These healthy key lime parfaits make a delicious snack or dessert when the warmer months hit and you are craving something sweet. The parfaits start out with a graham cracker crumble at the base, and then are layered with a delicious combination of vanilla yogurt, whipped topping, key lime juice, lime zest and vanilla extract. Topped with a bit of shredded coconut, these parfaits have a bright, vibrant and sweet taste all in one. They taste like an indulgent treat, but are made with lighter ingredients and ready in just minutes.

All about these healthy key lime parfaits

Admittedly, creating desserts is not easy for me: as someone who does not eat zero calorie sweeteners and sugar replacements, my options for sweet treats that don’t break the calorie or WW point bank are limited. Sometimes I have to get really creative to satisfy my sweet tooth, which is how this recipe was born. Sometimes you just want something different, that not only tastes good but also looks special as well. So I present to you: healthy key lime parfaits.

What they taste like

These parfaits have the flavor profile of the delicious dessert, key lime pie, except without the added fat and calories. A traditional slice of key lime pie can cost you around 500 calories and up to 30 WW points! And the real thing is absolutely delicious, however, sometimes you want to satisfy that craving for a fraction of the calories and points, and that’s ok too. This dessert makes a perfect lightened-up version of the classic treat, that you can feel good about eating for a weeknight snack or dessert. It also is pretty and tasty enough to serve to guests or bring as a dessert to a party. I promise, no one will know that this is a “lightened-up” dessert!

The classis recipe for key lime pie includes sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and lime. Sweetened condensed milk is extremely high in calories and sugar, and when I was researching how to lighten up this recipe, I couldn’t figure out a way to work it in. As a result, this recipe does not have the custard consistency that key lime pie traditionally has. Instead, I replaced the condensed milk with yogurt and whipped topping, creating an airy mousse-type consistency for the dessert. Although it does not have the traditional consistency of key lime pie, it has all the flavors of it.

How to cut the calories even more

If you still want a lower calorie option, you can use a vanilla yogurt that has sugar replacements or zero sugar alternatives. This will drop the calories and WW points significantly. You can also eliminate the coconut. Otherwise, there are no other substitutes for the fat free whipped topping, the light butter, or the graham cracker crumbs. But I promise, you won’t be sorry! These treats are only 190 calories each, and they really do the trick when it comes to satisfying that sweet tooth.

What you’ll need to make these healthy key lime parfaits

To make this delicious, light and refreshing dessert you will need:

graham cracker crumbs
light butter
- I use this one.
fat free whipped topping
- Like this one.
vanilla Greek yogurt
- I used this one.
vanilla extract
key lime juice
- This is not the same as lime juice! I use this one.
fresh limes
coconut flakes

How to make this delicious and healthy dessert

To start out, melt the butter and mix it with the graham cracker crumbs. Add equal amounts of this mixture to the bottom of each glass or jar. The mixture should resemble wet sand. In the meantime, zest two limes. Half of the zest will be used for the mixture, and the other half will be used for garnish later.

Next, in a large bowl combine the yogurt with the whipped topping. Add the vanilla extract, the zest from one lime, and the lime juice. Stir to combine the ingredients thoroughly.

Add the mixture on top of the graham cracker crumbs, and then garnish with the remaining lime zest and the coconut. Store in the fridge covered for several days.