Key Lime Pie Ice Cream (So Easy!)
This Key Lime Pie Ice Cream is loaded with all of the familiar flavors of your favorite pie, including the crunchy graham cracker crust! Both key lime juice and zest infuse the ice cream with tangy flavor, while sweetened condensed milk keeps it smooth and creamy.
★★★★★
Mary Beth says –
“Delicious! I will be making this one multiple times this summer.”
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Your Favorite Key Lime Pie, as Ice Cream!
This key lime pie ice cream is incredibly simple to make! There are no ice cream bases to heat and chill, you simply whisk the ingredients together and churn according to your machine’s directions.
After a short time, you’ll have a dreamy, velvety ice cream bursting with key lime flavor. Here’s why else I adore this recipe:
✔ Mindlessly Easy to Make: This ice cream recipe feels a little bit like cheating because it is SO easy to make.
✔ Your Favorite Pie, Minus the Baking: It has all of the flavors of traditional key lime pie (including the graham cracker crumbs!) but it doesn’t require turning the oven on. Desserts like this are a lifesaver in summer!
✔ Super Duper Creamy: Sometimes homemade ice cream can be a bit icy and firm. Not this recipe!
Grab These 6 Ingredients
All of the ingredients with their measurements can be found in the recipe card below, but here’s what you’ll need and why:
- Whole Milk: Makes for a creamier ice cream while also balancing out the richness of the heavy cream.
- Key Lime Juice: Has a more floral, tart flavor than regular lime juice that makes this ice cream stand out from the crowd.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: When churned in an ice cream maker, the heavy cream fluffs up and makes for a super creamy ice cream thanks to all of the air that’s beaten into it.
- Salt: Yep, you need a little salt to enhance the key lime flavor and balance out the sweetness from the condensed milk!
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: My secret weapon for making ice cream! It’s already thick and syrupy, which removes the need to cook down the ice cream base before churning. Plus, all the sugar in the sweetened condensed milks helps prevent our ice cream from developing an icy texture.
- Graham Crackers: I prefer crushing mine coarsely with my hands so I chomp down on some bigger pieces. That’s what takes them from standard key lime ice cream to key lime pie ice cream!
Katie’s Tip: I have a go-to method for squeezing limes so they produce the most possible juice. Key limes can be pricey, so you want to get every drop of juice possible out of them!
How to Make Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
This is a very easy recipe, but it does require an ice cream machine. Here’s how the ice cream comes together:
- Whisk together the ice cream base: All of the ingredients go into a big bowl and are stirred together.
- Chill for 4 hours: This step is optional, but I find it helps the ice cream churn up nice and creamy in less time.
- Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions: This is where your ice cream maker comes into play! I’ve linked the model we have and love.
- Add the graham cracker crumbs before freezing: The coarsely chopped graham crackers are folded in last, then the whole batch is popped into the freezer until firm enough to scoop.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making Homemade Ice Cream
- Stick to full-fat dairy products: This lime ice cream recipe uses heavy cream and whole milk to get that extra creamy texture. Don’t try to substitute either ingredient for something lower in fat.
- Chill the ice cream maker insert! Make sure you have put the insert for your ice cream maker in the freezer at least 12 hours prior to churning the ice cream, or longer if your manufacturer’s user manual instruct to do so. You need to make sure it is frozen solid so the ice cream base freezes as it churns.
- A pre-chilled ice cream base churns easier: You’ll achieve the smoothest, creamiest ice cream by churning an already chilled base, so I recommend that you chill the ice cream mixture for at least a few hours before you churn it.
No Ice Cream Maker? No Problem!
You can still whip up this delicious key lime pie ice cream recipe without any fancy tools. Here’s how:
- Freeze for 2 hours: If NOT using an ice cream maker, place the ice cream base (i.e. the key lime-milk mixture) in a freezer safe container with plenty of room for stirring. Then, transfer the container with the ice cream base in it to the freezer and freeze for about 2 hours.
- Stir: After 2 hours, remove the pan from the freezer and stir it to break up any frozen chunks. Make sure you scrape along the edges of the pan as well.
- Freeze again: Return to the freezer and freeze for 30-40 minutes. Repeat the stirring and freezing until the key lime ice cream mixture is thick and frozen.
More Easy Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
Ice cream is one of my family’s favorite frozen desserts, and I usually experiment with new flavor combos and mix-ins throughout the warmer months. Some of our all-time favorite ice cream recipes are:
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Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
This key lime pie ice cream is made with a super simple no-cook base that can go straight from mixing bowl to ice cream maker in no time!
