These tart, sweet key lime pie bars have a sugar cookie crust and creamy cashew based lime layer. This healthy dessert is totally dairy free, paleo, egg free with a vegan option, and irresistible!
Once spring hits I start craving citrus like lemon bars and key lime pie! Lots of fresh sweet + tart flavor is the perfect way to welcome spring.
I have a complete no-bake and vegan key lime cheesecake on the blog, but wanted to make these bars with a cookie crust, similar to these lemon bars.
They’re egg free with a vegan option, if you swap in maple syrup for the honey.
These creamy key lime bars definitely did not disappoint! The lime layer itself is no-bake, but the crust is a baked sugar cookie.
Sugar cookie + silky tart sweet filling = spring dessert heaven!
These bars are great whenever you feel like baking up an easy, healthy sweet treat and they’re also perfect for Easter and Mother’s Day.
What You Need to Make These Key Lime Pie Bars
Here’s everything you’ll need to prepare the bars. You’ll need a high speed blender (like a Vitamix or something similar) to blend the filling.
These bars use surprisingly few ingredients!
Crust:
- almond flour
- 1sea salt
- refined coconut oil
- raw honey, or pure maple syrup for vegan
- pure vanilla extract
Lime Layer:
- raw cashews
- coconut cream
- raw honey, or pure maple syrup for vegan
- limes
- key lime or fresh lime juice
- coconut oil
- sea salt
How to Make These Key Lime Pie Bars
Begin by preparing the crust. Stir together all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line an 8 x 8” baking pan with parchment paper on the bottom and an inch up the sides. Press the chilled dough into the bottom of the lined baking pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until set and just beginning to turn light brown. Remove from oven and set on a wire rack to cool. After cooling for about 20 minutes, you can place the pan in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling, if desired.
Place all the ingredients for the lime layer in a large high speed blender or food processor (I used a Vitamix blender).
Blend until completely smooth – this might take several minutes depending on your blender. Stop to scrape down the sides periodically if needed.
Once the crust has mostly cooled, pour the cashew mixture over the crust and spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, or freeze for at least 4 hours to set.
Before serving, use a very sharp knife to cut into squares. Garnish with additional lime zest if desired or serve with coconut whipped cream (see below).
How to Make Homemade Coconut Whipped Cream
To make homemade coconut whipped cream, use an electric hand mixer to blend 1 cup chilled coconut cream (from a can) until creamy, then beat in about 2-3 teaspoons raw honey to sweeten it.
You can also use powdered monk fruit sweetener to sweeten it, or organic powdered sugar.
Make the coconut whipped cream right before serving, or make it up to a days an advance and store covered in the refrigerator.
I hope you’re ready for the creamiest paleo and egg free key lime pie bars you’ll ever make!
Grab your ingredients and preheat your oven, it’s time to bake – let’s go!
Key Lime Pie Bars {Paleo, Vegan}
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup coconut oil refined, melted
- 1/4 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup for vegan
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Lime Layer:
- 2 3/4 cups raw cashews soaked in warm water for at least an hour and drained
- 3/4 cup coconut cream chilled this is the thick part only of a can of coconut milk that’s been separated
- 2/3 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup, for vegan
- Grated zest of 2 limes
- 2/3 cup key lime or fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup coconut oil refined, soft
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
-
Begin by preparing the crust. Stir together all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
-
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line an 8 x 8” baking pan with parchment paper on the bottom and an inch up the sides. Press the chilled dough into the bottom of the lined baking pan.
-
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until set and just beginning to turn light brown. Remove from oven and set on a wire rack to cool. After cooling for about 20 minutes, you can place the pan in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling, if desired.
-
Place all the ingredients for the lime layer in a large high speed blender or food processor (I used a Vitamix blender). Blend until completely smooth - this might take several minutes depending on your blender. Stop to scrape down the sides periodically if needed.
-
Once the crust has mostly cooled, pour the cashew mixture over the crust and spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, or freeze for at least 4 hours to set.
-
Before serving, use a very sharp knife to cut into squares. Garnish with additional lime zest if desired or serve with coconut whipped cream* Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*To make homemade coconut whipped cream, use an electric hand mixer to blend 1 cup chilled coconut cream (from a can) until creamy, then beat in about 2-3 teaspoons raw honey to sweeten it. You can also use powdered monk fruit sweetener to sweeten it, or organic powdered sugar.
This recipe is a must to make.
A good Easter dessert. Light and healthy
Any recommendations instead of almond flour? My son is allergic to almonds.
hazelnut flour
“Once the crust has mostly cooled, pour the lemon cashew mixture …” Should this say lime cashew mixture? Can’t wait to try these
OMG this is so good thank you keep those recipes coming.
Can you sub avocado oil for coconut oil in your recipes?
I’ve never made a recipe using soaked cashews before. I have seen lots of recipes using soaked raw cashews but it didn’t sound appealing, honestly. I thought I’d give this a try though, and wow it it so good!! I added some raw crushed pecans to the crust to add some crunch to it. I was very surprised that the filling didn’t taste like cashews at all! I would make this again for sure!
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These. Are. So. Good. Made them for friends and they were shocked to find out they were paleo. Takes a bit of pre planning but actually easy if you plan ahead.
it will be the best pie for me this weekend
Well, I can say that I’m not a picky eater and I could eat the universe. But if I had to choose, I would definitely choose this dish.
WOW looks so great!! Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to try it!
You keep publishing such good speculations I will share them with my friends
How long should I soak the cashews for ? Presumably you throw the water away after soaking ?
I’ll spread the good ideas you keep coming up with to my friends.
best article about lemon bars and key lime pie
Probably not. When subbing oils you want something that has the same viscosity at room temp.
So, coconut oil is solid at room temp – avocado is not.
You could use ghee or vegetable shortening.