These no bake Key Lime Pie in Small Jars are creamy, tangy, and perfectly portioned for easy individual desserts.

Each jar has a buttery graham cracker crust, smooth key lime filling, and a light whipped topping for that classic key lime pie flavor in a cute single-serve cup.

They are simple to make, easy to chill ahead, and perfect for parties, brunch, baby showers, tea parties, summer gatherings, or dessert tables. The small jars make them easy to serve and pretty enough for guests.

If you love no-fuss desserts, these mini key lime pie jars are a great make-ahead treat. They are fresh, sweet, citrusy, and just the right size when you want a light dessert after dinner.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Most of this comes together with pantry staples. Regular Persian limes work fine here if key limes aren’t available (the flavor is a little less floral but just as tart).

Make sure you’re using sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk. They look almost identical on the shelf but are not interchangeable.

Important Recipe Notes

• Use fresh key lime juice when you can. Bottled key lime juice works in a pinch, but fresh gives you a sharper, more vibrant flavor. Regular Persian limes are a perfectly good substitute (they’re slightly less floral but still bright and tart enough to work).
• Don’t shorten the chill time. Three hours is the minimum. If you pull the jars before the filling has fully set, the center stays soft and the crust gets soggy from the moisture. Overnight chilling gives you the cleanest texture and the best flavor.
• Make the whipped cream right before serving. Cream begins to deflate after an hour or two in the fridge. Prep everything else ahead and whip the cream at the last minute.
• Jar size makes a difference. Four-ounce mason jars give you the right crust-to-filling ratio. Eight-ounce jars end up with too much filling relative to the base. If you only have larger jars, add more crust to each or just fill them partway.
• The filling will look underdone when it comes out of the oven. That slight jiggle in the center is correct. Trust the time, not the look. It firms up completely as it chills.
• Make ahead without the cream. Covered jars stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days. The crust softens a bit after the first day (it takes on a texture closer to a soft cake layer). Don’t freeze them. The filling cracks and releases liquid when thawed.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving Serve the jars cold, straight from the fridge. A thin slice of lime on the rim or a small mint sprig adds a clean finishing touch without extra work. These are rich, so one small jar per person is the right portion. If you’re serving them at a party, pre-dollop the whipped cream and return the jars to the fridge for up to 30 minutes before guests arrive.

Storing Cover the jars with their lids (without whipped cream on top) and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The crust softens over time but doesn’t get mushy. Avoid freezing. The filling separates and becomes watery when thawed, and the texture doesn’t recover.

Customizing Swap the key lime juice for regular lime or lemon juice for a slightly different flavor profile. A thin layer of fruit curd pressed onto the filling before chilling adds extra tartness if you want more punch. For a dairy-free version, coconut condensed milk and coconut whipped cream work well here (the coconut pairs naturally with lime anyway).