I can’t think of a better end-of-summer treat than a cold, creamy vegan key lime pie! This key lime pie recipe is surprisingly easy and is completely egg-free & dairy-free. And you only need 7 ingredients to make this pie & the crust!
This pie recipe has the best buttery, dairy-free graham cracker crust, and a vibrant, zesty yet creamy pie filling. While this recipe is titled key lime pie, I’m using regular limes today since they’re easier to find and you need less of them to get the required amount of lime juice.
the main ingredients
This easy vegan key lime pie recipe is made with fresh limes. It uses about 3-4 large, regular limes, which when juiced makes about 3/4 cup lime juice. While this pie takes a few hours to make, most of the time is passive while the pie cools in the fridge. It’s super simple to make and you only need 7 ingredients.
To make this dairy-free pie, you’ll want to gather the following ingredients:
- Graham Crackers
- Vegan Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Limes
- Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
- Coconut Cream
- Sugar
how to make the best key lime pie
Key lime pie is essentially only two main components; the creamy filling and the graham cracker crust.
- The first step is to mix together the crust ingredients.
- Then, press the crust into a pie pan and bake for 10 minutes at 375F.
- While the crust cools, you can make the creamy lime filling. Mix the sweetened condensed coconut milk, coconut cream, lime zest and juice together.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
- Place in the freezer for 4 hours to finish setting up.
how to serve the vegan key lime pie
This homemade easy key lime pie is best served once the filling has been completely set. This will take about 3 hours in the fridge or 1-2 hours in the freezer. You can also store the pie in the freezer. If storing in the freezer, let the pie sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing or serving it.
This creamy, cold key lime pie is delicious served with dairy free whipped cream or with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
non-dairy key lime pie faq:
You can technically use bottled lime juice for this recipe, but I highly recommend using fresh limes for the best flavor. It’s not necessary to use real key limes for this recipe, since they are difficult to find year-round and in certain parts of the world.
The key lime pie filling will be jiggly in the center if stored in the fridge. The pie needs to be chilled in the freezer to set up completely.
looking for more vegan Dessert recipes? CHeck out these!
- Brown Sugar Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Crunch Cake
- Red Velvet ‘Cheesecake’ Cupcakes
- Easy Vegan Chocolate Lava Cake
- Italian Pear Almond Cake
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to know! Leave a rating and comment below!
Vegan Key Lime Pie
This vegan key lime pie recipe has the best buttery, dairy-free graham cracker crust, and a vibrant, zesty yet creamy pie filling. It's the perfect cold and creamy summer treat!
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 3/4 cups (220g) fine graham cracker crumbs (about 13-14 full-sized cracker sheets)
- ⅓ cup (70g) light brown sugar, packed- optional
- 6 tbsp (90g) melted vegan butter
Filling
- 11.5 oz (300g) sweetened condensed coconut milk (about 1 small can)
- 1 ½ cups (360g) coconut cream (solid parts only)
- 3 tbsp lime zest, 2-3 large limes
- ¾ cup (150g) fresh squeezed lime juice (about 3 very large limes)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar (optional, see notes)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- In a large bowl or food processor, mix or pulse together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter.
- Press the crumbs into a 9” pie pan (1.5” deep) using your fingers. Press the crust mixture up onto the sides of the pan as well. If needed, use the bottom of a clean glass to press the crust mixture.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. It should be slightly browned. Let the crust cool completely.
To make the filling:
- In a large bowl, or your food processor, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, coconut cream, lime juice, and lime zest.
- Spoon 2 tbsp of the filling into a small bowl and mix with the cornstarch to form a slurry. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the filling and mix well.
- Pour the filling mixture into your prepared pie crust.
- Cover the pie and place in the freezer to set up for at least 4 hours.
- To serve: let the pie sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing.Top with coconut whipped cream, shredded coconut and lime zest.
Notes
- Whether to add the extra granulated sugar depends on the sweetness level of your sweetened condensed coconut milk and the tartness of your limes. Taste the filling prior to pouring it into the crust. If you desire more sweetness, add the extra 2 tbsp of sugar.
- For the coconut cream, place the can in the fridge or freezer for a few hours or overnight. This will ensure that the solid coconut cream separates completely from the coconut water in the can.
- You can buy sweetened condensed coconut milk online or at health food stores like Whole Foods. You can also make your own by following the instructions below:
Dairy-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk:
- 2 cups dairy free milk (420g)
- ⅔ cup sugar (134g)
- 3 tbsp salted vegan butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
Simmer the milk and sugar on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be sure the milk does not boil or burn. After 30 minutes, the mixture should be reduced to about 1/4 of the previous volume. Remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla. Mix until combined.
Store in a jar in the fridge for a week.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 20gProtein: 4g
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Hi! I’ve attempted this twice but it doesn’t firm up at all. The first time it was like a custard after freezing it and the second time I left it in the oven for 30 minutes and it over cooked it. Any suggestions? I love the taste but I can’t get the consistency right.
Hi Adriana! I’m so sorry this isn’t firming up for you. The texture should be a soft custard after setting in the fridge or a hard custard if left to set in the freezer. I’d love to help you troubleshoot.
What type of dairy-free sweetened condensed milk are you using? This will play a large role in helping the pie set up. What brand of coconut cream are you using? If the coconut cream you’re using is looser in texture (or if there is liquid in the coconut cream) this can lead to a looser custard.
To really make sure this sets up for you, I’d recommend adding about 3 tbsp of cornstarch to the filling mixture prior to baking. To do this, combine about 1/4 cup of the filling mixture with the cornstarch in a small bowl. Mix it well until any lumps are combined (it should form a thick paste or slurry). Then add the cornstarch mixture back into the filling.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.