Key Lime Pie Cups are made with layers of coconut and cookies and sweet, creamy lime filling. These delicious dessert cups only take a few minutes to assemble, and taste just like key lime pie!
Dessert cups are perfectly portioned and ready to serve! It’s wonderful to be able to make them in advance and pass them out as soon as it’s time for a treat.
Why you’ll love these dessert cups:
- Easy ingredients: You only need a few simple ingredients to make this yummy treat. The crumbly “crust” part of the recipe is made with crushed cookies and coconut. The filling is made with cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, cream, lime juice, and lime zest.
- Quick to make: It does take a few minutes to toast the crushed cookies and shredded coconut, but then it only takes a few more minutes to mix up the filling and assemble the dessert cups.
- Tons of flavor: The lime flavor comes from the juice and zest of a fresh lime. Simple and natural, but this recipe has the perfect amount of lime in it! If you don’t love lime, you could use lemon or orange instead.
Ingredients in Key Lime Pie Cups
Cookies – You can use graham crackers or vanilla cookies (Golden Oreos, etc.). Crush them in a food processor or blender.
Shredded coconut – Mixing coconut with the cookie crumbs adds a fantastic flavor to the dessert! If you don’t love coconut, you can leave it out, but you should try it at least once!
Sweetened condensed milk – The condensed milk will make the filling sweet and creamy.
Cream cheese – The cream cheese will thicken up the pie filling. You can use regular, low-fat, or non-fat cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is softened before adding to the other ingredients.
Heavy cream – The cream will add richness and thickness to the creamy filling.
Limes – You will need 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice to add to the filling. You should be able to get this amount from about 2 limes. If you want the classic key lime flavor, you will need to use key limes, but regular limes will work as well. You will also need the zest from both limes. Some of it will be mixed into the filling, and the remaining amount can be sprinkled on top of the dessert cups as a garnish.
How to make Key Lime Pie Cups
Preheat the oven to 320°F.
Prepare the crunchy base: Mix the crushed cookies with the shredded coconut and spread the mixture on a baking sheet. Bake for a few minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
Prepare the lime cream: In a bowl, beat the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and cream cheese until the mixture thickens slightly. Do not overwhip. Add the lime juice and lime zest, then continue beating until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag, or use a spoon for easy assembly.
Assemble the dessert cups: Add a layer of the crunchy cookie-coconut mixture to the bottom of each cup. (6 to 8-ounce dishes will work great!) Pipe or spoon a layer of the lime cream on top. Repeat this with another layer of the crunchy mixture, and finish with more cream. Garnish with extra lime zest and, if desired, a sprinkle of the crunchy mixture.
Chill and serve: Refrigerate the dessert cups for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld. If you let the cups chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight), the dessert will have a firmer texture and a more intense flavor.
Key Lime Pie Cups Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup crushed cookies graham crackers or vanilla cookies
- ⅓ cup shredded coconut
- ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons lime zest plus extra for garnish
- ¼ cup lime juice you will need two Key limes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F.
- Prepare the crunchy base: Mix the crushed cookies with the shredded coconut and spread the mixture on a baking sheet. Bake for a few minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
- Prepare the lime cream: In a bowl, beat the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and cream cheese until the mixture thickens slightly. Do not overwhip. Add the lime juice and lime zest, then continue beating until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag, or use a spoon for easy assembly.
- Assemble the dessert cups: Add a layer of the crunchy cookie-coconut mixture to the bottom of each cup. (6 to 8-ounce dishes will work great!) Pipe or spoon a layer of the lime cream on top. Repeat this with another layer of the crunchy mixture, and finish with more cream. Garnish with extra lime zest and, if desired, a sprinkle of the crunchy mixture.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the dessert cups for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld. If you let the cups chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight), the dessert will have a firmer texture and a more intense flavor.
Notes
Nutrition
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What are Key Limes?
Key limes are a green lime that turns yellow when ripe. They’re actually much smaller than a standard lime, meaning you’ll need a lot more of them to get the job done but it is well worth it. Every little key lime is packed with a sweet lime citrus flavor you can’t get anywhere else. Key limes are grown on trees in Asia and they’re a seasonal fruit worth trying. You can usually find them available from June-September.
Can I use regular limes?
Yes, you can use regular limes if you can’t find Key limes. The flavor will be slightly different. Just make sure you are using fresh lime, not bottled lime juice. There is a pretty large flavor difference between fresh limes and bottled concentrates.
Variations on Key Lime Pie Cups
- Use different citrus fruits: You can substitute lime juice with lemon, orange, or a combination of both for a unique twist.
- Sweeten with honey or agave syrup: If you prefer a less sweet version, reduce the condensed milk and add a bit of honey or agave syrup.
- Make a no-bake version: Instead of baking the cookie and coconut mixture, simply toast it in a pan over medium heat until golden brown.
- Vary the base with nuts or oats: Replace all or part of the crushed cookies with ground almonds, walnuts, or oats for a more rustic texture.
How to store Key Lime Pie Cups
Cover the dessert cups (or place them in an airtight container) and store them for up to 48 hours. The flavors will intensify over time. If you store the cups for much longer than that, the crust layer will start to get soggy.
How to make Key Lime Pie Cups gluten-free
Substitute traditional cookies for gluten-free cookies, such as almond cookies, rice crackers, or a mix of almond flour and shredded coconut. You could also use gluten-free granola or ground nuts for the crust layers.
Love lime? Here are a few more lime recipes to try!
- We love cake. This Key Lime Cake is easily made with a cake mix, and Cherry Limeade Poke Cake is made with cherry Jello!
- If you prefer cookies, these Key Lime Pie cookies have a buttery cookie base, tangy lime filling, and sweet lime frosting. Yum!
Key Lime Pie Cups are made with layers of coconut and cookie crust and sweet, creamy lime filling. These delicious dessert cups only take a few minutes to assemble, and taste just like key lime pie!
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