Key Lime Pie Without Condensed Milk – Paleo, Dairy Free, Grain Free

Creamy yet refreshing, this tangy paleo key lime pie without condensed milk, combines healthy foods like avocados, coconut milk, and gelatin to create a subtly sweet indulgent treat.

People often ask me if I prefer living in Spain to living in the US. My answer is always the same: Some things I like better, some things I like less. One area where I prefer the Spanish Riviera to Michigan, though, is the climate.

I love being able to have fruit trees I couldn’t have in Michigan like a mango tree, a lychee tree, and a guava tree. Our favorite trees, though, are probably our key lime tree and our avocado tree. The lime tree is packed with fruit pretty much year-round, and the avocado tree… Well, it gives avocados. Need I say more?

I was able to make use of both fruits in this recipe.

Key lime pie is perfect for this time of year because my lime tree is full of ripe, yellowing key limes.

A healthier key lime pie

I decided against making a traditional key lime pie. I wanted to make something lighter, with healthier ingredients.

No condensed milk

There was one ingredient that’s normally found in the traditional recipe that I especially wanted to avoid: sweetened condensed milk.

Unfermented dairy products wreak havoc on my system. Plus, I think I can make a healthier pie without it.

I decided to ditch the condensed milk and replaced it with coconut milk. Canned coconut milk has fats and thickeners that form a solid, creamy mass that floats atop the can when chilled.

Which coconut milk?

Ideally, I also normally avoid canned coconut milk and make my own homemade coconut milk instead. In this case, though, the thickeners of the canned milk really help provide part of the creaminess and stability of the pie filling.

You should choose a coconut milk that forms a rather solid layer on top of the can if you chill the can in the fridge for several hours.

If you were to try to make this with homemade coconut milk or one without those sorts of thickeners, you’d probably need to add more gelatin to get the filling to set. Rather than have a creamy texture, it would probably have a more gelatinous one. (It may still be delicious, though, albeit a bit different.)

Ingredients

The key lime filling is simple. It’s made with a pre-chilled can of coconut cream, some key limes, gelatin, honey, and an avocado or two. The avocados add creaminess, more healthy fats, and a beautiful shade of natural green.

I wanted to serve the filling in a similarly healthier pie crust. So, I used the same paleo pie crust that I used for my paleo no-bake strawberry cream pie.

The crust is super easy to make. I basically just repurposed the main mixture of my coconut date balls. Rather than form the coconut date mixture into balls or other shapes, I pressed it into the bottom of the pie pan. I originally made this with only shredded coconut and dates (like the balls), but I have since added some ground blanched almonds (aka. almond flour) to cut down on the sweetness.

Key limes vs. other limes

You can really use any type of limes for this pie. Some people may note the characteristic flavor of key limes (or its absence), but most people probably won’t appreciate the difference. I chose key limes partly because that’s what’s typically used in this type of pie, but mostly because it’s the type of lime tree I have in my garden.

Don’t know the difference?

Key limes are generally smaller than other types of limes like Persian limes. They also tend to be rounder and slightly less sour. (Persian limes are more oblong and shaped more like a lemon.) They have a thinner skin, and begin to turn yellow as they ripen.

Procedure

This is a no-bake pie that is quick and easy to make!

Making the crust

To make the crust, begin by blending the shredded coconut for a few minutes. You want the coconut to become very fine and to begin to release some of the oils in the coconut. It will begin to look like coconut butter.

When you can begin to hold the mixture together, add in some almonds or almond flour. Continue to blend the mixture for another minute or two.

Finally add in the dates, and a touch of salt to offset the sweetness.

When you can press the dough together enough so that it holds its shape, you can begin to press the mixture into the bottom of your pan(s).

If you find that you are having issues getting the mixture to hold together, you can blend in a touch of coconut oil.

Making the filling

To make the filling, begin by opening a pre-chilled can of coconut milk. The coconut milk should be chilled for several hours or, preferably, overnight.

When chilled, the white, opaque “coconut cream” should rise to the top of the can and solidify. Normally, there will be a layer of a more transparent liquid underneath. (Depending on the type of coconut milk, the top layer may be very thick. “Light” coconut milks are usually watered down and won’t have as much coconut cream. They aren’t ideal for this type of recipe.)

Remove the top layer of coconut cream, scooping it off the top and adding it to a blender.

Reserve the bottom liquid, and add it to a small saucepan. Add the gelatin to it and allow the gelatin to bloom. (Basically, you allow the gelatin to absorb the water and expand in size.)

Meanwhile, add the avocados, the lime juice, and the lime zest to the blender.

Begin to heat the gelatin mixture with the honey (or maple syrup) over the stovetop at low heat until the gelatin has thoroughly dissolved. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a touch of water, but not too much.

Slowly add the warm gelatin mixture to the avocado-lime mixture. Blend until you have a smooth, thoroughly blended mixture.

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Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crusts and refrigerate until firm.

Customizing the recipe

I chose to make the pie crust with both coconut and almond, but it can be made with only one or the other. This helps those who have allergies or who are avoiding either almonds or coconut to be able to enjoy this dessert.

If choosing to use only one, you may need to blend for slightly longer, to ensure that enough oils are released for the crust to hold together.

If you want to avoid honey, you can substitute it with either maple syrup or another sweetener of your choice.

Making a low carb dessert

Choosing a low carb sweetener will allow you to make a relatively low carb dessert. (You could use fewer dates, or none, to reduce the carb count further.)

Serving suggestion

This pie is delicious when served with whipped cream and berries.

For a paleo option, try pre-chilling another can of coconut milk and whip the coconut cream that solidifies on top. It can be sweetened with honey, maple syrup, or a low carb sweetener.

Troubleshooting

This pie is very simple to make, but there are a couple of things that may cause some issues.

If the pie crust won’t hold together, try blending for longer. You want the coconut and almonds to release enough oils to help the crust hold together. Using Medjool dates, which tend to be more moist and sticky, may also help. If you have already added the dates and can’t get the crust to hold together well, try adding a touch of coconut oil and blending it with the other ingredients.

If the pie isn’t setting well, it is most likely due to the type of coconut milk used. This recipe uses a combination of the thick coconut cream from the can and the gelatin to give the pie a creamy, thick texture.

If you don’t have a thick layer of almost solid coconut cream that floats on the pre-chilled can of coconut milk, that can of coconut milk most likely won’t work for this recipe. You can still try using it, but you will need to add more gelatin to get the mixture to set. The final pie will probably be less creamy and more gelatinous in texture.

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