No Churn Lime Ice Cream
Bright, tangy, and creamy, my lime ice cream is a simple homemade frozen dessert. It has everything you love about key lime pie in the form of a silky smooth ice cream.
Why This Recipe Works
My love for citrus-forward desserts inspired this recipe. Lemon meringue cheesecake and key lime pie are just a few of my favorite treats. So I embraced these flavors during a summer of weekly ice cream-making.
At some point, I had a bunch of extra limes in the fridge, which led to the creation of this recipe. Because the lime juice is cooked with sugar over the stove, its flavor intensifies, adding depth to this frozen dessert. Made with fresh limes and packed with flavor, you can enjoy this lime ice cream no matter the season.
With simple ingredients, home bakers of all skill levels can make this dessert. The only requirement is your time and attention to detail.
Ingredients
Please review the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and instructions.
Lime curd: The curd uses fresh limes. I use Sam’s (2023) homemade lime curd recipe from Buttermilk By Sam. Alternatively, in some cases, you can find ingredients like lemon or lime curd at speciality stores like Williams Sonoma. Read my post about homemade fruit curds to learn what they are and how to bake with them.
Heavy Whipping Cream: Cold heavy whipping cream helps the ice cream thicken as air is incorporated into the mixture.
Vanilla extract: Balances and brings out these strong flavors.
How to Make Lime Ice Cream
- Make the ice cream base: Whip cold heavy cream until medium-stiff peaks form.
- Add flavor and sweeteners: Mix the sweetened condensed milk, lime curd, vanilla, honey, zest, and salt together in a separate bowl.
- Start to add the condensed milk mixture: Slowly fold the mixture into the whipped cream. Add the mixture to your airtight freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze overnight or for 12 hours.
Here are a few options for serving:
- Crushed graham crackers
- Fresh lime zest
- With a side of key lime pie
Seasonal Variations
Key limes: Limes are available year-round, but you can use key limes instead. Key lime flavor is a bit more tart than regular limes.
Lime Ice Cream
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 14 ounces (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup lime curd
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon honey
- zest from 1-2 limes
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl with fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream until medium-stiff peaks form.
- Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt, honey, and lime curd and zest to a large bowl.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk mixture on top of the whipped cream and gently fold until everything comes together. Transfer to your freezer safe container and set in the freezer for at least 12 hours to chill.
