No-Churn Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
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This no-churn key lime pie ice cream has all the bright lime flavor of the pie — even the crunchy, buttery graham cracker crust — and is a cinch to make.
Delighted with the success of an ultra-creamy no-churn cheesecake ice cream I developed for my cookbook, I’ve been playing around with other no-churn ice cream flavors. This key lime pie ice cream is my favorite thus far: it has all the bright lime flavor of key lime pie—even the crunchy, buttery graham cracker crust—and it’s a cinch to make.
There’s no temperamental custard base to make and chill, no ice cream machine to fiddle with, and no pulling the ice cream out of the freezer every 30 minutes to beat out the crystals. You start by making the 3-ingredient crust (easy!), then you beat the ice cream ingredients together, layer the mixture with the crust in a loaf pan, and pop it in the freezer. The next day you have a creamy, dreamy key lime treat that tastes far better than anything you could buy at the store.
“My family begs me to make this! So delicious and easy to make!”
What You’ll Need To Make Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: Provide classic key lime pie crust flavor and a satisfying crunchy texture.
- Butter: Binds the crumbs together, adds a rich buttery flavor, and helps achieve a golden crust when baked.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
- Cream Cheese: Creates a rich, creamy base with a slight tang emulating the taste of key lime pie.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds sweetness and a velvety mouthfeel.
- Heavy Cream: Contributes to the creamy texture and richness, making the ice cream smooth and indulgent.
- Lime Zest: Provides a bright, citrusy flavor and aroma.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Adds tanginess and enhances the key lime pie flavor. I use regular limes instead of key limes. (Key limes are challenging to find, and regular limes work just as well.)
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by making the crust. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Using a spoon first and then your fingers, mix until evenly combined, making sure to break up any lumps of brown sugar.
Press the crust into an even 1/4-inch layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake until golden around the edges, 7 to 8 minutes.
Let cool, then use a spoon to break into chunks.
Set the crust aside while you make the filling. To start, zest and juice the limes. (Be sure to zest them first as it’s near impossible to do once they are juiced.)
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the heavy cream, lime zest, lime juice and salt.
And beat until evenly combined, about 30 seconds.
Arrange half of the crust evenly over the bottom of an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan.
Pour the ice cream mixture over top.
Then cover with the remaining crust crumbles. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until completely firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t recommend it. Bottled key lime juice can be bracingly tart and artificial-tasting. You’ll get a much better result with fresh lime juice.
Sure! Store-bought crumbs work just as well.
Yep, the ice cream will keep, tightly covered, for up to 2 weeks. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to soften to a scoopable texture before serving.
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No-Churn Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
This no-churn key lime pie ice cream has all the bright lime flavor of the pie — even the crunchy, buttery graham cracker crust — and is a cinch to make.
Ingredients
For the "Crust"
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, from 8 whole crackers
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- Pinch salt
For the Ice Cream
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 packed tablespoon finely grated lime zest, from about 3 limes
- 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from about 3 limes
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Make the Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Using a spoon first and then your fingers, mix until evenly combined, making sure to break up any lumps of brown sugar. Press the crust into an even ¼-inch layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden around the edges, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool, then use a spoon to break into chunks.
- Make the Ice Cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, lime zest, lime juice and salt, and beat until evenly combined, about 30 seconds.
- Assemble: Arrange half of the crust crumbles evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 8-by-4-inch loaf pan. Pour the ice cream mixture over top, then cover with the remaining crust crumbles. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until completely firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Serving size: About 1 cup
- Calories: 542
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Sugar: 50 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 342 mg
- Cholesterol: 98 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Key Lime Pie ice cream is a staple from my adolescence in Miami, I can’t wait to try your recipe. Your photos are gorgeous!
WOW! I pre-portioned these into lined muffin tins (paper liner, graham cracker crumbles, ice cream, more graham crumbles) covered them, and froze them overnight. I pulled the trays out about 10 minutes before serving, peeled off the liners, and served each individual portion on a small dish with the tiniest of homemade whipped cream dollops on top. They looked like miniature pies! The flavor is superb; the perfect closing to the barbecue lunch we just had. And it’s an easy to make recipe to boot! You are a gift, Ms. Segal! Thank you for another fantastic recipe. (I had another serving idea–I bet this recipe could be prepared, frozen, and served in 4 oz. canning jelly jars…even less mess than my muffin tins!)
I made this yesterday as I prepared for a visit from our 18 year old grandson, and got rave reviews from him (and hubby) tonight. It’s really delicious and the crust sets it apart and it is all misleadingly easy to make. We will definitely enjoy this again! It was set up a little hard and while trying to decide whether to wait for softening I grabbed a big meat fork and stuck it in one end and lifted the entire dessert out without losing any crumbs, as they were frozen into the ice cream. That made it easy to place the entire dessert on a cutting board, slice it quickly and serve the slices. An unusual presentation for ice cream, but not for a “frozen dessert.” We didn’t finish it tonight, so I used the big fork to lift the remainder right back into the pan. Super simple and quick! Thank you for this delicious recipe, Jenn!
I want to try the Key Lime Pie recipe for my grandkids but not using the limes in the ice cream.
Can I use pure vanilla flavouring
And how much.
Hi Gail, I don’t think this would translate well to omitting the limes. I will email you a copy of some no-churn ice cream from my first cookbook that may appeal to your grandkids.
Made this for our 3x celebration this weekend of birthday, anniversary, and Father’s Day. Amazingly easy to make and SO delicious! Thanks for this keeper recipe, Jenn.
Jenn,
This recipe sounds amazing and I cannot wait to try it! I have never made a no-churn ice cream before, but now that summer is here I’ve been researching methods and just wanted to ask about your thoughts, with your culinary background…..I’ve noticed that a few recipes have suggested to whip the heavy cream separately and then fold it into the rest of the mixture prior to freezing. I was just wondering if you’ve ever tried this or what your thoughts are on whether this would have much effect on the overall texture of the ice cream?
My mother made me aware of your blog earlier this year, and since then I’ve been enjoying your recipes on a weekly basis. Congratulations on the upcoming publishing of your cookbook, and thank you so much for sharing all of your culinary wisdom and expertise 🙂
Hi Alissa, So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! I’ve tried many no-churn ice cream recipes and usually find the texture to be off — too icy, too foamy, etc — but this recipe makes a really thick and creamy ice cream. And there’s such a small amount of cream in the recipe, it really doesn’t make any difference if you whip it or not (and yes, I’ve tried it!).
Simply delicious! Decided to use individual cups vs loaf pan for ease of serving and portion control. Love your recipes! Many thanks
Hooray! Ice cream for breakfast. We couldn’t wait any longer to try this. Wow! Is it good! Another prize winning recipe and as usual, it’s foolproof. Thanks for another great recipe Jenn!
Used mexican limes, small but well worth it. They come very close to the flavor of key limes in Florida. I made this for my M.I.L and Hubs. It was a total hit and delicious! A keeper. Thaw a little.
Hey Jenn, do the limes have to be the “key” variety, or will regular limes do just as well for this recipe?
Hi Alan, I actually use regular limes for this recipe (and all key lime pie recipes). Key limes are near impossible to find (at least where I live) and the recipe works just as well with regular limes.
Super easy and yummy! Thanks for the recipe. Look forward to trying more. 🙂