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Our easy Key Lime Parfaits have layers of creamy homemade key lime custard, whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs. This dessert is so easy, so pretty, and so delicious!
Easy, No-Bake Key Lime Parfaits
After making our delicious homemade Key Lime Curd recipe the other day, we wanted to share a very delicious way to enjoy it in another recipe – our easy Key Lime Parfaits!
This is the perfect summertime dessert made with in-season key limes – and you won’t have to turn on the oven to enjoy the same flavors of a key lime pie!
To make these Key Lime Parfaits, you’ll simply mix some of the curd with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Then fill individual serving cups with alternating layers of buttered graham cracker crumbs and the creamy key lime curd mixture.
Top it with whipped cream, an additional sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs, and some key lime zest.
Why you’ll love Key Lime Parfaits
- These sweet little desserts are easy to make and so pretty!
- You can enjoy the same flavors of a key lime pie without having to turn on the oven on a hot summer day.
- This easy, no-bake dessert is perfect for summer parties. Every guest gets their own little serving cup.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Key Lime Curd – Cook up a batch of our delicious homemade key lime curd following this recipe or buy some if you prefer.
- Graham Crackers
- Salted Butter – Or used unsalted butter with a pinch of salt added. (Adding a little salt to a sweet recipe helps balance and enhance the flavors.)
- Heavy Cream
- Powdered Sugar
- Key Lime Zest – The zest of a more common Persian lime can also be used, especially if you are using a store-bought key lime curd and don’t have key limes on hand.
Special Tools Needed
- Various Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Bowl – To whisk the cream.
- Mixer with Whisk Attachment or Whisk – To whip the heavy cream into whipped cream.
- Bowl – To combine the key lime curd with some of the whipped cream.
- Small Saucepan – To melt the butter
- Food Processor – To crush the graham crackers into crumbs. (See Cooking Tips below for other options.)
- Bowl – To mix the graham cracker crumbs and butter.
- Spoons – To portion each layer.
- Small Parfait Glasses/Cups – Ours were approximately 4 to 5 ounces and we filled 8 cups.
- Zester or Microplane – To zest the key limes for garnish.
How do I make Key Lime Parfaits?
- Prepare one batch of our homemade key lime curd. Chill completely before making the rest of this recipe.
- Whip the cream and powdered sugar together to soft peaks.
- Mix some of the whipped cream into the key lime curd.
- Crush the graham crackers and mix with melted butter.
- Layer graham cracker mixture and key lime mixture in alternating layers to fill the cups.
- Top each cup with whipped cream.
- Garnish with more buttered graham crackers and lime zest.
Tips & Tricks
- The key lime curd must be chilled before mixing with the whipped cream. Follow our recipe and chill until fully cooled (at least several hours). You can occasionally stir the curd as it cools in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
- If you don’t have a food processor, use a mortar and pestle to crush them, or place the graham cracker crumbs in a zipper seal bag and crush with a rolling pin, meat mallet, or heavy saucepan.
- Your parfait glasses may be different than what we used so the layering proportions, and the number of servings you get may differ from how we assembled the parfaits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Key Lime Curd Parfait ahead of time? You can make the key lime curd ahead of time; in fact, you’ll need to allow some time for it to chill before making the recipe so plan ahead. Once the parfaits have been assembled, you should serve these on the same day if possible – the graham cracker layer will get soggy as they sit.
- How do I store leftovers? Store refrigerated for up to three days.
- Can I freeze the custard and cream? Yes, but the curd and cream may weep and separate a bit once thawed.
You might like these other Creamy Custard Recipes:
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Key Lime Parfaits
Our easy Key Lime Parfaits have layers of creamy homemade key lime custard, whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs. This dessert is so easy, so pretty, and so delicious!
Ingredients
1 prepared recipe of our homemade key lime curd (or buy 3 cups of key lime curd)
2 cups heavy cream (1 pint)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
10 graham crackers
1 stick salted butter (8 tablespoons)
Zest of one key lime, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the key lime curd and cool completely.
- Whip the cream and powdered sugar to soft peaks and add 2 cups to the key lime curd, mixing gently to combine. Save the rest of the whipped cream for garnish.
- Crush the graham crackers (see chef tips) and mix with the melted butter.
- Layer parfaits with 2 tablespoons of the cracker mixture, then one quarter cup of the key lime and cream filling, then one tablespoon of the cracker mixture, another quarter cup of the filling and top with a dollop of whipped cream. (Note: These proportions filled eight 4-ounce mini glasses. If your serving dishes are a different size, adjust accordingly.)
- Sprinkle the remaining cracker crumbs over the top and garnish with key lime zest.
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