What’s better than key lime bars? No-bake key lime bars!
These key lime bars are perfect for summer entertaining. They’re made with wholesome ingredients, like cashews, dates, almonds, and coconut. Making them vegan and gluten-free. It’s like a lighter version of something you’d find in Key West. But the best part about these bars is that they don’t require any baking. No oven for this summer treat.
Ingredients for No-Bake Key Lime Bars
Base
- ½ cup packed pitted dates
- 1 cup almonds
- ½ cup shredded coconut
Filling
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 1 cup canned coconut milk (mainly solids)
- 2 tsp liquid stevia (adjusted to taste)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked for 8 hours, or 30 minutes in boiling water (the result should be tender cashew nuts)
How to Make No-Bake Key Lime Bars
1. Place almonds in a blender or food processor and pulse until they’re a ground consistency. Then add dates and shredded coconut.
Measure the ½ cup of dates with dates pitted and packed. Then, pulse again to combine all the ingredients. The result should be a grainy but sticky mixture.
Note about dates: Dates should be moist and sticky. If yours are dry, soak them in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain excess water until you get a sticky dates puree.
2. Take an 8’’ square pan and line it with parchment paper. Next, transfer the base mixture into the prepared pan and press it down to cover it evenly.
3. To make the filling, place the soaked and drained cashews, lime juice, liquid stevia, vanilla extract, coconut oil, canned coconut milk in a food processor or blender. Pulse until completely smooth.
In my experience, blenders and high-speed food processors achieve a softer texture than regular food processors.
Note about canned coconut milk: I first spooned the solids of a 14oz can and filled the rest of the cup with the liquid part.
4. Pour the filling over the prepared base, extend it evenly. Then, refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until completely set.
*This process can be sped up by placing the dessert in the freezer for one hour and then moving it to the fridge to set.
5. Slice your No-Bake Key Lime Pie and garnish with lime slices, lime zest, edible flowers, or fresh fruit like raspberries and blueberries.
Recipe Tips
- This dessert is freezer friendly. Just store it in an airtight container and thaw it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
- You can replace liquid stevia with any other liquid or powdered sweetener.
- You can replace almonds with any other nuts, preferably pecans or walnuts.
No-Bake Key Lime Bars
Equipment
- blender or food processor
Ingredients
Base
- ½ cup packed pitted dates
- 1 cup almonds
- ½ cup shredded coconut
Filling
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 1 cup canned coconut milk mainly solids
- 2 tsp liquid stevia adjusted to taste
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 2 cups raw cashews soaked for 8 hours, or 30 minutes in boiling water (the result should be
- tender cashew nuts)
Instructions
- Place almonds in a blender or food processor and pulse until a ground consistency.
- Then add dates and shredded coconut. Note 1: Dates should be moist and sticky. If yours are dry, soak them in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain excess water until you get a sticky dates puree. Note 2: the ½ cup of dates was measured with dates pitted and packed. Then, pulse again to combine all the ingredients. The result should be a grainy but sticky mixture.
- Take an 8’’ square pan and line it with parchment paper. Transfer the base mixture into the prepared pan and press it down to cover it evenly.
- To make the filling: place soaked and drained cashews, lime juice, liquid stevia, vanilla extract, coconut oil, canned coconut milk in a food processor or blender and pulse until completely smooth. In my experience, blenders and high-speed food processors achieve a softer texture than regular food processors. Note 3: Canned coconut milk; I’ve spooned first the solids of a 14oz can and filled the rest of the cup with the liquid part.
- Pour the filling over the prepared base, extend it evenly.
- Then, refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until completely set. This process can be sped up by placing the dessert in the freezer for one hour and then moving it to the fridge to set.
- Slice your No-Bake Key Lime Pie and garnish with lime slices, edible flowers, or fresh fruit like raspberries and blueberries.
Notes
- This dessert is freezer friendly, just store it in an airtight container and thaw it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
- You can replace liquid stevia with any other liquid or powdered sweetener.
- You can replace almonds with any other nuts, preferably pecans or walnuts.
