Frozen Key Lime Pie Shake
A boozy frozen Key lime pie shake with vanilla vodka, Key lime juice, vanilla ice cream and a graham cracker rim — sized for Margaritaville machines.
Jump to recipe ↓Key lime pie in a glass — a natural for a Margaritaville site.
Condensed milk is the secret, just like the pie.
Key Lime Pie Shake recipe
Ingredients (1 drink)
- 1½ oz vanilla vodka
- 1 oz Key lime juice (paid link)
- 1 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1 oz whole milk
- 4 Tbsp vanilla ice cream
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Graham cracker rim, whipped cream, lime zest. Glass: Milkshake glass.
Instructions
- Rim glasses with lime juice and crushed graham crackers.
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add all ingredients to the jar.
- Run the cycle (Slides program).
- Top with whipped cream and lime zest.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vanilla vodka | 3⅓ oz | 4½ oz | 3 oz | 3¾ oz | 7⅔ oz |
| Key lime juice | 2¼ oz | 3 oz | 2 oz | 2½ oz | 5 oz |
| sweetened condensed milk | 2¼ oz | 3 oz | 2 oz | 2½ oz | 5 oz |
| whole milk | 2¼ oz | 3 oz | 2 oz | 2½ oz | 5 oz |
| vanilla ice cream | 9 Tbsp | 12 Tbsp | 8 Tbsp | 10¼ Tbsp | 20⅓ Tbsp |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- Dairy and cream liqueurs make a thick, shake-like drink. Use the Slides setting on the Fiji (the Tahiti manual also lists Mudslides), soften ice cream for five minutes first, and rinse the jar soon after serving.
- The ingredient list is written for a single 12 oz drink, which matches the 1-drink setting on Key West and Fiji dials. Multiply by 2 or 3 and set the Number of Drinks dial to match.
- This batch uses about 4.5 fl oz of liquid for 1 drink. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Condensed milk and lime react to taste like pie filling.
About boozy milkshakes
Ice-cream drinks use the shaver differently: the fat and sugar in ice cream and cream liqueurs make the texture thick and creamy. Soften the ice cream for 5 minutes, measure it in tablespoons, and rinse the jar promptly afterward — dairy residue is harder to clean once it dries.
Tips for the best texture
- Nellie & Joe’s is the classic Key lime juice.
- Graham rim.
- Rinse jar after dairy.
- Lime zest garnish.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with graham cracker rim, whipped cream, lime zest and serve in a milkshake glass. Serve boozy milkshakes in chilled glasses with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate or crushed cookies. They are rich, so a 6–8 oz pour is plenty per person. Rinse the jar and blade soon after, following your manual’s cleaning steps, because dairy dries onto plastic quickly.
Variations
- Rum: Use rum.
- Coconut: Add coconut.
- Strawberry: Add berries.
Mocktail swap
Skip vodka; add 1 oz more milk and ½ tsp vanilla.
Shop the ingredients
- Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice (paid link)
We link to mixers, syrups and juices only — alcohol isn’t sold through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Regular limes?
Fine.
Curdle?
Blend right away.
Strength?
1½ oz per drink.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
Please drink responsibly. Alcoholic recipes are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US). Never drink and drive.
