No Bake Key Lime Pie
This No Bake Key Lime Pie is creamy, tart, and full of fresh key lime flavor. A homemade graham cracker crust is filled with the sweet and delicious filling, then topped with whipped cream. It’s always a hit!
For more delicious pie recipes be sure to check out my Blueberry Sour Cream Pie, The Best Chocolate Pecan Pie, and Fresh Strawberry Pie.
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Today’s recipe is a special one and very sentimental to me. It’s brought to you in memory of my dad.
My dad passed away last month, just days after celebrating his 80th birthday. Losing him has been hard in so many ways, and I’m learning that processing the grief comes in waves.
This weekend will be my first Father’s Day without him, and I knew I wanted to share a recipe that he loved to honor him.
Key Lime Pie was his all time favorite dessert, and I actually made a few over the years for him on Father’s Day or his birthday.
Most of those were made during my teen years before I knew my way around the kitchen. God bless my dad, because he ate them up and always told me they were the best, even though I know for a fact at least one of them tasted absolutely terrible! I remember it vividly.
One of the special things about this version of No Bake Key Lime Pie is that the homemade graham cracker crust contains macadamia nuts. When we were stationed in Hawaii, I used to send chocolate covered macadamia nuts back home to him and my mom and it was one of his favorite treats.
While the macadamia nuts are totally optional in the crust, and you can leave them out if you prefer, they add a sweet and salty texture and hint of tropical flavor to the crust that is really delicious.
I hope you enjoy this easy No Bake Key Lime Pie. I’m sure my dad is eating plenty of it (and carrot cake, his other favorite) in Heaven right about now!
Ingredients for No Bake Key Lime Pie
- graham crackers
- brown sugar
- macadamia nuts
- salt
- unsalted butter
- cream cheese
- sweetened condensed milk
- sour cream
- key lime juice
- heavy whipping cream
- lime zest
- powdered sugar
How to Make No Bake Key Lime Pie – Step by Step
Step 1: Make the crust
In a 9.25 inch deep dish pie plate, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, ground macadamia nuts, salt, and melted butter. Stir with a fork until evenly mixed. Firmly press the crumbs into the pie plate and up the sides using a measuring cup. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.
Step 2: Make the filling
In a large bowl, blend the sweetened condensed milk, softened cream cheese, and sour cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Mix in the key lime juice. Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you make the whipped cream filling.
Step 3: Make the whipped cream
In a medium sized bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and lime zest and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Remove the filling mixture from the refrigerator and fold in the whipped cream using a spatula.
Step 4: Chill
Pour the filling into the set pie crust and place back in refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Decorate as desired with additional whipped topping, lime slices, and lime zest.
No Bake Key Lime Pie – Tips and Notes
- Use a food processor. If you have a food processor, you can use it to make your crust by first finely chopping up the nuts, then adding the other ingredients. Process until coarse crumbs are formed.
- Crust shortcut: you can make this recipe even easier by using a pre-made graham cracker crust if you’re in a time crunch. Homemade crust is always best, though, and the macadamia nuts give this crust so much flavor, so I only recommend store bought if you’re in a pinch!
- For a lighter pie, feel free to use light cream cheese and sour cream in the filling.
- To decorate, add a few dollops of whipped cream (homemade or store bought is fine), some lime slices, and sprinkle a bit of lime zest over the top of the pie right before serving.
How to Store
Any leftover No Bake Key Lime Pie can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
FAQs
Yes, this pie is freezer friendly. Prepare as instructed, then cover tightly with both plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the pie in the refrigerator before serving.
Most definitely. Simply omit them and make the crust as directed.
To make a gluten free version of no bake key lime pie, simply look for gluten free graham crackers at your local grocery store.
I used Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice for this recipe and I purchased it from my local grocery store. I’ve seen it at HEB, Walmart, and Kroger, and you can also purchase it online from Amazon here.
More Summer Dessert Recipes You Should Try!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
Recipe: No Bake Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (1 stick) melted
For the filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup key lime juice
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lime zest, optional
Instructions
- In a 9.25 inch deep dish pie plate, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, ground macadamia nuts, salt, and melted butter. Stir with a fork until evenly mixed. Firmly press the crumbs into the pie plate and up the sides using a measuring cup. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.
- In a large bowl, blend the sweetened condensed milk, softened cream cheese, and sour cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Mix in the key lime juice. Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you make the whipped cream filling.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and lime zest and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Remove the filling mixture from the refrigerator and fold in the whipped cream using a spatula.
- Pour the filling into the set pie crust and place back in refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Decorate as desired with additional whipped topping, lime slices, and lime zest.
Notes
- I used Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice for this recipe. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, you can order it online here.
- Use a food processor. If you have a food processor, you can use it to make your crust by first finely chopping up the nuts, then adding the other ingredients. Process until coarse crumbs are formed.
- Crust shortcut: you can make this recipe even easier by using a pre-made graham cracker crust if you’re in a time crunch. Homemade crust is always best, though, and the macadamia nuts give this crust so much flavor, so I only recommend store bought if you’re in a pinch!
- For a lighter pie, feel free to use light cream cheese and sour cream in the filling.
- To decorate, add a few dollops of whipped cream (homemade or store bought is fine), some lime slices, and sprinkle a bit of lime zest over the top of the pie right before serving.
- Storing: Any leftover No Bake Key Lime Pie can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
First of all: So sorry for your loss! 🙁
But I have to say that the resulting recipe is utterly delicious. Never thought of adding macadamias to Key Lime pie crust and the result is so delicious!
Such a refreshing pie! Perfect for summer! We are going to make it again for sure!
My husband loved this key lime pie! Delicious and easy to make!
This recipe was so easy and delicious. I love anything citrus and this delivered on everything I was craving for. So indulgent.
This came out perfect! I’ve been looking for a great no bake Key Lime Pie recipe and this one does not disappoint! So tasty.
Can’t go wrong with key lime pie! Looking forward to trying this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
It’s so lovely that you make this in honour of your dad and I’m sorry for your loss. The macadamia nuts are an interesting twist, so I’m looking forward to trying this!
This looks like an incredible pie. I love that it’s no bake as well. Yum!