Key Lime Pie Recipe – No Bake

This no bake key lime pie recipe is amazingly easy to make. The filling has only three ingredients that when combined bring you a light, fluffy, sweet and tart dessert that everyone will rave over. It simply doesn’t get any easier than this.

The recipe was first published August, 2010 and updated November 2020

First, how about this  from Yogi Berra:

The waitress asked: “How many pieces do you want your pie cut?” Yogi responded: “Four. I don’t think I could eat eight.”

About This Recipe and Why It Works

My husband’s side of the family recently gathered for their family reunion. 

Bob’s sister and husband Vern hosted the event at their home with a spread of pot luck food that wow’d our crowd.

They laid out a feast of Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Pork and sliced ham for sandwiches, coleslaw, fresh corn on the cob, calico beans, mac and cheese,  fresh slices of watermelon…get the picture? (I hope so since I didn’t take any)  :-/

And for dessert? This No-Bake Key Lime Pie Recipe with Cool Whip. And you know it must be easy if she had enough of these pies to feed about 30 people.

This is an excellent recipe to make-ahead, as it freezes well.

With it’s refreshing flavor and that “no-bake” factor, this is a great Summer dessert recipe. The filling is fluffy using Cool Whip, sweet with condensed milk and tart with lime juice. Amazing flavor with every single bite.

A bit if advice? Don’t save this one just for Summer, this is a year round dessert that everyone will enjoy.

No Bake Key Lime Pie Ingredients:

How can something this easy really be this delicious? Let’s take a look.

• Sweetened Condensed Milk: You’ll find it on the baking aisle at the grocery store. What is sweetened condensed milk? It’s thick, it’s sticky and not for drinking. Condensed milk is made by removing the water. It’s cooked down to remove moisture. Just like you would a balsamic glaze or red wine reduction. Then sugar is added to prolong shelf life. The sugar prevents microorganisms from growing and sugar thickens this milk even more. Unsweetened condensed milk is sold as evaporated milk.
• Cool Whip: Talk about a science project. Cool Whip is an imitation whipped cream sold as “whipped topping”. Cool whip has a long list of concerning ingredients and contains very little dairy. With that said, I love the stuff. I could (and have) eaten it by the spoonful from the container. It’s delicious. And this key lime pie with Cool Whip is extremely popular.
• Key Lime Juice: What are key limes? Key limes are known as Mexican or West Indian Limes. They’re more aromatic and more floral in flavor than regular limes.
• Pie Crust: If you want to make this key lime pie easier than easy, purchase a pre-made graham cracker or chocolate pie crust from the baking aisle at the grocery store. You can also make your own graham cracker crust or chocolate crust. I’m thinking an Oreo pie crust might be fab here.

Ingredient Notes and Ingredient Swaps

• Can’t find Key Limes? You can use regular limes. You’ll need to squeeze enough juice to make 1/2 cup of lime juice. You’ll need 4 – 5 full sized limes. Or purchase Nellie and Joe’s Famous Key Lime Juice. I’ve been making this pie long before key limes were available for me to purchase. I’ve made this pie many, many times with Nellie and Joe’s, great flavor.
• Can I use Homemade Whipped Cream? I’ve not tried it, but I doubt it would hold up to create a dense fluffy texture like Cool Whip. Let me know if you try it.
• Can I Freeze This Pie? This is one of its best attributes. If you’re making this for a crowd, you can make a couple of these pies ahead of time and freeze. Simply allow an overnight thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

How To Make This Recipe

First, we’ll prepare this easy graham cracker crust.

• Step 1: Using a food processor crush full sheets of graham crackers to a grainy consistency. If you don’t have a food processor, break up the crackers with your hands and place them in a zip lock bag. Seal, pressing the air out and use a use a rolling pin to crush them to a grainy state.
• Step 2: Using a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the sugar and stir.
• Step 3: Add in the graham crackers, and mix using a fork.

• Step 4: Using a small measuring cup, press the graham crackers into your pie shell. Use your fingers to form the crust up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate the crust for 2 hours before proceeding.
• Step 5: Make the filling for the pie. Using a whisk, simply mix the condensed milk, lime juice and thawed Cool Whip.
• Step 6: Using a spatula, spread the filling into prepared graham cracker crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

How to decorate a Key Lime Pie

Presentation Tips:

• Purchase some extra cool whip and spoon it into a pipping bag. Pipe swirls of whipped topping around the edge, or dollop them spaced on top of the pie.
• If you use the chocolate crust, dress up the top of each slice of  pie with a bit of  shaved chocolate for chocolate curls. How do you make chocolate curls? Just take a bar of semisweet chocolate. I like to refrigerate the chocolate first. Then I simply use a box grater, the side with the slicer. Or you can use a very sharp paring knife to very thinly slice the chocolate.
• Decorate with thin sliced limes. Using a knife, make a single cut to the center of the lime. Then twist it.
• Making this no-bake key lime pie with Cool Whip in a 9″ tart pan will give it an even snazzier look.

I think it takes longer to get the items out of the pantry than it does to throw this key lime icebox pie recipe together.

No Bake Key Lime Pie Recipe

This is such an easy key lime pie recipe, that I’ve made 2 – 3 at a time to serve at pot lucks or back yard bbq parties. It’s most certainly a crowd pleaser.

I hope you give this easy key lime pie recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating, and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite no-bake easy pie, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

More Summer Pie Recipes

• Peach Crumble Pie Made With Canned Peaches an easy peach pie recipe with a streusel topping.
• Lemon Tart with Sour Cream Lemon Curd, This beautiful refreshing lemon tart recipe combines fresh lemon juice, sour cream and egg yolks for a perfectly creamy sweet curd filling.
• Strawberry Tart with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling, This is easy to make and a perfect dessert for fresh strawberry season. Perfect dessert for Summer back-yard BBQ’s. Who doesn’t love strawberries and cream?
• Fresh Peach Blueberry Pie: Fresh fruit, a little bit of spice and you’ve got a beautiful fresh peach pie.

Key Lime Pie Recipe No Bake …It’s What’s For Dessert.