No Bake Protein Key Lime Pie Cups

My healthy No Bake Key Lime Pie Cups are such an easy & refreshing sweet that is full of protein! The secret ingredient = cottage cheese! Cottage cheese can really do everything you guys. No one will believe you when you tell them that these are healthy let me tell you! They are so quick to make and require very basic, minimal ingredients. No whipped cream, refined sugar, gluten, excessive butter, or sweetened condensed milk. These kind of are kind of a combination of a key lime pie and a key lime cheesecake technically haha, but they are so darn good! If you love no bake recipes, be sure to try my Healthy Date Caramel Dip as well! Full nutrition information below in the recipe card.

BE SURE TO SAVE THIS RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD FOR LATER!

What You Will Need

For the “Crust”

• 30 (75g) Simple Mills sweet thins – This is my favorite and healthy alternative to graham crackers!! They taste identical to classic graham crackers and the ingredients are amazing.
• 1 tbsp. grass fed butter or organic coconut oil, melted

For the Filling

• 2 cups of 2% small curd cottage cheese
• 3 tbsp. maple syrup
• Zest of 2 limes
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1-2 tsp monk fruit/stevia/sweetener of choice
  

How To Make Them

1. Crush up the sweet thins to make your graham cracker crumbs until small crumbles resemble and mix with melted butter or coconut oil. Set aside.
2. Combine filling ingredients in a strong food processor until smooth and creamy.
3. Divide graham cracker crumble among 5 dessert cups (mine are linked here). Top with key lime filling.
4. Garnish with any reserved crumbs & additional lime zest, if desired.

How To Store Them

Store your leftover key lime pie bars in an air tight container in the freezer. Allow them to thaw for 15 minutes or so before you eat them again to get the perfect texture!

If You Want To Go All Out

If you want to go out and make these mini key lime pies more of a special treat, you can add a little bit of cream cheese to the filling for a richer, more cheesecake-like flavor (although I find that cottage cheese really mimics this taste) and you could also top your key lime pie cups off with some homemade whipped cream. Just whip organic heavy whipping cream with some monk fruit and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.

How Do I Thicken My Key Lime Pie Cups?

Simply allow them to chill in the fridge to thicken. Patience is all you need to get that perfect thick texture!

What Are The Ingredients In Traditional Key Lime Pie?

Key lime pie typically includes a buttery graham cracker crust, sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, and egg yolks. Most recipes also include lime zest and whipped cream for topping.

Why is Key Lime Pie Not Cheesecake?

Key lime pie is not cheesecake primarily because it doesn’t use cheese in its filling, while cheesecake is traditionally made with a cheese-based custard. Key lime pie typically uses key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk in a pie crust. Cheesecakes, on the other hand, are often made with a graham cracker or pastry crust, and the filling is a mix of cheese, eggs, and sugar. That is why I said above that this recipe is kind of a combination of a key lime pie and a cheesecake since we use cottage cheese as a healthy substitute for the sweetened condensed milk!

Can you sub regular lime juice for key lime?

Yes, you can substitute regular lime juice for key lime juice in most recipes, especially desserts like key lime pie. While the flavor will be slightly different, with key limes being more tart and aromatic, the substitution will still result in a tasty dish. In most cases, the flavor difference is subtle enough to be barely noticeable. 

Check Me Out on Social Media!

I post all my recipes on social media as well and you can stay up to date on what I am up to! Also, I love seeing people try my recipes! When make these, snap a picture, and share it to your socials. Tag @cookingkatielady and #cookingkatielady so I can admire your masterpiece and share with others!