If you love the bright, tangy flavor of key lime but you do not want to heat up your kitchen, this Key Lime Pie Lush is about to become your new favorite summer dessert.
It is tart and sweet in the same bite, built in five dreamy layers, and simple enough for a weeknight yet pretty enough for a party table.
Key Lime Pie Lush: A No-Bake Layered Dessert With Oreo Crust 21
Serve it chilled straight from the fridge, or freeze it and slice it for an even more refreshing treat. Every spoonful gives you creamy filling, buttery cookie crumbs, and that unmistakable lime zing. This recipe makes 16 servings, so it truly feeds a crowd.
As you all know, I am a huge fan of key lime anything. That little green citrus brings a fresh, summery feel to every dessert it touches, and it never feels heavy, even on the hottest day of the year.
This lush is light, fresh, and absolutely perfect for parties, and each of its layers is packed with flavor. If key lime is your thing too, here are a few more key lime desserts worth adding to your list:
Key Lime Pie Lush: A No-Bake Layered Dessert With Oreo Crust 22
Key Lime Pie Fruit Dip, a creamy dip that comes together in minutes.
The BEST Key Lime Pie, the classic version for when you want the real deal.
Key Lime Pie Bars, portable, sliceable, and easy to share.
Easy Key Lime Snowball Cookies, a fun twist for cookie trays and holiday platters.
Between those and this layered lush, you will always have a cool, citrusy dessert ready the moment a craving hits.
What You’ll Need
Here is the best part. This is a no bake dessert made with just 8 ingredients. Active prep takes about 25 minutes, and then the refrigerator does the rest of the work for you. Plan on at least 6 hours of chilling time, or leave it overnight if that fits your schedule better.
For equipment, you will want a 9×13 baking dish, a zester, and a stand mixer, though a hand mixer gets the job done too.
For the crust:
The crust keeps things simple, buttery, and just a little bit indulgent.
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20 ounces double stuffed Golden Oreos, a family sized package
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
If you would rather switch things up, a Nilla wafer crust works beautifully here, and the graham cracker crust from the key lime pie recipe works too. Just remember that with either swap you will need to double that crust recipe so it fully covers the pan.
For the filling:
The filling is where the magic happens, and it uses the rest of your eight ingredients.
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
6.8 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix, which is two 3.4 ounce packages
5 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 cup key lime juice, fresh or bottled
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Zest of 1 lime
A few notes from my own kitchen before you shop. Use full fat cream cheese if you possibly can. Light cream cheese is acceptable in a pinch, but definitely not the fat free kind, because the texture and the flavor both fall flat.
French vanilla pudding mix also works in place of the plain vanilla. The heavy whipping cream appears in three of the five layers, which is why the amount looks so generous, and real whipped cream is what gives this dessert its rich, cloudlike quality.
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Key lime juice is best fresh, though a good bottled brand is a fine shortcut when limes are scarce or out of season. The powdered sugar sweetens the whipped cream, and the zest of one lime adds that delicate floral citrus note.
If you want extra zest to garnish the top, pick up 2 limes. A microplane makes quick work of zesting.
How To Make Key Lime Pie Lush
This dessert is built in five layers, one right after the other, with no oven involved at any point:
Oreo crust
Cream cheese and pudding layer
Oreo layer
Cream cheese and whipped cream layer
Whipped cream layer
Keep your mixer close by, because you will use it more than once. Here is exactly how it all comes together.
It’s really easy to make and I’m going to walk you through it step by step.
Alright, let’s build this together. You will move through the layers in order, and each one takes only a few minutes. Grab your 9×13 pan and let’s get started.
Oreo Crust
Place the Oreos in a food processor and pulse to form crumbs. This is the only real work the crust asks of you, and the food processor makes it fast and even. Reserve 1 and 1/2 cups of the cookie crumbs and set them aside.
Then mix the remaining crumbs with the melted butter and press this mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Set the pan aside while you make the filling.
Do not skip reserving those cookie crumbs. That 1 and 1/2 cups becomes its own layer later, and it is what gives this lush its lovely cookie sandwich effect.
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Filling
Now for the creamy part, which is where the key lime really shines.
Place the cream cheese in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix until smooth with no lumps. Add the pudding mix and mix to combine. Starting with truly smooth cream cheese keeps the whole filling silky.
Add 1 cup of the cream and mix on slow speed until combined. Add 1 more cup of heavy cream and mix on slow to combine. Add the key lime juice and mix on slow speed until combined and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Reserve 2/3 cup of this mixture and set it aside.
Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture on top of the cookie crust and smooth it out with a spatula. Evenly spread the remaining cookie crumbs on top.
In the body of a stand mixer, add the remaining 3 and 1/2 cups of heavy cream and the powdered sugar. Using the whisk attachment, whip the cream and sugar starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium to form medium peaks. Take out about 1/3 of the whipped cream and set it aside.
Fold the remaining whipped cream into the reserved 2/3 cup of the cream cheese mixture along with the lime zest. Pour this on top of the cookie crumbs in the baking dish and smooth out the top.
Top the whole thing with the remaining whipped cream. You can smooth it over the top or pipe a decoration on top. Then let it set in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or up to overnight.
Here is a quick map of the layers, so you can keep everything straight while you work.
