This No-Bake Strawberry Lime Ritz Cracker Dessert is a sweet, creamy, layered treat perfect for summer gatherings. Easy, refreshing, and crowd-pleasing!
Last year, I stumbled upon J. Kenji López-Alt’s on Food52 and immediately bookmarked it for summer. It had everything I love in a warm-weather dessert with bright citrus, sweetened condensed milk, and a salty-sweet bite from the crackers. And there’s no baking required! I couldn’t wait to try it – then put my own spin on it!
This no-bake strawberry lime Ritz cracker dessert is my take on his brilliant recipe. It’s still quick and easy, but I added juicy strawberries because they are so plentiful right now. I’m also a big fan of strawberry and lime flavors together. Just a little mixing, some assembling, and chilling is all it takes to have a tasty dessert that feeds a crowd.
While the original recipe is called a ‘pie,’ it just didn’t seem very pie-like to me. It’s more like an icebox cake. To be completely honest, I almost called this dessert a salad. Being a Southerner, this treat reminds me the layered “salads” that always find their way to our summer get-togethers – , Snickers Salad, and very much like the famous layered Strawberry-Pretzel Salad.
Prep the Strawberries
First, slice fresh strawberries thin and toss them with sugar and lime zest. Let them chill in the fridge until they’re juicy and the sugar is dissolved. This should take about 20 minutes, more or less depending on how ripe or firm your strawberries are.
Prep the Lime Filling
In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, fresh lime juice, and lime zest until thickened and creamy. What’s magical is how the acid in the lime juice reacts with the sweetened condensed milk. It thickens the mixture into a creamy, luscious filling, almost like a no-bake custard, without needing to heat or bake anything. It’s quick, easy, and absolutely delicious! (See my here for more citrus/sweetened condensed milk magic!)
If you’d like, add a drop or two of green food coloring for a pop of color. You don’t need specialty gel food coloring – the liquid stuff is just fine.
Start Layering the Dessert
Spread a cup of the lime filling into the bottom of an 8.5×11-inch casserole dish (9×11 will also work) Spread until smooth and even. Top the lime layer with Ritz crackers, then add half of the sweetened strawberries.
Repeat the Lime, Ritz Cracker, and Strawberry Layers
Layer again with the lime filling, then more crackers and strawberries. Finish with a final layer of creamy lime filling.
Garnish with Sliced Strawberries
The dessert needs to chill for at least 4 hours so the crackers become soft and cake-like. Before serving, top with fresh strawberry slices, a sprinkle of lime zest, and a handful of crushed Ritz crackers for that perfect sweet-salty crunch.
Delicious layers of creamy lime filling, sweet strawberries and salty, buttery crackers
This no-bake strawberry lime Ritz cracker dessert is best served cold at potlucks, picnics, summer barbecues, or those classic Southern church receptions. It’s the ultimate easy, refreshing dessert for lazy summer days.
Related recipe:
No-Bake Strawberry Lime Ritz Cracker Dessert
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Equipment
- 8.5×11 baking dish
- grater or zester
Ingredients
Sweetened Strawberries
Lime and Cracker Layers
Garnish
Instructions
Sweetened Strawberries
- In a small bowl, toss the sliced strawberries with the sugar and lime zest. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20, or until juicy and softened. Drain the accumulated juices from the strawberries (and save it to sweeten your tea!). Set aside.
Lime and Cracker Layers
- In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk until combined. Add the fresh lime zest and juice and whisk until the mixture thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Add a few drops of green food color, if using. Mix again.
Garnish
Notes
- I serve this dessert on chilled plates (much like I serve my garden salads). Glass, porcelain, and ceramic plates are generally freezer safe. Pop them into the freezer for 15 minutes before serving.
- This dessert can be sliced or spooned, though I find it’s more a spoon dessert than anything. Strawberries can also be chopped fine instead of sliced for a more spoon-able dessert.
- Over time, strawberries may continue to give off some of their juices in the assembled dessert. After a day of storing the leftovers in the fridge, you may notice a pool of juice in the corner of the dish. You may pour it off or dab away with paper towels. NBD!
- Buttery Townhouse brand crackers may also be used in this recipe.
