place the pie in an airtight container) and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. After day three, the filling begins to lose its structure.

Nutrition