Featured Reader Review
Erin said, “I’ve made these multiple times now and I can’t stop! Even my husband who usually won’t eat anything fruit flavored scarfed these down!… These will def be a staple for summer desserts for years to come!”
Cool, Creamy, And Easier To Make Than Pie!
Is there anything more refreshing on a hot summer day than a slice of key lime pie? Actually, yes — these no-bake Key Lime Cheesecake Parfaits! They combine the tangy, citrusy brightness of key lime pie with the rich, creamy decadence of cheesecake, all layered with buttery graham cracker crumbs. And the best part? No oven required!
These parfaits are individually portioned, make-ahead friendly, and perfect for warm-weather gatherings. Looking for a larger format key lime pie? I’ve got this colossal n-bake key lime cheesecake that will feed a small army (read: 15 servings)!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Cool & creamy: The cheesecake filling is luscious, velvety, and perfect for hot days.
- Key lime pie meets cheesecake: A match made in dessert heaven!
- The perfect graham cracker crust: Buttery, sweet, and a little salty—because the crust is often the best part.
- Make-ahead friendly: Prepare them in advance for stress-free entertaining.
- Individual or family-style: Serve them in cute jars for a personal touch or layer them in a large dish for easy scooping.
Truly such a staple for summer entertaining! For more cool, creamy homemade dessert recipes, try my irresistible peanut butter mousse cups, vanilla slice with puff pastry, or perhaps a big slice of coconut cream pie next!
What You’ll Need
For the graham cracker crumble, you’ll need crushed graham crackers, granulated sugar, a little kosher salt, and melted unsalted butter.
The creamy key lime cheesecake filling is made with heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and (obviously) lots of fresh key lime or lime juice and zest!
Directions
- Make the graham cracker crumbs. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and Kosher salt. Add melted butter and stir using a spatula until mixture begins to stick together. Set aside.
- Whip the heavy cream. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer to another bowl, then switch out whisk attachment with the paddle attachment.
- Make the cheesecake filling. Cream the sweetened condensed milk together with the cream cheese on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, lime juice, and zest, then beat an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Pour whipped cream into cream cheese mixture and fold gently until combined.
- Assemble the cheesecake parfait. In 6 small glass jars (or one container, if serving family-style) alternate layers of graham cracker crumbs with key lime cheesecake until you reach the top. Place lid on and chill in fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Garnish each cheesecake with extra graham cracker crumbs before serving and thinly sliced lime rounds or wedges.
Make-Ahead & Store
These cheesecake parfaits are ideal for prepping ahead!
- Make-Ahead: Prepare up to 3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Keep parfaits covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Freezing: While the filling can be frozen, it slightly alters the texture. For best results, serve fresh!
Serving Suggestions
These parfaits shine at summer cookouts! Pair them with grilled favorites like crispy grilled chicken wings, grilled lobster tails, and jalapeño poppers. Looking for a refreshing cocktail to sip on before dessert? Try a southside cocktail, a gin-based drink with fresh lime and mint!
More Parfait Recipes To Try:
These no-bake treats are easy, delicious, and perfect for any occasion. If you make these Key Lime Cheesecake Parfaits, leave a review and let us know how they turned out! Happy summer, and happy no-baking!
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No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake Parfaits
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 honey graham crackers, finely ground, plus a few additional crackers for crumbling on top before serving
- 5 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ¾ tsp Kosher salt
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup key lime or regular lime juice, about 4 limes
- zest from 3 limes, about 1-2 Tbsp
- Note: If you want to decorate with lime wedges or rounds, you'll need an additional 2-3 limes
Instructions
- Make the graham cracker crumbs. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 5 Tbsp sugar, and ¾ tsp Kosher salt. Add 6 Tbsp melted butter, then stir until the mixture begins to stick together. Set aside.
- Whip the cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip ⅔ cup heavy cream on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to another bowl, then switch out whisk attachment with the paddle attachment.
- Make the key lime cream cheese filling. Add 1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk along with 16oz room temperature cream cheese, then beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract, ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, and the zest from 3 limes, then beat an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Add whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture, then gently fold with a spatula until thoroughly mixed.
- Assemble the key lime parfaits. In 6 small glass jars (or one large baking dish, if serving family-style) alternate layers of graham cracker crumbs with key lime cheesecake until you reach the top. Place lid(s) on (or cover with plastic wrap), then chill in fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Garnish each cheesecake with extra graham cracker crumbs (do this just before serving to maintain a little crunch) and thinly sliced lime rounds or wedges.
Notes
- Make-ahead: Prepare up to 3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator.
- Store: Keep parfaits covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Freezing: While the filling can be frozen, it slightly alters the texture. For best results, serve fresh!
I’ve made these multiple times now and I can’t stop! Even my husband who usually won’t eat anything fruit flavored scarfed these down! The perfect tartness and saltiness in that graham cracker crumble to balance the sweetness. I used two packets of graham crackers (16 crackers) because I couldn’t handle having a few random ones left so I just threw in an extra tablespoon of butter and was more generous on the crumble on top. These will def be a staple for summer desserts for years to come!
Erin, I like the way you think! The more graham crackers, the BETTER. This is one of my favorite summer staples!! xo, Ari