This vegan key lime pie is a delicious, light and tangy dessert. The recipe contains only 8 ingredients and is plant-based, gluten-free, oil-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, and easy to make.
Gluten-Free Vegan Key Lime Pie
Why did I not create this recipe earlier? I am sure if I did, I would have made it so many times by now. However, it never came to my mind to make a vegan key lime pie, until recently, when we had so many limes at home. And do you know what I love most about this pie? It’s light, creamy, tangy, and very delicious! The recipe is not only plant-based (egg-free, dairy-free), it’s also oil-free, refined sugar-free, and nut-free!
Creamy Baked Vegan Key Lime Pie
To be honest, I never ate a “real” (non-vegan) key lime pie before. I know they contain eggs, sour cream, condensed milk, and other not really healthy ingredients. Since my baked vegan cheesecake turned out super delicious, I decided to create a similar recipe and it turned out so creamy and delicious.
Nut-Free Key Lime Pie
As mentioned before, this vegan key lime pie can be made nut-free. The crust contains ground oats, shredded unsweetened coconut, maple syrup (you can use any other liquid sweetener), and 2 chia eggs. That’s it, just 4 ingredients. For the cream, I used silken tofu (read below for a soy-free version), maple syrup, lime juice, coconut butter, and cornstarch. You can, of course, use cashew butter, almond butter or any other nut butter of choice if you aren’t nut-free.
This Vegan Key Lime Pie Is:
- Gluten-free
- Oil-free
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Nut-free
- Refined sugar-free
- Plant-based
- Easy to make
- Tangy
- Light
Soy-Free Alternative
I have recently updated the recipe with a soy-free version because there are lots of people who have a soy allergy. It’s totally possible to make this pie soy-free by using canned coconut milk and soaked cashews instead of silken tofu. For a soy-free AND nut-free version, I would recommend using canned coconut milk and coconut butter.
Vegan Whipped Cream
You can top this delicious pie with whipped coconut cream or vegan marshmallow fluff. How to make vegan marshmallow fluff? All you need is 3 ingredients which are Aquafaba (brine from one can of chickpeas), 1/4-1/3 cup maple syrup, and 1 1/2 tsp lime juice to stabilize the marshmallow fluff. You just have to whip up the Aquafaba which takes about 10 minutes and then add the other two ingredients and whip again! However, please note that the vegan marshmallow fluff won’t stay stable like whipped cream.
Another great option would be to use whipped coconut cream. How to make whipped coconut cream? You’ll to chill a can of coconut milk in the fridge for at least 8 hours without shaking it and then whip up the thick cream only (not the water!). It doesn’t work with all coconut milk brands though, so you would need to experiment with different ones.
If you try out this delicious pie and maybe even make a photo of it, then I would love to see it. You can DM it to me on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag me in your Insta caption + photo with @elavegan and use the hashtag #elavegan.
Vegan Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups (135 g) oats (see notes)
- 1 cup (80 g) shredded unsweetened coconut (see notes)
- 2 chia eggs or flax eggs (see notes)
- 3 tbsp (60 g) maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener
Cream:
- 1 12.3 oz package (350 g) silken tofu firm (see notes)
- 1/4 cup (60 g) coconut butter (see notes)
- 1/4 cup (80 g) maple syrup (or any other liquid sweetener)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) lime juice from key limes or regular limes
- 3 tbsp (25 g) cornstarch
- zest of one lime
Instructions
Crust
- To make the crust, process the shredded unsweetened coconut in an electric spice/coffee grinder (or blender). Repeat this step with the oats.
- Put all crust ingredients into a bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer (or use your hands) until a dough has formed. It should have the texture of shortcut pastry. Press the crust evenly into the bottom of a greased 8-inch (20 cm) pie pan or tart pan and about 2 inches (5 cm) up to the sides.
Cream layer
- For the cream layer: Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. Pour the cream onto the crust.
- Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Depending on your oven it might take a few minutes less or more. If you bake it for less than 30 minutes the pie will turn out more creamy and soft and if you bake it for 35 minutes (or more) it will get firmer and can be sliced better.
- Turn off the oven and let the pie cool at room temperature for a while. Then put it into the fridge to set. Decorate with whipped coconut cream or use SILK's Dairy-Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Notes
- You should use gluten-free oats if you have a gluten allergy.
