A light & refreshing no bake dessert for summer: gluten-free and dairy-free key lime pie!
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About This Key Lime Pie Recipe
If you haven't tried key lime pie, it's a staple dessert in Florida, especially the Florida Keys. After living in the sunshine state for ten years, I grew accustomed to spotting key lime pie on dessert menus and at family gatherings. Key lime pie is actually the official pie of the state of Florida!
While this key lime pie is gluten-free and dairy-free, you won't be able to tell. Plus, it's a no-bake pie, meaning you don't even have to turn on your hot oven in the sweltering summer heat. You can watch how quickly it comes together on my Instagram right here.
The pie filling is composed of key lime juice and three dairy-free ingredients.
What You'll Need To Make Key Lime Pie
Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Graham Cracker Crust: I bought my own from Mi-Del, but you can make your own from gluten-free graham crackers from Kinnikinnick and dairy-free butter like Earth Balance vegan butter sticks.
Truthfully, a homemade crust makes this recipe even better! I recommend this one from Sally's Baking Addiction, and again, just use gluten-free & dairy-free graham crackers as well as dairy-free butter. I've also used it in making gluten and dairy free cheesecake.
Dairy-Free Cream Cheese: I use KiteHill Kite Hill plain cream cheese. It's my go-to dairy-free cream cheese, which I've also used for gluten and dairy-free oreo cheesecake brownies.
Dairy-Free Cool Whip: So Delicious coco whip and TruWhip both work great and are dairy-free.
Cream of Coconut: I use Goya crema de coco for this recipe but there are other choices out there! If you can't find that, sweetened condensed coconut milk, or whatever condensed milk you prefer.
Key Lime Juice: To make the best key lime pie, you need the real stuff from the Florida Keys. You can find bottled key lime juice in the produce section or boxed juice section of your grocery store, or buy it online.
How To Make Gluten & Dairy Free Key Lime Pie
You will beat the dairy-free ingredients together with the lime juice, and then just pour the filling into the crust. Nice and simple!
I use my KitchenAid stand mixer, but a handheld mixer works fine. If you don't have either of those, you can use a whisk, but it will be quite an arm workout. After that, let the pie freeze for at least 8 hours to set, or better, overnight. We need to give the key lime pie time to solidify so it can transform into a heavenly dessert!
You can watch me make this recipe in this Instagram Reel here:
Tips For Making Key Lime Pie & Common Questions
Key lime juice is not the same as regular lime juice.
While you can juice your own limes for this recipe, I don't advise it. Key limes are smaller and more tart than regular limes, meaning you'll need to juice even more of them to get the amount you need. It's summer. You're hot and sweaty. Don't do it - just buy the lime juice and save yourself the trouble!
Differences between Cream of Coconut, Coconut Cream, and Coconut Milk
Cream of Coconut is what you need for this dairy-free key lime recipe!
Coconut Milk: Shredded coconut meat & water.
Coconut Cream: The thick, creamy part that collects at the top of the coconut milk. So basically, coconut milk without the water.
Cream of Coconut: A sweetened version of coconut cream - the thick stuff, but with added sugar.
More Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
Want to continue practicing your pie making skills? Check out this gluten-free peach pie with lattice design.
Feel like an easy quickbread? This banana bread with walnuts hits the spot.
Looking for a scones recipe? Bake a savory version with bacon, cheddar, and chives.
Ready to take your baking skills to the next level? Try these delightful, buttery, and flaky gluten-free croissants.
Discover all the gluten-free baking recipes on the blog right here.
Here's the full recipe for gluten-free and dairy-free key lime pie!
If you love this recipe, please leave a comment! Thank you so much!
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Key Lime Pie Recipe
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Key Lime Pie
A no-bake pie that screams for summer!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 gluten-free graham cracker crust, like Mi-Del OR 1 box gluten-free & dairy-free graham crackers, like Kinnikinnick
- 7 Tablespoons dairy-free butter, like Earth Balance Vegan Butter Sticks
For the Filling
- 15 oz cream of coconut (or use sweetened condensed coconut milk)
- 8 oz dairy-free cool whip, like So Delicious
- 8 oz dairy-free cream cheese, like Kite Hill
- ½ cup key lime juice
- fresh lime wedges or lime zest, for garnish
Instructions
If you are making your own graham cracker crust:
If making your own crust, pulse the graham crackers in a food processor for 15-20 seconds until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pour into a separate bowl and add the melted butter. Mix until it becomes sandy, then press into a pie plate or 8 inch round pan (no need to grease it). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before filling.
Otherwise, if using a store-bought crust like Mi-Del, just remove the packaging from the crust and set aside.
In medium-size bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer, beat together the cream of coconut (or sweetened condensed coconut milk) and lime juice on medium/low speed until smooth. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer, beat together the dairy-free cool whip and dairy-free cream cheese on medim/low speed until smooth. Then, pour the cream of coconut/lime juice mixture into the cream cheese & cool whip mixture and beat on medium/low speed until all ingredients are smooth and fully incorporated.
Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust. Place the top back on (or cover with foil) and freeze for at least 8 hours, or for best results, overnight. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and let it rest for 5 minutes at room temperature. If the pie starts to melt after slicing, return to the freezer.
Notes
Cream of Coconut
Cream of coconut, which is made from the thicker coconut meat and sweetened with sugar, works best for this recipe. It is thicker than regular coconut milk, which is the flesh of a coconut blended with water. If you can't find cream of coconut, sweetened condensed coconut milk will work well instead.
Storage
Key lime pie will keep in the freezer for a few weeks, just keep it covered.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 549Total Fat 46gSaturated Fat 29gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 92mgSodium 250mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 2gSugar 18gProtein 5g
The nutrition information on each recipe card is provided as a courtesy and for your convenience. The data is calculated by Nutritionix. You are encouraged to make your own calculations based on your ingredients and preferred nutritional facts calculator. While I try to make sure they are accurate, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these calculations.
Do you like key lime pie?
Should I try making more no-bake pies?
Let me know in the comments if you tried this recipe!
Shay Ballew says
Super yummy! While it’s different than your classic key lime pie, it’ll satisfy that key lime pie craving for those who are gf/df for sure! Better the next day😋
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Dena says
How many people do you think this serves?
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
Hi Dena, depends on how big you slice the pieces! A typical 8 or 9 inch pie is usually about 6 pieces. So maybe 6 people max if everyone only has one piece, or less if you want to have seconds.
Dena says
Thanks! Also do you think it’s possible to use coconut cream and add maple/honey/agave/sugar?
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
Hi Dena, Yes you definitely could, provided the coconut cream is unsweetened. Otherwise, it might be super sweet!
Dena says
Thanks so much, any suggestions on which sweetener would be best here?
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
I think it's really up to you! I recently made coconut whipped cream and had luck with sugar and vanilla.
Dena says
FYI it turned out delicious! We like it better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours though, otherwise it’s too hard/icy. Thanks!!
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
Glad to hear it, Dena! Thank you!