Ingredients
For the Key Lime Ice Cream
- 1 1/2 cups Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup Key Lime Juice
- Zest of 1 Lime
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- Dash of Salt
- 1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 6 Graham Crackers (1 1/2 cookie sheets), coarsely crushed, divided
Ice Cream Garnishes
- Graham Cracker Pieces
- Key Lime Wedges or Lime Zest
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine milk, lime juice, heavy cream, salt, and sweetened condensed milk; whisk to combine.
- Cover the bowl with the ice cream base with a lid or plastic wrap. Then, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for 4 hours, or up to overnight. Not required, but recommended.
- After chilling, pour the key lime ice cream mixture into your ice cream maker, and churn the ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions.
- After churning, stir 1/3 cup graham crackers into ice cream. Then, spoon ice cream into a freezer-safe container, and cover and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
- Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon graham crackers.
- Garnish with lime wedges.
Notes
Key limes: Freshly squeezed key lime juice is best, but you can use a quality bottled key lime juice if needed. Or, use regular lime juice!
Storage: If stored in an airtight container, it will last about 1 to 2 months. (Here are the ice cream containers we always use.) Because this recipe is preservative-free, the homemade ice cream is more prone to developing freezer burn if stored long term. Pressing a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the ice cream before putting the lid on the container will help preserve freshness and prevent ice crystal formation on the surface of the ice cream.
adapted from Cooking Light
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 210Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 143mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 4g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Try Making This Ice Cream!
The next time a key lime pie craving hits, try making this simple homemade ice cream instead.
Did You Try This Recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and a review below—your feedback helps others and makes my day.
Share Your Creations!
If you took a photo, tag me on Instagram @goodlifeeats and use #goodlifeeatsrecipes—I’d love to see your sundaes and frozen treats!
This was originally a guest post written by Jamie of My Baking Addiction.
Renee says
I made this recipe for some company that just love key lime pie and it was a big hit! It was the first time I made ice cream that didn’t require cooking and it was so easy. Could the base for this recipe be adapted for other flavors such as coffee? So instead of the lime juice, do you think it would work if I used 1/2c of super strong coffee?
Katie Kick says
I definitely think it is worth a try! I have a few other ice cream recipes on the site that don’t require cooking and are similar to this.
Rhonda says
This was delicious! I didn’t add the graham cracker crumbs to the mixture but just sprinkled them on top when eating it.
Mary Beth says
Delicious! I will be making this one multiple times this summer.
Laurel says
This is delicious and so easy. I’ll be making this regularly. I didn’t add the graham crackers to the ice cream but I’m making some me buttered crumbs to sprinkle on top. Love it!
Katie says
YUM! Thanks for stopping by!
Dee says
I won’t use sweetened condensed milk. What can I sub for it?
MAYA @ MAYA- KITCHENETTE says
Jamie….your Ice Creme recipe looks spectacular and really cool! Can’t wait to give it a try. 🙂
Nicole Mee says
Does it have to be bottled key lime juice? Would you use the same amount of freshly squeezed??
agata says
Great recipe! They are delicious – in my version I changed proportions slightly so they would be a little more creamy and a bit more lime. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
Katje Sabin says
Hello, Jamie and Katie! I just wanted to let you know I made up a version of this recipe, and it’s fantastic! Thanks so much for helping brighten up an otherwise blistering hot and dreary Chicago summer day.
katie says
Wow–this sounds divine! I love key lime pie!
Becky says
I wonder if you can add cherries for a cherry limeade ice cream? If so what would you guess the ratios to be?
Heather says
I made this all the time. Everyone who has it loves it immediately. Thanks so much!
Melissa says
I just made this! So heavenly!! It truly is like eating a perfect piece of frozen key lime pie…yum. I was too nervous to put the graham cracker crumbs throughout the ice cream so I am planning on serving it with a bit at the bottom of the cup and a few bits sprinkled on top. Thanks for the recipe!
Carolyn says
Hello,
I am doing an end of summer ice cream round up on my own blog, All Day I Dream About Food, and would love to include this recipe. I would use one of your images, and link back to you, but I wouldn’t be posting the recipe directly. If you would like to be a part of it, please email me at carketch29 (at) yahoo (dot) com.
Thanks,
Carolyn
Shannon says
This sounds wonderful! May I ask where you purchase the cute little striped cups? Such a cute presentation!
Katje Sabin says
Hey, Shannon… it looks like comment number 17 asked the same thing, and she replied. The link is broken but it gets you to the right store, and from there you can search for the little cups.