Vegan Key Lime Pie Bars

Creamy vegan key lime pie bars are a healthy-ish spin on key lime pie, with a no-bake coconut crust and sweet-tangy filling made without dairy or eggs. An easy summertime (or anytime) dessert!

SPONSORED BY NATURAL DELIGHTS

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I don’t know what it feels like where you are these days, but down here in Florida we are already in the season of weekend pool hangs and bathing suits slung over bathroom doorknobs and 8pm sunset walks with the pup once it finally cools off for the day—some of my favorite signs of summer. Maybe you’re easing into those summer routines too or maybe you’re not quite there yet, but these Vegan Key Lime Pie Bars are a tasty little slice of Florida summer flavor that will help you feel a little bit closer.

How To Make Vegan Key Lime Pie Bars

These easy to make bars start with a no-bake crust made in the food processor with minimal ingredients. Follow that up with a key lime custard that comes together on the stovetop with less than 10 minutes of stirring, and leave the oven off entirely. The fridge does the rest of the work, chilling the bars to a creamy slice-able consistency that’s ready to top with a fluffy swirl (or massive dollop) of coconut whipped cream!

The No-Bake Coconut Crust

With such a tropical filling flavor, I thought it only fitting that we bring some of those beachy vibes into the crust too. That’s why I wanted to use Natural Delight’s Coconut Mini Medjools as the main ingredients in this no-bake crust recipe. A simply delicious combination of sweet sticky Medjool dates rolled in shredded coconut are not only irresistible on their own for snacking (especially from the fridge imo!), but they are the perfect base for a fruit-sweetened crust too. Since key lime pie is traditionally served with a graham cracker crust, I added in a little bit of cinnamon and ginger for extra “cookie” ish flavor. A pinch of salt to balance the sweet, and a little bit of almond flour adds a more crumb-like texture and makes it a little less sticky to work with too.

This crust does come together in just minutes, but the technique is important. You want to use a food processor, not a blender, and you want to pulse not just let it run. If you over blend, the crust will become one big sticky ball. The key is to mix just enough to combine, but not too much. The texture should resemble a streusel almost—large crumbly chunks that stick together when pressed (see photo below).

The Dairy-Free Key Lime Filling

The most citrusy step! With a full cup of fresh squeezed lime juice, you better believe this layer packs a very flavorful punch. The ingredients you will need are:

• Key lime juice. Now I realize this is a very seasonal and regional produce item, so if you can’t find them you can substitute 1) bottled key lime juice or 2) regular limes, juiced.
• Lime zest. A full tablespoon of it, which is about 1-2 limes worth.
• Cane sugar. For color and texture purposes, I did not make the filling fruit sweetened too. Cane sugar works best, or white sugar even. I do not recommend coconut sugar, the flavor profile is not right for this recipe. You could try sweetening with agave or a liquid sweetener, but I haven’t tested that option myself.
• Tapioca starch. Since this is a vegan (therefore egg-free) recipe, we need something else to thicken the custard filling. I chose tapioca starch because it’s what I had in my pantry, but arrowroot or cornstarch would work just as well 1-for-1.
• Coconut cream. This is what creates the smooth, rich, creamy texture of the dairy-free filling, so don’t try to swap in a lower fat milk in its place. You can use the entire contents of the can though, no need to chill and scrape out just the solid stuff, shake that can up and use it all.

First you want to whisk the dry ingredients into a small amount of the coconut cream just to get rid of any lumps, this is easier with a lower liquid volume. Then once that mixture is smooth, you can add in the remaining ingredients and whisk everything together until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer this citrusy mixture for 5-6 minutes, it will thicken considerably during this time. Make sure you are whisking almost constantly to avoid anything burning on the bottom of the pot. Once it is thickened, remove from the heat and wait a few minutes for it to cool down before pouring on top of the coconut crust.

Serving Suggestions And Topping Options

Personally, I don’t think a slice of key lime pie is complete without some sort of whipped dollop on top. That could be a spoonful of homemade coconut whipped cream, a spoonful of store-bought coconut whipped topping, or a squeeze of any of the of the myriad of canned dairy-free whipped topping options out there these days. A dusting of additional lime zest is a nice touch too for presentation points, but definitely not essential.

More Citrus Sweet Treats You’ll Love

• Lemon Poppy Seed Banana Bread
• Gluten-Free Blood Orange Muffins
• Mini Key Lime Pies
• Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

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