No Bake Key Lime Pie Mason Jar Desserts Recipe
These Key Lime Pie Mason Jar Desserts are a delightful no-bake treat featuring a creamy, tangy filling layered over a buttery graham cracker crust. Perfect for individual servings, these jars are topped with fluffy whipped cream and lime zest for a refreshing finish. They require minimal preparation and chilling time, making them an easy and elegant dessert option for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Key Lime Pie Filling
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (half of a standard 14-ounce can)
- 1/4 cup bottled lime juice (Santa Cruz Organic recommended)
- Zest of 1-2 limes (to taste, Persian limes preferred)
Crust Layer
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 3.5 full sheets)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Whip Cream: Use a hand mixer with the whisk attachment to whip the heavy whipping cream with the sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside for later use as topping and folding into the filling.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Mixture: Using the hand mixer with beater attachments, whip the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk and mix until fully combined and smooth.
- Add Lime Juice: Slowly pour in the bottled lime juice, mixing after each addition. Taste as you go to adjust the flavor since fresh lime juice may vary in acidity and boldness.
- Incorporate Lime Zest: Gently fold in lime zest with a spatula according to your taste preference. You may use more or less than the zest of 1-2 limes depending on desired lime intensity.
- Fold in Whipped Cream: Carefully fold about 3/4 cup of the whipped cream into the cream cheese-lime mixture until smooth and uniform in texture. Reserve remaining whipped cream for topping the jars.
- Chill Filling: Cover the filling mixture and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight to allow it to set and develop flavor.
- Prepare Crust Mixture: In a small bowl, thoroughly combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles damp sand.
- Assemble Crust in Jars: Evenly distribute the crust mixture into eight 4-ounce mason jars. Gently wiggle each jar to level the crust without packing it down tightly to maintain an easy-to-eat texture.
- Add Filling to Jars: Spoon about 1/3 cup of the chilled filling into each crust-lined mason jar, smoothing the top.
- Pipe Whipped Cream Topping: Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the reserved whipped cream and pipe a decorative star or rosette on top of each jar.
- Garnish and Serve: Optionally sprinkle additional lime zest over the whipped cream for extra color and flavor, then serve chilled.
Notes
- Use bottled lime juice for consistent flavor, but fresh lime juice can be substituted—adjust quantity to taste.
- Do not over-pack the crust to keep it crumbly and easy to eat.
- Chilling the filling overnight will enhance the texture and taste.
- Make sure cream cheese is softened to room temperature for smooth blending.
- Can be prepared a day in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.
