Upside Down Mini Key Lime Pies
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These Mini Key Lime Pies are one of my favorite no-bake desserts ever. They are adorably served upside down, stunningly easy to make, and utterly delicious. Simple and totally homemade!
Best and Easiest No-Bake Key Lime Pie
As a long-time devotee of a classic key lime pie, I never believed a no-bake mixture could replicate its perfectly sweet-tart custard filling — until this recipe changed my mind. Inspired by and adapted from J. Kenji López-Alt’s key lime cracker pie, this recipe is both shatteringly easy to make and incredibly satisfying to serve, especially in small individual portions.
Whip this up for a last-minute gathering or a fun family treat. You can squeeze your own fresh key lime juice if you find the tiny, sweet key limes in the store, but I’ve had just as tasty results using Nellie and Joe’s bottled key lime juice — and it sure is quick and easy.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes:
- One can sweetened condensed milk. Much like a traditional key lime pie, this baking-aisle convenience is a backbone of the filling.
- Heavy cream. You really don’t need a lot of cream in this to smooth the filling into a spoon-ready consistency — just 1/2 cup for the whole batch.
- Key lime zest and juice.
- For the graham cracker topping: graham crackers, butter, and a smidge of granulated sugar.
- Optional toppings: whipped cream, extra lime zest or slices, more graham crackers, etc.
How to make no bake Key Lime Pies:
A disclaimer up front: this no-bake method works because the desserts are served “upside-down” either in small cups or scooped casually out of a larger dish. The filling is very creamy and rich but does not set up enough to cut into clean slices as a traditional pie. If you’re looking for that, use my tested, reliable classic key lime pie recipe instead.
Now, assuming you’re here for the easy no-bake approach, begin by whisking the sweetened condensed milk and cream together in a large bowl. Add lime juice and zest. Whisk again until the mixture is even and thick — about one full minute.
Divide the mixture among your desired serving dishes, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. These are the custard cups shown in this post.
To make the graham cracker topping, crush several graham cracker sheets into fine crumbs, then stir in 1 Tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Sprinkle this mixture on top of each “pie” just prior to serving.
A dollop of whipped cream finishes things off. Homemade is great, but if you grab some Cool Whip or similar, there’s no judgment here! Add a lime wedge or a last bit of zest if you’re feeling fancy.
Make-ahead Tips:
Once whisked together, the key lime-cream mixture can stay in the refrigerator overnight or even for a full day or two. Scoop it into your desired serving bowl or cups, cover tightly, and just pull out and top with graham cracker crumbs when ready to serve. You can also make the graham cracker topping several days in advance; store tightly-sealed in a ziplock.
Related Recipes:
More favorite no-bake desserts include creamy banana pudding, Oreo ice cream cake, brown butter Rice Krispie treats, and decadent s’mores fudge.
Craving more lemon and lime desserts in your life? Try out these key lime popsicles, Meyer lemon bars, lemon drop sugar cookies, lemon cheesecake mousse parfaits, or these fun Paloma cupcakes.
If you try these Mini No Bake Key Lime Pies, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
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Upside Down No Bake Mini Key Lime Pies
Ingredients
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1/3 cup key lime juice
- 2 full sheet graham crackers
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- whipped cream, extra lime zest or slices, more graham crackers, etc. optional toppings
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream until well combined. Add lime juice and zest. Whisk again until the mixture is even and thick, about 1 minute.
- Divide the lime mixture among individual serving cups or place in a large baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When the filling has set, make the “crust.” Crush the graham crackers into fine bits, either by hand, with a rolling pin, or with a food processor. Stir in melted butter and sugar; mix well.
- Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs on top of each dish, or over the baking dish if you made it all together. Top as desired with whipped cream, lime zest or slices, etc. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate again for up to 2 days. Enjoy!
Notes
- This yields 6 medium-sized individual desserts. You can easily divide it among larger or smaller dishes to get the right number of servings for you – it’s fairly sweet and rich, so don’t feel you need massive portions to satisfy.
- These are the custard cups shown in this post. I love them!
