No Bake Key Lime Pie: My Go-To Summer Dessert Recipe

No-bake key lime pie is a creamy, tangy, no-oven-required dessert made with a buttery graham cracker crust and a cream cheese filling that sets up firm enough to slice cleanly. I have made this pie more times than I can count, and the trick is in the chill time; the overnight rest is what takes it from good to "we've dubbed it Key Lime cheesecake." Ready in 20 minutes; chilling time is at least 4 hours.

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A no bake key lime pie with a slice taken out of it.

No-bake key lime pie is the dessert I reach for every summer when turning on the oven feels like a personal offense. Serve it alongside a pitcher of big-batch margaritas or a glass of Brazilian lemonade and you have a backyard spread that requires almost zero effort. If you are already in no-bake mode, my sugared prosecco grapes are worth adding to the table too.

Ingredients:

These are pantry and refrigerator staples; the only thing worth seeking out is full-fat cream cheese. Do not use the reduced-fat version; it will not set up the same way. Check your pantry, you might have the ingredients to make my famous hot bacon dressing too!

Recipe Card?

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We've dubbed it Key Lime cheesecake.

★★★★★~Kirstie ~ 4/2026

Did not like this.

The cream cheese would not blend smoothly.

- Lesley L ~ Pinterest

Sarah's Culinary Insight

The cream cheese must be fully softened before you start. Cold cream cheese will not beat smooth; you will end up with lumps in your filling. Pull it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes ahead.
The overnight chill is not optional if you want clean slices. Four hours gets you a pie you can serve; overnight gets you a pie you can be proud of.
Regular Persian limes work fine here. Key limes give you a slightly more floral, aromatic flavor; Persian limes give you clean tartness. Both produce a great pie; do not skip the recipe over limes.
For the cleanest slices, put the finished pie in the freezer for 1-2 hours before serving, then let slices sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating. This is the move for a dinner party.
One reader noted the cream cheese would not blend smoothly; that is almost always a temperature problem. Room temperature cream cheese beats like a dream.

How To Make No-Bake Key Lime Pie

This pie comes together in three stages: crust, filling, chill. The crust sets in the freezer while you mix the filling, so nothing is waiting on anything. Work through the steps in order and you will have this assembled in under 25 minutes.

A no bake key lime pie with a slice taken out.

Prepare your pie plate

Spray a 10-inch pie plate with cooking spray and set it aside. A light coat of spray is all you need; this keeps the crust from sticking when you slice and serve.

A food processor filled with graham cracker crumbs

Make graham cracker crumbs

Add graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until you have fine, even crumbs. You want them uniform; coarse crumbs will give you a crumbly crust that falls apart when you cut it.

Two bowls with sugar, melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and flour in them.

Mix the Crust

Transfer the crumbs to a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and salt. Add melted butter and mix until the crumbs look like wet sand and hold together when you press them between your fingers. If the mixture still crumbles loosely, add a small drizzle more of melted butter.

A graham cracker crust for no bake key lime pie in a white dish on a marble table.

Press and Freeze the Crust

Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to press and compact it; a loosely pressed crust will not hold its shape when filled. Place the crust in the freezer for at least 10 minutes while you make the filling.

Beat the Cream Cheese

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until completely smooth and creamy; about 2 minutes. This step matters. Any lumps in the cream cheese at this stage will still be lumps in your finished pie.

Sarah's Chef Tip:

When zesting limes, use a fine grater and work only the outer green layer. Stop before you hit the white pith underneath; it is bitter and it will compete with the lime flavor you are building.

A glass bowl filled with whipped cream and lime zest.

Add the Filling Ingredients

Add the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest. Beat on medium speed until fully combined and smooth. The filling will be thick and pourable.

Fold In the Cool Whip

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the thawed Cool Whip or homemade whipped topping. Fold, do not stir; stirring will deflate the whipped topping and give you a denser filling.

Fill the Crust

Remove the crust from the freezer. Pour the filling into the crust and spread it evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Work from the center out, pressing lightly to remove any air pockets.

Chill the pie

Cover the pie loosely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The filling needs this time to set up firm enough to slice. Overnight is the better option; the lime flavor deepens considerably.

Garnish and Serve

When ready to serve, pipe or dollop whipped cream over the top and finish with fresh lime zest and lime slices. Slice with a clean, sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean edges.

Did you make this recipe?

Do you have feedback that would be helpful to others? If so can help this small business owner by leaving a rating and a review in the comments section? Thank you for being part of the Savoring The Good Community. ~ Sarah

Substitutions

A few swaps worth knowing before you start.

Regular Persian limes instead of key limes You lose a bit of the floral, aromatic quality that makes key lime pie distinct. What you gain is easy availability and a clean, straightforward tartness. I have made this pie with Persian limes dozens of times; it is a great pie. If you can find key limes, use them. If you cannot, do not let that stop you.
Bottled key lime juice instead of fresh This works and I have used it; the flavor is slightly flatter than fresh. Nellie and Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice is the brand worth buying if you go this route.
Reduced-fat cream cheese I tested this. The filling does not set up as firmly, and the texture is noticeably softer. Full-fat is the right call here.
Homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip This works beautifully and I actually prefer it. Whip 1 cup of heavy cream to stiff peaks with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. The flavor is cleaner and the texture is slightly airier. The pie will be a bit less stable for slicing, so chill it overnight rather than just 4 hours.
Alternative crusts Golden Oreos, Nilla Wafers, gingersnaps, or shortbread cookies all work in place of graham crackers. Gingersnap crust is my personal favorite variation; the spice plays well with the lime. A store-bought graham cracker crust also works if you want to cut out a step entirely.

Can no-bake key lime pie be made ahead?

This pie is genuinely better made ahead; the lime flavor intensifies and the filling sets more firmly the longer it chills.

Assemble the pie completely through Step 8
Cover loosely with plastic wrap; avoid pressing the wrap directly onto the filling.
Refrigerate for up to 48 hours before serving.
Add whipped cream garnish and lime zest right before serving; not the night before.

Storage

Leftover no-bake key lime pie keeps well for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Cover the pie plate tightly with plastic wrap or transfer individual slices to an airtight container.
Refrigerate immediately; do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

To freeze: Wrap the whole pie (or individual slices) in plastic wrap, then in a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The texture will be slightly softer after freezing but still delicious. Some readers prefer it slightly frozen; it slices like a dream straight from the freezer with a 10-minute rest.

FAQ's and Tips

While I try to share all the information you need to make this recipe in your home with restaurant-quality results, there still may be a question or two. Or these are questions I have received from the community about this recipe. I do my best to answer them as clearly as I can. I hope this helps.

My cream cheese has lumps in the filling. What went wrong?

Almost always a temperature issue. Cold cream cheese does not beat smooth, no matter how long you run the mixer. Pull it from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you start, or cut it into small pieces and let it sit for 20 minutes. Beat it alone first before adding any other ingredients.

How do I get clean slices?

Freeze the finished pie for 1-2 hours before you plan to serve it. Slice with a clean, sharp knife and wipe the blade between each cut. Let slices sit for about 10 minutes before serving so they soften slightly.

How can I ensure the pie crust holds its shape when I add the filling?

Freeze the pressed crust for at least 10 minutes before adding the filling. If you want extra insurance, bake the crust at 350F for 7-10 minutes, let it cool completely, then fill. Both methods work; the freeze is faster.

Can I make this vegan?

A reader in the comments reported success replacing all the dairy with plant-based alternatives. She noted it came out less firm but set up well after freezing. Savoring The Good has not tested this variation; try it at your own risk and report back.

I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years, Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

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