How's everyone doing with the crazy situation we're all in right now? Hopefully, you're not feeling too overwhelmed and down, but if you are, I've got the perfect citrus dessert to brighten you up! This vegan key lime pie is so creamy, dreamy, and tangy! With a crunchy graham cracker crust on the bottom and topped with rich coconut whipped cream, this plant-based dessert won't have you missing the traditional key lime pie!
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
How to substitute the eggs and condensed milk
The filling in a traditional key lime pie, a classic American dessert from Florida, is made using sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and key lime juice. Some recipes also call for sour cream for a creamier texture. In this vegan no-bake version, we combine Nature's Charm sweetened condensed coconut milk with key lime juice, cashews, and agar powder!
Traditionally, this pie is topped with meringue or whipped cream, but we're topping this vegan key lime pie with some of Nature's Charm coconut whipping cream!
How to make vegan key lime pie
Key lime pie's got to have a graham cracker crust! In a bowl with graham cracker crumbs, add a pinch of salt and some melted coconut oil. Mix together until combined and press it into a pie plate or 9-inch tart pan. Bake it in a preheated oven for 12 minutes at 325°F/160°C and let it cool completely.
Although the filling comes together in a blender, we first need to cook the agar. In a small pan or pot, add the agar powder and key lime juice. Heat it on medium until it reaches a boil and let it simmer for 3 minutes and let it cool slightly.
In a high powered blender, add the agar mixture, soaked cashews, lime zest, and Nature's Charm sweetened condensed coconut milk. Blend until smooth and pour it over the cooled graham cracker crust. Put it in the fridge to let it cool overnight!
If you use a tart pan as I did, you'll end up with some extra filling - enough to fill a ramekin. Just pour it into a ramekin or bowl and chill it in the fridge with the tart. You can eat it with some leftover graham crackers like a dip, or you can use it as a spread on cookies!
How to get perfect vegan whipped cream
Many people know that coconut cream makes for a great vegan substitute for whipped cream. But there are a few tips to getting it to be the perfect texture!
First, make sure your can of coconut whipping cream is chilled. It's best if you put it in the fridge a day in advance. I like to chill mine for a full 24 hours to ensure it's chilled to the center.
Second, make sure your bowl is chilled too! This, you can just stick it in the freezer for half an hour before you make the whipped cream.
Put the chilled, firm whipping cream into the chilled bowl and whip using an electric hand mixer for about 3 minutes. You can sweeten your cream with some powdered sugar if you like. I personally think the key lime pie is plenty sweet and flavorful on its own, you don't need to add any sweetener to the cream. But to each his own.
Can I use regular limes to make vegan key lime pie?
Yes! I didn't come across key limes at my local grocery store so I substituted with regular limes and it came out delicious! You can also use lemons instead of limes to make a lemon pie!
When I first started recipe testing for this vegan key lime pie, I tried baking it as you would a classic key lime pie, but it turned out to be a complete disaster! The filling was too runny and the graham cracker crust soaked it up while baking and expanded!
That's when I decided a no-bake method would be best. Using agar powder really helps to give it a pudding-like texture that's soft and creamy yet solid enough to slice!
I didn't expect to love this vegan key lime pie as much as I did! It's so delicious, I had a hard time stopping after one slice! If you need a sunny, citrusy plant-based dessert to brighten your day, this is the one for you!
Want more vegan desserts? Try my coconut macaroons or banana pudding!
Don’t forget to follow me onInstagramandPinterest, and go subscribe to myYouTubechannel!
4.50 from 10 votes
Vegan Key Lime Pie (No-Bake Recipe)
Course: Dessert
Servings: 8
This vegan key lime pie is so creamy and tangy! With a crunchy graham cracker crust on the bottom and topped with rich coconut whipped cream, this plant-based dessert won’t have you missing the traditional key lime pie!
Print Pin Rate
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1⅔ cup / 165g vegan graham cracker crumbs
- 7 tablespoons / 105ml coconut oil, melted
- pinch of salt
Key Lime Filling
- 2 cans / 640g Nature's Charm sweetened condensed coconut milk
- ⅓ cup / 50g raw cashews, soaked in water overnight
- ¾ cup / 180ml key lime juice
- 1 tablespoon / 15ml key lime zest
- 1 teaspoon / 5ml agar powder
Whipped Cream
- 1 can / 400ml Nature's Charm coconut whipping cream
Garnish
- key lime zest
- key lime slices
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C.
In a bowl, add vegan graham cracker crumbs, salt, and melted coconut oil. Mix together until combined and press it into a pie plate or 9-inch tart pan. Bake it for 12 minutes and let it cool completely.
Key Lime Filling
In a small pan or pot, add the agar powder and key lime juice. Heat it on medium until it reaches a boil and let it simmer for 3 minutes and let it cool slightly.
In a high powered blender, add the agar mixture, soaked cashews, lime zest, and sweetened condensed coconut milk. Blend until smooth and pour it over the cooled graham cracker crust. Put it in the fridge to let it cool overnight.
Whipped Cream
Put the chilled whipping cream into a bowl and whip using an electric hand mixer for about 3 minutes.
Top the pie with as little or as much whipped cream, and garnish with some key lime zest and/or key lime slices.
Notes
- To make this truly no-bake, you can use a storebought graham cracker crust, or you can make a raw crust using nuts and dates!
- If you use a tart pan as I did, you'll end up with some extra filling - enough to fill a ramekin. Just pour it into a ramekin or bowl and chill it in the fridge with the tart. You can eat it with some leftover graham crackers like a dip, or you can use it as a spread on cookies!
- Tips to making good whipped cream: 1) Make sure your can of coconut whipping cream is chilled. It's best if you put it in the fridge a day in advance. 2) Make sure your bowl is chilled too! This, you can just stick it in the freezer for half an hour before you make the whipped cream.
Love this recipe?Snap a photo and share tagging @aimadeitforyou or tag #aimadeitforyou!
SAVE THE RECIPE ON PINTEREST FOR LATER!
Disclosure –Thank you toNature’s Charmfor sponsoring this post! I love both their products and brand values, and I’m so excited to be working with them!
