Enjoy the flavors of Key Lime Pie in a creamy, citrusy no-churn ice cream. Graham crackers add pie crust texture in this easy-to-make summer dessert, no ice cream maker required!
How about an easy sweet treat to beat the heat?
Fans of Key Lime Pie will enjoy this ice cream version that’s equals parts
sweet, tart and creamy!
I’m a fan of no-churn ice cream as you don’t need an appliance
dedicated for a summer dessert and it couldn’t be simpler!
You have two main ingredients in no-churn ice cream:
heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk.
Whipping the cream incorporates air, mimicking what the ice cream maker does while churning.
Sweetened condensed milk is sweet and condensed (hence the name ;) as a result
of the water in the milk having evaporated, resulting in a creamy and non-icy, ice cream.
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In addition to the sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream (or whipping cream)
you’ll also need:
Key Limes; juice and zest
Graham crackers, coarsely crumbled
Brown sugar
Unsalted butter, melted
Vanilla
Pinch of kosher salt
9 x 5 inch loaf pan or freezer safe container
When I opened up my bag of Key limes, I was surprised to discover that most
of them were yellow and I wondered if they were still good.
A little online searching later, I learned something new!
According to Epicurious, the green limes we’re used to seeing in the supermarket
are actually under ripe as commercial citrus farmers strip the fruit of the trees
when the majority of the limes are still green, for best shipping.
As they ripen, limes turn yellow, losing some of their acidity and get juicier and sweeter,
so don’t be afraid of yellow limes if you find them.
Note: Unlike some other varieties of fruit, limes won’t continue to ripen once picked.
Keep them refrigerated as limes left at room temperature will begin to toughen and dry out.
You’ll need 1 tablespoon of lime zest (about 6 Key limes) and 1/3 cup of lime juice
(about 12 Key limes) for this recipe, so be sure to zest your limes before juicing.
Key limes are hard to find, not to mention a challenge to zest and juice!
This recipe is adapted from Southern Living and they suggest using
Nellie & Joes Key West Lime Juice if you can’t find Key limes.
At the risk of the Key lime-police coming after me ;) I think
it’s perfectly fine to use regular limes in this recipe.
Keeping the graham cracker crumbs coarse with larger pieces adds some welcome texture
and crunch for a nod to the graham cracker crust in traditional Key lime pie.
Place your mixture in the freezer, covered, until solid and scoopable,
about 8 hours or overnight if you prefer.
No-Churn Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
Equipment
- 9 x 5 inch loaf pan
- mixer
Ingredients
- 6 graham cracker sheets coarsely crumbled
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon grated Key lime zest about 6 Key limes
- ⅓ cup fresh Key lime juice about 12 Key limes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream either heavy cream or whipping cream
Instructions
- Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl; set 2 tablespoons graham cracker mixture aside.
- In a large bowl, mix condensed milk, lime zest and juice, vanilla, and salt; set aside.
- Beat cream in a separate large bowl with an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 minutes.
- Carefully fold whipped cream and remaining graham cracker mixture into condensed milk mixture, so as not to deflate whipped cream.
- Spoon into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle top with reserved graham cracker mixture. Cover; freeze until firm and scoopable, about 8 hours or overnight.
- Serve with additional graham crackers and lime zest if desired.
Notes
- For faster whipping of cream: Place mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 20 minutes to get as cold as possible. You can use heavy cream or whipping cream for this recipe. Do not overbeat or you’ll make butter.
- If you can't find Key Limes, use regular limes, zest and juice or Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice.
- Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the exact same thing. Some brands label the product as heavy cream; others label it as heavy whipping cream.
If you’re craving more no-churn ice cream flavors, you might like:
Peach-Bourbon No-Churn Ice Cream with Ginger Snaps
Just a scant amount of bourbon adds a depth of flavor and a caramel/vanilla note to the peach mixture while ginger snap cookie crumbs add some texture and crunch, along with a spicy molasses flavor.
Red, White & Blueberry No-Churn Ice Cream
A patriotic nod to the red, white and blueberry that uses berry preserves and fresh fruit in season
Lemon Lovers No-Churn Ice Cream
Sweet and tart, creamy and tangy~ a creamsicle for lemon lovers!
No-Churn Blackberry Cobbler Ice Cream
Inspired by a favorite seasonal ice cream flavor, this copycat recipe has the addition of flaky pie crust.
Inspired by the classic campfire treat and the perfect dessert for the lazy days of summer.
Pumpkin Spice No-Churn Ice Cream with Pumpkin Granola and Caramel Sauce
Satisfy your craving for a pumpkin spice latte when the weather is more befitting of ice cream!
Keep Calm and No-Churn On!
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Metamorphosis Monday
Looks and sounds delicious! Thanks for the info about yellow limes. I always learn something new from your posts. Happy Monday! Clara❤️
Wow, thank you. We absolutely love key lime anything, but no churn key lime ice cream checks all the boxes for-best ever dessert!
Happy Monday, Mary. The key lime pie ice cream looks delicious and would be perfect for these hot and humid days of July. I love key lime pie, so I know this would be a treat. Wishing you a lovely week ♥️
Yum, can’t wait to try this!
Great timing Mary! My brother and his family are coming for a visit, I live the idea of having several flavors of ice cream in the freezer for them! Thanks for another delicious recipe!
Beautiful presentation, can’t wait to try! Thanks for sharing!
I always make no-churn Ice Cream and am always looking for ways to cut back on sugar.
I can buy my Sweetened Condensed Milk in tubes of 170g (6oz).
So to 600ml (2 1/2cup approx) of Cream I only use 170g (6oz) tube against a tin which is 14oz. The ice cream is plenty sweet enough for us. So for people who may need to cut back on their intake of sugar they can still have a treat of Ice Cream but not overdo the sugar.
Good afternoon Mary… this is the perfect refreshing dessert that is needed on these hot summer days! We have a key lime tree planted in a big container at our AZ home and found that the yellow ones are somewhat sweeter.
Thanks for another great recipe!
It sounds heavenly, I juiced at least a hundred lemons and limes the other day for a constant stream lemon mint lemonade and lime basil limeade, never even thought of ice cream since I’m living outdoors this year trying to finish my garden! Next year I hope to be a lady of leisure and reacquaint myself with my kitchen! looks DELISH!
Ooh…what a wonderful flavor, frozen Key Lime Pie! I’m going to the store tomorrow to pick up my ingredients. Thanks for letting me know regular limes can be substituted. I can’t remember when the last time was that I saw Key Limes at the store.
I’m a big fan of key lime pie, and this sounds wonderful, Mary. I also use Nellie and Joe’s key lime juice. Thanks for sharing this refreshing dessert. Wish I had a dish of it right now.
Sounds wonderful Mary! I can’t wait to try it along with your peach ice cream!
So many yummy flavors, my only dilemma is what to try first! Thanks, Mary!
This sounds so good Mary, I am putting it on my August Bucket List! I love no churn ice cream!
So it’s similar to making a key lime pie sans the heavy cream.
Has anyone actually made it yet?
It looks scrumptious.
Yum! Looks so good!