Vegan Key Lime Pies (No-bake, Paleo)

These vegan key lime pies are a creamy no-bake dessert with a smooth, tangy lime filling and a simple nut-based crust. They're also vegan and sweetened with maple syrup but somehow really taste like the real thing!

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.
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.