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No-Churn Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
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No-Churn Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

5 from 2 votes
This Key Lime Pie ice cream is the creamiest, easiest and most refreshing treat you'll ever make. It's no-churn, so no ice cream maker needed!
Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 3.5 cups
Author: Maria

Equipment

  • 1 Electric mixer
  • 1 freezable container

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup heavy whipping cream chilled
  • 14 ounces (1 Can) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 Cup Key lime juice
  • 3 key limes Zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cookies Graham crackers to top

Instructions

  • Chill your heavy whipping cream so it whips up easily. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the cream until it reaches soft to medium peaks — you want it visibly thick and holding shape, but still smooth and slightly glossy (this helps keep the final texture airy).
    1 Cup (236.6 ml) heavy whipping cream
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, key lime zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until everything is well‑blended and smooth — the mixture may look a bit thin at first but will integrate well.
    14 ounces (396.9 g) (1 Can) sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 Cup (118.3 ml) Key lime juice, 3 key limes Zest, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon (0.1 teaspoon) salt
  • Take about half of the whipped cream and fold it gently into the lime‑condensed milk mixture.
    Use a spatula and cut through the center, then lift and fold — this helps keep the air in. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold until thoroughly combined, making sure there are no streaks of plain cream.
  • Gently fold in the crumbled graham crackers so they’re distributed fairly evenly throughout the mixture — you don’t want to crush them too much, so you retain some texture contrast.
    2 cookies Graham crackers
  • Pour the mixture into a freezer‑safe container (a loaf pan or shallow freezer dish works well). Smooth the top with a spatula. If you like, sprinkle additional graham cracker crumbs over the top for a crust‑like finish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Freeze for at least 6 to 8 hours (overnight is best) until firmly set.
  • Remove from the freezer and let rest 5–10 minutes at room temperature before scooping — this helps soften it just enough for easier scoops. Serve in bowls or cones, and garnish with extra lime zest or graham cracker crumbs if desired.

Notes

Expert Tips

  • Chill your bowl and beaters for the cream if you can — the colder they are, the faster your cream will whip and the more stable the peaks.
  • Whip to medium (not overly stiff) peaks: this ensures the mixture remains light and airy; if you over‑whip to extremely stiff peaks you may lose some of the lightness and end up with denser texture.
  • Use fresh lime juice and zest rather than bottled for best flavor; the fresh zest especially makes a big difference.
  • After folding in the whipped cream, don’t over‑stir — keeping as much air as possible gives the best soft texture.
  • For best scoopability, let it freeze overnight and serve after letting it soften slightly at room temperature — very cold ice cream straight from the freezer can be too hard.
  • If you like a more crust texture, reserve a little of the graham cracker crumbs to sprinkle just before serving so you get a fresh crunch.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 66mg | Sugar: 18g
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