Vegan Key Lime Pies (No-bake, Paleo)
These vegan key lime pies are a simple no-bake dessert with a creamy lime filling and a nut-based crust that comes together without turning on the oven. They’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and sweetened without refined sugar. This recipe was originally published in 2016 and updated in July 2026 with new photos and tips, but the recipe remains unchanged.
The filling is smooth and tart with just enough sweetness, while the crust is sturdy enough to hold together without being overly firm.
They’re especially good in warmer months when you want a no-bake dessert you can make ahead.
If you’re looking for a traditional baked version instead, my Gluten-free Key Lime Pie Bars have a thick, creamy filling and an easy coconut cookie crust.
- No baking required – everything sets in the fridge or freezer.
- Simple ingredients – nothing complicated or hard to find.
- Make-ahead friendly – they need time to chill anyway.
- Individually portioned – easy to serve and store.
Ingredients
These are just some notes on selected ingredients. Scroll down for the full recipe.
- Cashews – need to be soaked so they blend smoothly. If you skip this, the filling won’t be as creamy. I’ve tested these pies with both raw and roasted cashews and prefer the extra flavor roasted cashews add. If yours aren’t already roasted, see my How to Roast Cashews guide.
- Lime juice – use freshly squeezed, not bottled. You could probably get away with using half bottled and half fresh, but I don’t recommend using only bottled juice.
- Coconut milk – use full-fat canned coconut milk. Refrigerated coconut milk or coconut beverage won’t work.
- Coconut oil – helps the filling firm up once chilled. Refined or unrefined both work, but I used refined because I wanted as little coconut flavor as possible.
If you prefer to use lemon juice or to make bars, check out my No-bake Lemon Bars, which use a very similar filling.
How to Make Them
Start by soaking the cashews in hot water for at least an hour, then drain and rinse them. This step is important for getting a smooth filling.
To make the crust, blend the crust ingredients until the mixture sticks together when pressed. Press it firmly into the bottoms of your molds or muffin liners.
For the filling, blend the soaked cashews with the other filling ingredients until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed and blend long enough to remove any graininess.
Divide the filling over the crusts and smooth the tops. Chill until firm. This can be done in the fridge for a softer texture or in the freezer for a firmer result.
- Soak the cashews long enough – this is key for a smooth filling.
- Blend thoroughly – stop and scrape the bowl to avoid graininess.
- Taste the filling before chilling – you can adjust sweetness or lime at this stage.
- Press the crust firmly – helps it hold together when serving.
- Use silicone molds if possible – they’re much easier to unmold than paper liners or muffin tins.
Troubleshooting
- Filling isn’t smooth – cashews weren’t soaked long enough or not blended enough.
- Filling too soft – needs more chilling time.
- Crust falling apart – wasn’t pressed firmly enough or needs more moisture.
How to Make Ahead, Store and Freeze
These are ideal for making ahead. Prepare them fully, chill until firm and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
If frozen, let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so they soften slightly.
More Vegan No-bake Desserts
- Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream – a rich, creamy chocolate ice cream that’s naturally dairy-free, with a paleo option.
- Vegan Caramel Pecan Cheesecake – an ultra-creamy no-bake cheesecake topped with homemade caramel and pecans, with a paleo option.
- Vegan Turtle Cheesecake – a rich no-bake cheesecake with chocolate, caramel and pecans, with a paleo option.
- Vegan No-bake Peanut Butter Pies – creamy individual peanut butter pies that are perfect for making ahead, with a paleo option.
- Paleo Raspberry Cream Pies – another creamy no-bake mini pie with a nut-based crust.
The recipe is exactly the same as when it was first published in 2016. If you’re looking for the version you made before, here’s one of the original photos for reference. The below photo is of a frozen pie.
I prefer them frozen after thawing for a few minutes, but you might prefer them straight from the fridge. I recommend trying them both ways!
Vegan Key Lime Pies (No-bake, Paleo)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup (43 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup (145 grams) roasted salted cashews
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (30 grams) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
For the filling:
- 1 cup (145 grams) roasted salted cashews
- 3/4 cup (168 grams) unrefined coconut oil very soft or melted
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) coconut cream
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) lime juice or Key lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 6 tablespoons (120 grams) maple syrup I recommend Grade A
- 2 tablespoons (8 grams) lime zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt or more to taste
Instructions
Soak the filling cashews:
- Place the cashews for the filling (not the crust!) in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 hour), then drain and rinse. If you don't have a high-powered blender, soak them for the full hour or overnight in cold water.1 cup (145 grams) roasted salted cashews
Prepare the crust:
- Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners. Prepare the crust. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the coconut. Stir frequently until nicely toasted. Do not walk away from the pan as the coconut starts to burn very quickly! Pour the coconut into a small bowl and let cool for about 5 minutes. You can skip the toasting step but I think it adds so much flavor to the crust.1/2 cup (43 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut
- Place all the crust ingredients in a high-powered blender and process at low speed until the mixture starts to clump together. Don't process so long that it becomes pasty. When you pinch some of the mixture between your fingers, it should easily clump together. If it doesn't, add a tiny bit of water and process again until it does.1 cup (145 grams) roasted salted cashews, 1 1/2 tablespoons (30 grams) maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch salt
- Divide the mixture between the liners (17 grams per liner) and use the bottom of a shot glass or your fingers to press the mixture firmly over the bottom of the liners.
