Healthy Key Lime Pie with Avocado (Paleo, gluten-free)

This Healthy Key Lime Pie with Avocado is a cool, creamy treat that’s so easy to make.

It uses just a few whole food ingredients, has a no-bake filling and the crust can either be baked or not – your call!

Plus it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, eggless, Paleo and made without condensed milk. Plus it can easily be made vegan.

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Why this recipe works

Key lime pie is a classic American dessert, but it’s usually made with flour, butter, refined sugar and other ingredients that aren’t great for us.

So I created this healthier key lime pie using only whole food ingredients so it’s full of protein, fiber and healthy fats. But it still has a smooth, creamy filling in a cookie-like crust.

The crust is made with almonds and dates for natural sweetness, plus coconut oil to help bind it all together.

Then you have 2 options:

1. You can bake the crust for a crunchier texture
2. Leave the crust unbaked for a chewy texture that will still hold together and slice well.

Key lime pie fillings are often made with sweetened condensed milk or store-bought whipped topping. Plus you usually have to bake it because it contains eggs, which is tricky because the filling can split if baked incorrectly.

So this version is made without condensed milk and is totally egg free. It uses coconut oil, coconut cream (but actually doesn’t taste like coconut!) and avocado to get that traditional smooth creaminess.

Then you add honey and, of course, key lime juice for the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

And, to keep things really easy, I use 100% key lime juice from a bottle.

Once you chill it in the fridge, it sets up so you can slice it beautifully. It’s not too stiff and not too runny.

To finish, you just spread on a layer of whipped coconut cream and you’re all set!

This recipe has been tested numerous times and given to dozens of people to try and everyone loves it!

 

What you need

Ingredients for the crust:

• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (optional) – this and the cinnamon will add a graham cracker-like taste to the crust but they’re not necessary
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1 large ripe avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
• 3/4 cup coconut cream (chill a can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk for 24 hours, then scoop out the thick cream that rises to the top; save the coconut water for smoothies)
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup key lime juice (bottled is fine, especially if it’s 100% key lime juice like this one)
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled

Ingredients for the topping

• 3/4 cup coconut cream (chill a can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk for 24 hours, then scoop out the thick cream that rises to the top; save the coconut water for smoothies)
  • you’ll probably need 2 cans of coconut milk for this pie – 1 for the filling and 1 for the topping
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment:

• a deep pie dish
• a food processor
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• a measuring glass
• a spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
• a chef’s knife
• a large spoon
• a microwave-safe medium bowl
• a large mixing bowl
• a hand mixer

How to make Healthy Key Lime Pie (with step-by-step photos)

If baking the crust, heat the oven to 350°.

To make the crust, pulse the almonds in a food processor until the texture of coarse sand, 8-10 one-second pulses.

Then, with the machine running, drop in 1-2 pitted dates at a time down the tube. When they’re all blended in, turn off the machine.

Add the salt and, if using, the cinnamon and ginger. Pulse a few times to blend.

Drizzle in the melted, cooled coconut oil and pulse a few more times to make sure it’s all blended. If you squeeze the mixture with your hand, it should stick together like a paste.

Pour the crust into a deep pie dish and use you hands or the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to pat it into an even layer along the bottom and the sides. But don’t go all the way up the sides – leave a bit of room at the top or otherwise the sides will be too thin. The crust might seem a bit crumbly but just keep gently pressing it against the pan.

If not baking, set the crust aside while you make the filling.

If baking, put the dish in the heated oven for 15-18 minutes, until darker around the edges. Let cool completely.

The crust might puff up a bit as it bakes but will settle back down as it cools.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the food processor bowl, lid and blade.

For the filling, add the avocado flesh, coconut cream, honey, key lime juice and melted, cooled coconut oil to the cleaned food processor.

Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. This can take anywhere from 3-5 minutes, depending on how ripe your avocado is. If the mixture looks a bit curdled or lumpy for a while, that’s fine. Just keep blending until it’s totally smooth. It should be thick yet pourable, almost like pudding.

Pour the filling into the cooled (if baked) crust and smooth the top with a spatula.

Cover with foil and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 48 hours.

When ready to serve, make the topping: add the coconut cream to a large bowl and use a hand mixer to whip until it puffier and you see soft peaks when you lift the beaters out of the cream. Add the honey and vanilla and whip just a little longer to blend.

Gently spread the whipped coconut cream on top of the pie, slice and serve!

FAQ

Can I make substitutions?

• You can use fresh key lime juice, but I rarely have access to fresh key limes so I’m not sure how many you would need.
• You can use melted ghee in the crust instead of coconut oil (but then it won’t be totally dairy-free).
• To make this vegan, you can use agave nectar instead of honey.

 

Can I make this Healthy Key Lime Pie with Avocado ahead of time?

For best results, the pie, with or without the topping, can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

After 2 days, it’s still good but the crust will begin to soften.

 

Can I freeze this Healthy Key Lime Pie with Avocado?

Yes. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and place in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 1 month.

Thaw overnight in the fridge.

 

Is this a gluten-free key lime pie?

Yes, it is!

Key lime pie typically uses graham crackers for the crust and they container flour, which contains gluten.

Also, some recipes add flour to the filling to help it hold together.

But we do neither of these things in this recipe, so it’s totally gluten-free.

 

Is this a dairy-free key lime pie?

Yes, it is!

Most key lime pies use either sweetened condensed milk or whipped topping, both of which contain dairy. Also, some use butter in the crust.

But this recipe uses coconut cream, coconut oil and avocado in the filling and coconut oil in the crust. So it’s made without condensed milk, whipped topping or butter.

It’s therefore totally dairy-free.

 

Is this an eggless key lime pie?

Yes, it is!

A lot of key lime pies use eggs in a filling that’s then baked, creating what is basically a key lime custard.

This recipe is totally egg-free, which means the filling does not need to be baked.

 

Other recipes you might like:

1. No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake Bites (gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, vegan)
2. Lemon Bars (gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo)
3. Honey Lemon Curd (gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo)
4. Grilled Fruit Platter with 2 Luscious Sauces (gluten-free, can be dairy-free/Paleo)

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