Layer
What goes into it
Oreo crust
Remaining Oreo crumbs mixed with the melted butter, pressed into the pan
Cream cheese and pudding layer
Cream cheese, pudding mix, 2 cups of the heavy cream, and the key lime juice, with 2/3 cup reserved
Oreo layer
The reserved 1 and 1/2 cups of cookie crumbs
Cream cheese and whipped cream layer
Reserved cream cheese mixture folded with the whipped cream and lime zest
Whipped cream layer
The reserved 1/3 of the plain whipped cream
The hardest part of this whole recipe is the waiting. Those 6 hours in the fridge let the layers settle and firm up so your slices come out clean and beautiful. I like to make mine the night before a party and let it chill overnight. By the time guests arrive, dessert is done and my kitchen is still cool.
What You Need To Make this Dessert
Tools and small choices matter here, so let’s talk through them before you shop.
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The pan. A 13 x 9 baking dish is ideal, and any dish with a 3 quart capacity will work just as well. Just keep the layers even as you build.
The lime. You can use key lime juice or fresh key limes. I reach for key lime juice most of the time because it is dependable and quick. If you cannot find key limes or key lime juice, regular limes can substitute, so the dessert is still within reach.
The zester. Key lime zest adds flavor to the filling and makes a lovely garnish on top, so a zester or a microplane really earns its keep.
The mixer. A stand mixer is the easiest route since you switch between the paddle attachment and the whisk attachment, but a hand mixer works fine. Just whip patiently until you reach medium peaks.
The freezer option. This Key Lime Pie Lush can also be frozen, then cut and served for an even more refreshing treat on a scorching day.
For reference, here is the nutrition information per serving, based on 16 servings.
Nutrient
Per serving
Calories
648
Carbohydrates
45g
Protein
5g
Fat
51g
Saturated fat
28g
Fiber
1g
Sugar
28g
Sodium
323mg
Cholesterol
153mg
More Summer Favorites
If you are building a lineup of cool desserts for the season, these are the ones my family asks for again and again:
Chocolate Cherry Lush
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake
Peanut Butter Icebox Cake
No Bake Cookies
Ambrosia Salad
Chocolate Chip No Bake Cheesecake
Pair one of these with the Key Lime Pie Lush and you have a dessert table that needs zero oven time and zero stress. Pick your favorite, chill it ahead, and enjoy a cool, creamy slice while the rest of the neighborhood is still sweating over the stove!
FAQs
How long does Key Lime Pie Lush need to chill?
Key Lime Pie Lush needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, but overnight is best. The chill time allows the pudding layer to fully set so the dessert holds its shape when cut into squares. It also allows the tart lime flavor and creamy layers to meld together for the best taste.
Can you freeze Key Lime Pie Lush?
Yes, Key Lime Pie Lush can be frozen for a more refreshing treat and makes a great make-ahead dessert. To serve frozen, allow it to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. The frozen lush can be stored for several weeks when well wrapped.
What is the crust made of in Key Lime Pie Lush?
The crust for Key Lime Pie Lush is made from a 20-ounce family-sized package of double stuffed Golden Oreos that are pulsed into crumbs. The crumbs are mixed with 1/3 cup of melted unsalted butter and pressed into a 9×13 baking dish. The reserved Oreo crumbs are also sprinkled in a middle layer for extra crunch.
Can I use regular limes in Key Lime Pie Lush?
Yes, you can use regular limes, but the flavor will be less tart and aromatic than with key limes. Key lime juice provides the signature tangy flavor that defines the dessert. Bottled key lime juice is a convenient alternative that many home bakers prefer and still delivers the authentic taste.
Key Lime Pie Lush If you love the bright, tangy flavor of key lime but you do not want to heat up your kitchen, this Key Lime Pie Lush is about to become your new favorite summer dessert. It is tart and sweet in the same bite, built in five dreamy layers, and simple enough for a weeknight yet pretty enough for a party table.
Total Time:0 min
Yield:16 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the crust 20 ounces double stuffed Golden Oreos, family sized package ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the filling 16 ounces cream cheese, softened 6.8 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix, (2) 3.4 ounce packages 5 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided 1 cup key lime juice, fresh or bottled ½ cup powdered sugar 1 lime, zest of
Instructions
Oreo Crust 1-Place the oreos in a food processor: Place the oreos in a food processor and pulse to form crumbs. Reserve 1 and ½ cups of the cookie crumbs, set aside. 2-Mix the remaining crumbs with the melted: Mix the remaining crumbs with the melted butter. Press this mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish, set aside.
Filling 3-Place the cream cheese in the body: Place the cream cheese in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix until smooth with no lumps. Add in the pudding mix and mix to combine. 4-Add 1 cup of the cream and: Add 1 cup of the cream and mix on slow speed until combined. Add 1 more cup of heavy cream, mix on slow to combine. Add in the key lime juice, mix on slow speed until combined and smooth, scrape down the sides as needed. Reserve ⅔ cup of this mixture. 5-Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture on: Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture on top of the cookie crust and smooth it out with a spatula. Evenly spread the remaining cookie crumbs on top. 6-In the body of a stand mixer: In the body of a stand mixer add the remaining 3 & ½ cups of the heavy cream and the powdered sugar. Using the whisk attachment, whip the cream and sugar starting on low speed and gradually increasing in speed to medium to form medium peaks. Take out about ⅓ of the whipped cream and set aside. 7-Fold the remaining whipped cream into the: Fold the remaining whipped cream into the remaining ⅔ cup of the cream cheese mixture along with the lime zest. Pour this on top of the cookie crumbs in the baking dish, smooth out the top. 8-Top the whole thing with the remaining: Top the whole thing with the remaining whipped cream. You can smooth it over the top or pipe a decoration on top like seen in the photos. Let it set in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or up to overnight.
Last Step:
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