These dairy-free key lime pie bars are a delicious springtime recipe! They have all of the flavors of traditional key lime pie cheesecake without all the gluten or dairy! Complete with a vegan gluten free pie crust, these no bake cheesecake bites are the perfect treat!

This recipe was originally posted on April 7, 2020 and updated with new photos and copy on May 2, 2022.

Vegan key lime cheesecake bars stacked on top of each other with a lime slice on top

What Makes This Recipe Great

It’s officially springtime, which means it’s time for no-bake desserts! Key Lime Pie is my all-time favorite dessert. The perfect combo of sweet & tart, I just can’t get enough! I wanted to make a quick & easy vegan and gluten-free version and these dairy-free key lime pie bars totally hit the spot!

With vegan gluten free pie crust and delicious key lime filling, these are no bake cheesecake bites that everyone will love!

The best part? They are so easy to make! All you need is a food processor (preferred) or a blender and a bunch of pantry staples! The “cheesecake” filling is made from creamy cashews and coconut milk, and it’s incredible how much it tastes like regular cheesecake.

ingredients for vegan key lime pie cheesecake bars

Ingredient Notes

Vegan Gluten Free Pie Crust

  • Pecans & Macadamia Nuts: I like to get all of my nuts from Trader Joe’s – they have a great selection of raw nuts at great prices. Any brand of pecans or cashews will work- just make sure they are raw. You can just use all pecans if it’s all you have!
  • Coconut oil or Ghee: If you have a dairy allergy, make sure to use coconut oil. If you aren’t a big fan of the coconut taste, refined coconut oil is flavorless.
  • Pitted dates: These make such a wonderful alternative sweetener!
  • Almond flour: Pie crust with almond flour is so easy and delicious. It’s a great low-carb alternative to gluten-free flour.
  • Shredded Coconut: Make sure to look for unsweetened so there isn’t any added sugar.

Key Lime Pie Filling

  • Raw Cashews: See recipe notes or tips and tricks for the best way to prep your cashews.
  • Pure Maple Syrup: A little goes a long way!
  • Full Fat Coconut Milk (or cream): You will only use the hardened/thick white coconut milk. save the rest for another use.
  • Key Limes: You’ll use both the zest and the juice from the limes.
  • Pantry Staples: Vanilla Extract, Salt, & Cinnamon
steps for making dairy free key lime cheesecake bars

Recipe Step by Step

  1. Make the Crust: Combine the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a slightly chunky sticky mixture has formed. Press it down evenly into the bottom of an 8×8 pan. Place into the freezer while you make the filling.
  2. Make the Filling: Wash out the food processor, drain the cashews (if soaked), and add all of the filling ingredients. Blend on high speed for 1.5-2 minutes until the mixture is very creamy and no lumps remain.
  3. Finish the Bars: Pour it on top of the crust and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Freeze for 2+ hours until hardened. Slice into 9 bars. Enjoy!
cashew key lime pie bar filling being spread out on the crust with a spatula

Mary’s Tips & Tricks

Soak Cashews: The filling will become very creamy a lot faster if you soak the cashews for at least 30 minutes in hot water. If you don’t have time, it’s ok. It will still work! I didn’t soak them before making these, and I just ran the food processor for about 2 minutes to get it really creamy.

Pan Size: I used an 8×8 metal pan for this recipe. No need to spray the bottom because the crust is oily enough that it should just pop right out! You can use a 9×9 pan, but the bars will just be a little bit thinner.

Serving: These no bake cheesecake bites are best when you remove them from the freezer 10-15 minutes before eating so they have time to soften up a bit.

Storage: Store these key lime pie no bake cheesecake bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

a vegan key lime cheesecake bar on a small white plate with a gold fork

FAQs

Can I freeze these dairy-free key lime pie bars?

Yes! You can freeze these bars for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer for 10-15 minutes before serving!

Can I use this vegan gluten free pie crust for other recipes?

Yes! This recipe makes such a delicious no-bake vegan gluten free pie crust with almond flour, pecans, and macadamia nuts. Use it as a base for other no-bake desserts- you can’t go wrong!

Are these no bake cheesecake bites healthy?

These dairy-free key lime pie bars are “healthy” in the sense that they use real, all natural ingredients. While they’re high in calories, they’re a great treat! The sugar content is SO much lower than standard recipes, which makes them a much better choice than other desserts. You can also cut the bars into 12 or 16 pieces instead of 9 to cut down on the calories.

key lime pie bars on a piece of parchment paper

More Gluten Free Pies & Bars

Paleo Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Healthy Lemon Bars

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Paleo Taco Pie

Keto Shepherd’s Pie

If you try this recipe and love it, a 5-star rating and review below would mean the world. And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

Vegan key lime cheesecake bars stacked on top of each other with a lime slice on top
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Dairy-Free Key Lime Pie Bars (No-Bake)

Yield: 9 3 ” bars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Freezer time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
These dairy-free key lime pie bars are a delicious springtime recipe! They have all of the flavors of traditional key lime pie cheesecake without all the gluten or dairy! Complete with a vegan gluten free pie crust, these no bake cheesecake bites are the perfect treat!
5 from 11 votes
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Ingredients

Vegan Gluten Free Pie Crust

  • 1.5 cups raw pecans
  • ½ cup macadamia nuts, can sub another 1/2 cup pecans
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil or ghee, in solid form
  • 6 pitted dates
  • ⅓ cup almond flour
  • ⅓ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

Filling

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Combine the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a slightly chunky sticky mixture has formed. Press it down evenly into the bottom of a 9×9 pan. Place into the freezer while you make the filling.
  • Wash out the food processor, drain the cashews (if soaked), and add all of the filling ingredients. Blend on high speed for 1.5-2 minutes until the mixture is very creamy and no lumps remain. Pour it on top of the crust and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Freeze for 2+ hours until hardened. Slice into 9 (3×3 inch) bars. Enjoy!

Notes

Soak Cashews: The filling will become very creamy a lot faster if you soak the cashews for at least 30 minutes in hot water. If you don’t have time, it’s ok. It will still work! I didn’t soak them before making these, and I just ran the food processor for about 2 minutes to get it really creamy.
Bar size: I cut these into 9 larger bars, but feel free to cut them into 12 or 16 bars for smaller serving sizes!
Pan Size: I used an 8×8 metal pan for this recipe. No need to spray the bottom because the crust is oily enough that it should just pop right out! You can use a 9×9 pan, but the bars will just be a little bit thinner.
Serving: These no bake cheesecake bites are best when you remove them from the freezer 10-15 minutes before eating so they have time to soften up a bit.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 565kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 50g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 20g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 72mg, Potassium: 448mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 10IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 4mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 565
Author: Mary Smith