If you’re clicking on this post, in all likelihood, it means Summertime is near! And that means it’s that time of year to enjoy No Bake Key Lime Pie, a classic desssert! Of course, we all know about the Key Lime Pie that you have to bake, but ain’t nobody trying to turn off that hot oven when it 90 or 100 degrees outside. A no-bake spin on a key lime pie is perfect because all you have to do is combine the ingredients, chill it in the refrigerator until it thickens, and then it is ready to serve! In this post, I will be sharing my failproof recipe I extensively test and developed for this creamy and tangy dessert.
Key Ingredients for No Bake Key Lime Pie
This No Bake Key Lime Pie recipe is made up of your standard ingredients: Key Lime Juice, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Lime Zest and a Graham Cracker Crust. That said, what makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the use of Greek Yogurt and Lemon Extract for the filling, as well as the addition of Ground Cinnamon to the crust.
- Greek Yogurt: Traditionally, you will find No Bake Key Lime Pie recipes that call for adding sour cream to the filling. There are a number of reasons for this. For one, the tanginess of the sour cream helps to neutralize the richness of the cream cheese. It also contributes more moisture to the filling so that the pie doesn’t end up too dense. Greek Yogurt accomplished much of the same things as well, which is why it works as a 1:1 replacement. But the main reason I prefer using Greek Yogurt in my recipe is because it has a higher protein content. With there being more protein, you end up with a cake that’s a bit firmer than most Key Lime Pies.
- Iodized Salt: If you’ve seen and tried enough of my recipes, you’ll notice that they all call for the use of Iodized Salt. Iodized salt is what we also know best as table salt, thus it is easily accessible & available compared to Kosher or Sea Salt (which is what most other recipes will call for). Iodized salt also contains Iodine, and scientific studies have shown that a lot of us are deficient of this mineral (despite it being critical for our bodies to grow/develop/function normally). But that’s enough with the science lesson! The salt helps to balance out the richness of the No Bake Key Lime Pie, and it also helps to cut down on the excessive tanginess.
- Ground Cinnamon: As a self-proclaimed cinnamon fiend, I’m of the opinion that cinnamon makes almost anything taste better. By testing the graham cracker crust with the addition of cinnamon, it helps to round out this No Bake Key Lime Pie by enhancing its natural sweetness of the sugar & honey. Besides providing subtle warmth / spiciness to the crust, cinnamon also gives the crust an appealing scent that can be best description as woody yet slightly citrus-y. Not to mention, cinnamon is also consider an antioxidant, which helps anti-inflammation benefits inside the body. You can even go as far as to say it’s my “secret” ingredient that really helps my recipe stand out against the rest of the Key Lime Pie recipes out there.
And that’s all there is to it. Perhaps the best part about this No Bake Key Lime Pie recipe is that it doesn’t require nearly as much micromanagement as the traditional Key Lime Pie. There’s no need for a water bath, or tempering how slow/fast the cheesecake cools out of the oven, or worrying about incorporating too much air into the cheesecake while mixing the ingredients. By the time you finish reading this post, you will also be a pro at making this dessert yourself!
Tips for Making this Recipe
Avoid using electric juicer for squeezing key limes It’s certainly an interesting idea. Why spend so much time squeezing key limes using a manual citrus press when you can just send them through the electric juicer? There’s actually a very good reason for that. While you will indeed have your juice in a fraction of the time, what you’ll also have is all of that pith that sits directly under the outer skin (which is what you’ll be using for the zest). That pith is extremely bitter and will by extension make your No Bake Key Lime Pie extremely bitter as well. That’s why using a manual citrus press is best practice to avoid “juicing” the pith as well.
Do not overmix the filling. You also have to be really careful when you’re whipping the ingredients together for No Bake Key Lime Pie. While it is true that there’s less of a concern about incorporating too much air into the Key Lime Pie filling, since we won’t have to worry about heat expansion in the oven, what can still happen if you overmixed the filling is that you will break down the emulsion of the fat and the water contained within (as it contains anywhere from 50% to 60% water). If this were to occur, you can end up with Key Lime Pie that fails to firm up properly in the referigerator as it will be much too runny.
For best flavor, use honey-flavored graham crackers. There are many different kinds of graham crackers you can buy. There are plain graham crackers, cinnamon-flavored graham crackers and I believe they even sell chocolate-flavored graham crackers. There’s even already crushed graham cracker crumbs you can buy. Aside from adding cinnamon to my graham cracker crust, I also like graham crackers that include honey. The reason why is because I think it adds even more complexity to the No Bake Key Lime Pie that only helps to enhance its overall flavor profile. That being said, despite adding some of my own cinnamon to the graham cracker crust, I avoid buying the cinnamon grahan crackers because the cinnamon flavor would be too overwhelming.
Use a hot, clean knife for slicing. A common issue people struggle with when making key lime pies is getting slices that come out smoothly, due to its creamy texture. A good pro-tip for avoiding this is not only using a sharp knife, but specifically using one that has been run in (or sat in) hot water. What you should also do afterwards with the same knife is wipe it clean so that you don’t end up incorporating more moisture into the No Bake Key Lime Pie. This will ensure that you’re able to easily cut through the graham cracker crust after its hardened and also ensure that too much of the pie doesn’t get stuck on the knife.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add toppings to this recipe?