- You can use ground almonds (or any other nuts/seeds) instead of shredded unsweetened coconut.
- To make ONE chia egg, simply mix 1 tbsp ground chia seeds with 3 tbsp water and let it sit for 5 minutes). Instead of chia eggs or flax eggs, you can also use 1 small banana (80 g).
- You can use any nut/seed butter of choice, for example, cashew butter, almond butter, etc (if not nut-free). The color of the pie will be darker if you use e.g. almond butter.
SOY-FREE ALTERNATIVE
 Cream:- 320 ml (1 1/3 cup) coconut milk, canned
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) lime juice (from key limes or regular limes)
- 32 g (4 tbsp) cornstarch
- 80 g (7 tbsp) light granulated sweetener (e.g. xylitol, erythritol, white sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 112 g (3/4 cup) cashews (soaked) (*see below)
- zest of one lime
- Soak cashews in hot water for about 30 minutes until soft.
- Blend all ingredients in a blender until completely smooth and creamy.
- Follow the other steps of the recipe.
- You could also use 120 g (1/2 cup) of cashew butter (or coconut butter for a nut-free version) instead of the soaked cashews!
- Recipe make an 8-inch pie. Nutrition facts are for one slice if you cut the pie into 8 slices.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
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Do I let it sit I. The oven afte turning off the oven, or take out of the oven?
I think I opened the oven door and let it sit in the oven for a few more minutes, then took it out and let it cool at room temperature.
I’m going to make this but would like to use a graham cracker for the crust. Will it bake all right for 35 minutes or burn. Any other suggestions for graham flavor if cannot bake the graham crust that long?
Hi Cindi, unfortunately, I don’t know! You will need to experiment. 🙂
As a non-baker, this was an easy and delightfully delicious recipe to make! Can it be frozen??
That’s great! Yes, it can be frozen. 🙂
Made it today and I think this will be my number 1 summer pie this year. So fresh and light, thank you for recipe. I dont do added sugar, so I blended 7 dates with water and used that as a liq sweetener, worked very well.
Yum yum
Hi Katarina, I am so glad you loved it! Glad it turned out yummy with dates. 🙂
Could you replace the shredded coconut with coconut flour?
Hi Rachel, no, that’s not possible. You can use ground nuts of choice instead. 🙂
Do you think arrowroot would work instead of cornstarch?
I think it should work! 🙂
If was a not that good for me, I don’t know if I did something wrong or what!
Sorry you didn’t like the recipe, Tavey.
If I go the soy-free route, can I use maple syrup instead if powdered sugars
Hi Judy, that should be fine, however, I would reduce the coconut milk by about 1/4 or 1/3 cup.
Hi Ela! Thank you for all your recipes! I was wondering if i can use firm tofu instead of silken because in my province i can’t find it! I apreaciatte your response! Greetings from Argentina!
Hi Paulina, yes, it will work but it will taste more like tofu. Silken tofu is more neutral in taste compared to regular tofu.
Hope this helps. 🙂
Can I substitute coconut cream for the coconut milk?
Thank you!
That should be fine! 🙂
Can stevia be used as sweetner
No, you need a liquid sweetener.
Could I replace the cornstarch with tapioca flour?
I didn’t try it but it should work! 🙂
Do you need to drain the tofu and press it overnight?
Drain it, but no need to press it overnight. 🙂
Do u have to pre bake the tart shell?
No, you don’t. 🙂
I only had firm tofu which turned out nicely,. My baby 1yr old had 1 slice of them! Definitely will try with silk tofu again. Thank you!
That’s awesome, Yoko! So happy it turned out delicious. 🙂 Thanks for your feedback!
Hi Ela, for kosher reasons (Passover) we cant use pats at all. Can we change them to something like rice flour or even teff/quinoa etc? Anything that is not wheat, oats, rye, spelt or barley). Thanks!
You could use buckwheat flour (ground buckwheat groats! 🙂
Can you replace the coconut butter with coconut oil?
Yes, that should work, even though it will be higher in fat! 🙂
This pie looks incredible Ela, I can tell how bright it must taste. And I love how you staged that slice, such a glorious inside texture. Thank you for sharing. Dee xx
Thanks for your sweet comment, Dee! I would love to share the cake with you.
Delicious Ela! That marshmallow topping too is just so fluffy!
Thank you, Jess! So glad you like it. ????