- Place the pan in the freezer or refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Prepare the filling:
- Rinse and drain the soaked cashews.
- Wipe out the blender jar using a paper towel and place all the filling ingredients (including the soaked cashews) in there. Blend for about 30-60 seconds at high speed until totally smooth.1 cup (145 grams) roasted salted cashews, 3/4 cup (168 grams) unrefined coconut oil, 1/4 cup (60 grams) coconut cream, 1/2 cup (120 ml) lime juice, 6 tablespoons (120 grams) maple syrup, 2 tablespoons (8 grams) lime zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch salt
- Pour about 1/4 cup (50 grams) of filling over each crust.
- Refrigerate for about 4 hours or until firm. If you’re in a hurry, place the pan in the freezer.
- Refrigerate the pies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you freeze them for a while, they'll need about 70-80 minutes at room temperature to defrost or about 1 1/2 – 2 hours in the refrigerator. Once properly defrosted, they should be totally creamy. I prefer them frozen after thawing for a few minutes, but you might prefer them straight from the fridge. I recommend trying them both ways!
Notes
- While I’m sure the crust can be made in a food processor, I’m not sure about the filling. It definitely wouldn’t be as smooth (using a high-power blender, it’s totally smooth) and it may not work at all.Â
- Coconut cream is the top, solid part from a can of full-fat coconut milk that’s been refrigerated overnight. Do not use just canned coconut milk or more coconut oil. It must be coconut cream. You can also buy ready-to-use canned coconut cream.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
These sound so refreshing and tasty! Using maple syrup was a great idea too!
It was SO perfect in these pies! The lighter kind really lets the lime shine through. :)
The perfect refreshing healthy dessert for the summer. Love the flavor!
Thanks a bunch! :)
These look – and sound – absolutely amazing!
Thank you, Laura!
You make healthy food look dammmmmn GOOD!
And, maple syrup for the WIN!
Haha. Thank you! :)
Love the healthier version! I’ve had some “healthy pies” before but none of them look as good as this. Key lime is so good but I always feel bad about making them because they’re not super good for us. Now I won’t have to feel guilty!
Aww, thanks! And yes – I hope you get the chance to make these. Such a delicious guilt-free treat. :)
I love key lime desserts…and no bake. And now you made it even healthier for me to indulge :)
I’m all about no-bake right now, too! Way too hot to turn on the oven.
I adore key lime pie but I can’t always justify the sweetened condensed milk. Your healthy version sounds like a justifiable indulgence!
Same here! It’s SO good but sweetened condensed milk? Ugh.
I’ve been avoiding key lime pie for the same reason… It seems like you need SO much sugar to make it not taste healthy. Your vegan version with cashews is brilliant, and I LOVE your tip about the lighter Grade A Medium Amber for citrus sweets. I’ve been scared to use maple syrup in citrus treats because I didn’t want to overpower those tangy flavors, but now I’m itching to try that lighter maple syrup in a recipe! Thanks for that trick Erin! :)
I hope you’ll try it out! You really can’t taste it in these pies. I LOVE the taste of maple syrup but in these pies, all I wanted was limey goodness and Grade A Medium Amber made that possible. :) Thanks for your comment!
I love that these are sweetened with maple syrup (my favorite sweetener) AND that they are no-bake. Perfect summertime treat!
It’s my favorite sweetener, too. :D
Allergic to cashews, can I use sunflower seeds instead?
I really don’t think that’d work. I think the flavor would overpower the lime and that the texture wouldn’t be right at all. Sorry about that!
Someone in our family eats GF,DF. I bet she would love these.
I bet you would, too! ;)
Love the flavors of key lime in desserts, so refreshing and I love the fact you used coconut cream to make these creamy pies!
Coconut cream does wonderful things! :)
I love mini pies like this.
OMG Erin! Your healthy treats are amazing! I am in love with Key Lime Pie and I can;t wait to make these!
Thank you! I hope you’ll enjoy them. :)
These look like perfect little bites of summer!
Totally agree! ;)
I love when healthy treats don’t taste healthy :) These look awesome!
Thank you!
These are so adorable!! I love real maple!!
The only way to go! ;)
I totally agree with the “too healthy tasting” in a lot of healthy desserts. You look like you have a winner here and I must make these for my vegan friend!
I hope you’ll both love them!
Considering I am Canadian, I LOVE that you used Canadian Maple Syrup in these!! Key lime is my favorite summer flavor, so I can’t wait to try these! Pinned!
Yay! Hope you’ll love them as much as I do. :)
Using maple syrup to sweeten these is such a clever idea! Your photography is gorgeous too!
Thanks a bunch, Amy! :)