Absolutely! As you can see, per my pictures, I topped by No Bake Key Lime Pie with whipped cream. Some other popular options include toasted meringue, macadamia nuts as well as lime slices.
Can I substitute the Greek Yogurt for Sour Cream?
While you certainly can make a 1:1 substitute of the Greek Yogurt for Sour Cream, just bear in mind it might change the flavor profile of the No Bake Key Lime Pie somewhat. The real difference with this substitution will be nutritional, as you’ll be consuming a pie with a somewhat lower fat and protein content.
Can I freeze the No Bake Key Lime Pie to make it set faster?
I don’t recommend it. While this will in fact help the No Bake Key Lime Pie to firm up faster, and it may work in a pinch if you’re in a hurry, it can potentially lead to an uneven texture as it doesn’t chill gently. In addition, there’s the risk of the ingredients in the No Bake Key Lime Pie separating once you thaw it.
How long can the No Bake Key Lim Pie be left out at room temperature?
I would advise against leaving out the No Bake Key Lime Pie no longer than 2 hours at room temperature. Aside from the fact that the ingredients must be kept cool and may no longer be safe to eat after being exposed to room temperature air for that long, the Key Lime Pie will tend to lost its firm structure as it warms and softens.
Can I substitute the lime zest with lime extract?
While you certainly can, using lime extract won’t be as aesthetically appealing to the eye as lime zest if you’re trying to impress guests or family with how pretty your No Bake Key Lime Pie looks. If you do decide to go through with this substitition, you would only use about half the amount of lime extract relative to the amount lime zest that’s called for in this recipe.
Can I use ready-made Lime Juice in place of fresh-squeeze Key Limes?
Nothing beats fresh-squeezed lime juice when all said and done, but they can certainly be a pain to squeeze because of how small they are. If you do use ready-made lime juice, yshould be mindful that not all brands of created equal. There are varying kinds of limes and you specifically want to use the juice from limes that are native to South Florida (thus the name “Key Limes” being colloquially associated with the Florida Keys). Nellie & Joe’s, which is a producer of Key Lime Juice based out of South Florida, is who I recommend. That said, you should avoid using “RealLime” juice at all costs, as that juice lacks the tartness and aroma of Key Lime Juice.
How long can I store the No Bake Key Lime Pie in the refrigerator?
As long as the No Bake Key Lime Pie is covered, it should be safe to eat for at least 3 days. After 3 days, it may begin to lose their flavor & texture. Once 5 days have passed, I would advise that you dispose of the no bake cheesecake as it may no longer be safe to eat.
Try These Other Desserts
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Easy No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
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Best Sweet Potato Pie
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Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe
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Best Brownies From Scratch
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Best Banana Pudding From Scratch
Easy No Bake Key Lime Pie
Equipment
- 1 9" Pie Plate
- 1 Citrus Press (optional)
- 1 Microplane (or Citrus Zester)
- 1 Plastic Spatula
- 1 5qt Mixing Bowl
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Knife
- 1 Spoon
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- Parchment Paper *OR* Grease (to grease pan)
- Food Processor *OR* Rolling Pin *OR* Mallet (to crush graham crackers)
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 12 Whole Graham Crackers (equivalent to 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs)
- 1/4 Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 6 TBSP Melted Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 TSP Ground Cinnamon
Cleaning of Key Limes
- 4 Cups Cold Water
- 2 TBSP Baking Soda
Cheesecake Filling
- 1/2 Cup Fresh-Squeeze Key Lime Juice (equivalent to 1 LB of key limes)
- 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz)
- 1/2 Cup Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
- 1 TBSP Lime Zest (Key Lime Zest is recommended; not required)
- 1/8 TSP Iodized Salt
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Crush graham crackers into granulated crumbs (skip step if using store-bought graham cracker crumbs).
- Place graham crackers into mixing bowl and mix together with melted butter, sugar and cinnamon until graham cracker crumbs have a sandy texture.
- Grease bottom of pie plate or line it with a sheet of parchment paper, then Add graham cracker crumbs to pie plate
- Spread crumbs around to form edges against sides of pie plate then press down remaining crumbs to form bottom of curst.
- Chill pie plate with crust in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
Pie Filling
- Soak Key Limes in a bowl with cold water and baking soda for 12-15 minutes, then thoroughly drain & rinse.
- Set aside 6 or 7 Key Limes and using a Microplane, zest the outer green skin of the Key Limes (avoid zesting the bitter white pith), making for approx. 1 TBSP of Zest.
- Using knife, slice zested key limes along with remaining 1 LB of unzested key limes in half and use manual citrus press to completely squeeze them all lime halves of their juice.
- To 5qt mixing bowl, add key lime juice, lime zest, greek yogurt, sweetened condensed milk as well as salt then whisk until well combined.
- Pour key lime filling into pie plate with chilled crust then spread around filling until top is leveled and entire pan is filled
- Place pie plate with pie filling back in refrigerator and chill for at least an additional 3-6 hours (or until firm) before serving.