Lime Icebox Pie

A retro classic popularized by J. Kenji López-Alt.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated May 01, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
A slice of lime cracker pie in a dish

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

If you’ve ever made an icebox cake (also known as a refrigerator pie), you know the possibilities and magic that takes place when a handful of ingredients are layered and left to rest in the fridge. 

This take on the no-bake, hands-off dessert alludes to key lime pie with fresh lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, cream, and layers of salty crackers. It’s creamy, light, tart, sweet, and a little salty. With just five ingredients, easy lime icebox cake couldn’t be simpler or more delicious. Ten minutes of prep for a great payoff.

Make-Ahead Magic

Not only could this recipe not be any easier (no mixer, oven, or special equipment required!), it's also ideal for making ahead. The icebox cake needs to chill for at least 2 hours, freeing you up for grilling or prepping dinner. It also freezes well. Double the recipe, whipping up two, and stash the second in the freezer for later.

A slice of lime cracker pie in a dish

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

What Is Icebox Cake?

According to The Food Timeline, icebox cakes are an inevitable descendant of 19th-century ice cream cakes, and therefore no one person or company can be credited with their invention. That being said, we do know that the first printed recipes for icebox cakes date back to the 1920s and were used to promote the first in-home iceboxes.

Lime icebox cake in a glass dish with one piece cut out and lime slices on the side

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

One of the most popular recipes from the 1930s is credited to Nabisco. This famous recipe layered fresh, lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream with their original thin and dark chocolate wafers. After sitting in the icebox overnight, the soft cream soaks into the biscuits and creates a sliceable dessert.

Lime icebox cake slice in a blue plate with a bite on a fork

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Easy Summer Desserts

Lime Icebox Pie

Prep Time 10 mins
Chill 2 hrs
Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins
Servings 6

This recipe was inspired by and adapted from the “10-Minute Lime Cracker Pie” developed by J. Kenji López-Alt for Serious Eats.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 limes, divided

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 2 tablespoons sour cream

  • 5 ounces (about 1 1/4 sleeves) Ritz crackers

Method

  1. Make the filling:

    Zest enough of the limes to get 2 teaspoons of zest; set aside.

    Then juice as many limes as you need to to get 1/4 cup lime juice.

    Add the condensed milk, heavy cream, and sour cream to a mixing bowl. Add the lime juice and whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick, about 1 minute.

    Sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, and sour cream in a glass mixing bowl

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Lime juice added and filling whisked together for lime icebox cake in a glass bowl

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
  2. Layer:

    Use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to add filling to the bottom of an 8-inch cake or pie pan (you could also make individual servings using ramekins or even martini glasses) and spread evenly to cover the bottom. Top with a single layer of Ritz crackers. 

    Repeat, alternating layers of filling and crackers, ending with a final layer of the remaining filling; you should have 3 layers of crackers and 4 layers of filling. Sprinkle the top with lime zest.

    A small amount of filling added to a glass pie plate with a spoon

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    A layer of Ritz crackers being added to the pie plate for lime icebox cake

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
    Chilled lime icebox cake in a glass pie plate

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
  3. Chill and serve:

    Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve chilled. The pie will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If frozen, let thaw for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.

    Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!

    Easy lime icebox cake with two slices taken out on a blue plate with forks

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
563 Calories
29g Fat
71g Carbs
10g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 563
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 16g 79%
Cholesterol 78mg 26%
Sodium 335mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 71g 26%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 53g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 19mg 94%
Calcium 339mg 26%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 459mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.