Gluten-Free Key Lime Squares (Dairy-Free)

These are the best gluten-free Key Lime Squares by far – the crust is mildly spiced with ginger and nutmeg. The key lime custard topping has a light texture, almost like a mousse. Hinted with key lime juice and sweetened with only condensed coconut milk, keeping the key lime squares light and dairy-free.

I love chilled desserts! Especially after having a heavy meal, the last thing you want to add is a rich dessert. Besides, chilled desserts are refreshing, satisfying and often replace ice cream during warmer weather.

What is key lime?

The Key lime is a citrus species with an oval fruit. Typically key lime is picked when green, but it turns to a yellow colour when ripened. This fruit is grown in the United States, Mexico, South America and Central America. It is more pungent than Persian lime, and it is smaller and more acidic.

key lime dessert the details…

I wanted to keep this key lime recipe easy enough for even novice cooks to master. To start, I took a traditional key lime pie recipe and converted it to a gluten-free and dairy-free key lime cake. I baked the key lime dessert in a square pan so that it can be cut into squares.

Why is this gluten-free crust so good?

The crust is partially made with almond flour, keeping it buttery and moist. I added ginger and nutmeg for flavour and because both spices go well with key lime.

the dairy-free custard…

I kept the key lime custard light and refreshing, almost like a mousse texture. Using condensed coconut milk, the custard is dairy-free, and I did not have to add extra sugar. The only flavour in the gluten-free dessert topping is key lime.

The key lime makes this sweat treat taste incredibly fresh. However, if you can’t get key limes, you can combine fresh lime juice with lemon juice to get the same results.

start with baking the gluten-free crust first…

The crust is partially baked before the custard topping is added. This keeps the crust firm and buttery, not soggy. Once the crust is partially baked, add the topping and bake it few more minutes. Just long enough so that the dairy-free custard is no longer jiggly.

Next, the cake is chilled overnight. By cooling the cake overnight, the custard will set to perfection.

This dessert is a no-fail recipe, it is super easy to make and tastes so good!! I like to serve the squares with fresh key lime zest, but if you want to go all out, serve it with whipped cream. Trust me on this, these gluten-free key lime squares don’t get any more delicious than this! Enjoy.