Key Lime Bars are a refreshing take of my classic Key Lime Pie recipe. Send your tastebuds on a summery, citrus-infused journey. A beautiful blend of sweet & sour, rich & creamy, simple yet decadent- this delicious dessert is an afternoon delight any time of year.
I adapted these dreamy, melt-in-your-mouth Key Lime Bars from my favorite Key Lime Pie recipe, which proves that sometimes spinoffs are on par with the originals. My recipes for Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, and Carrot Cake Cupcakes give further credence to this theory. No more waiting for someone to cut the pie!
Key Lime Pie Bars are cool & creamy with a simple, signature graham cracker crust. Think of it like a cross between classic cheesecake and a cream pie. The bars delicately balance the nuance between sweet & tart, and rich & velvety smooth.
Ready for a treat that's infused with sunny notes of citrus? I can oblige!
Ingredients and Substitutions
The origins of Key lime pie are shrouded in controversy. Until recently, it was widely believed that a local Key West cook known as “Aunt Sally” invented the pie. New evidence suggest that it may have been in New York City. Native Key West residents don’t take too kindly to this info, naturally.
Key Lime Juice: Key limes tend to be slightly more tart with aromatic, floral notes. They’re smaller than regular limes and this recipe will require about 1lb to produce ½ cup of juice. The juice may be substituted for regular limes or bottled, but it may alter the flavor a bit.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: I use Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk which is milk with most of the water removed and sweetened with sugar. It’s usually found in the baking aisle. There’s not really a suitable substitute.
Whipped Cream: I give directions to make your own whipped cream, but cool whip works just fine. Spray whip like Reddi-whip will also work, but only use when serving immediately.
Graham Cracker Crust: I give directions for a super simple and delicious crust in the recipe card.
Can I Use Regular Limes instead of Key Limes?
The usual limes that you find year-round in grocery stores are called Persian Limes. They’re more acidic and have more bite. I’ve made this recipe both ways so, yes, you can use Persian limes as a 1:1 swap. If the filling isn't tart enough before baking, simply add more juice.
Recipe Tips
This is such a super easy, no-fail recipe that there aren’t many visual steps or cues to follow. I’ve written the recipe so that everything is made from scratch, but I’ve also included good tips to save time as needed.
- To save time, use a dairy topping like Cool whip from the freezer section.
- Use parchment paper lining. It makes it much easier to pull out the entire dish and cut it on a cutting board. Run a knife around the outside edges of the paper- just in case any filling leaked behind it.
- If you purchased whole graham crackers: 12-15 crackers = 1-½ cups.
- A food processor works great to crush graham crackers. Alternatively, put a stack in a sealed plastic bag and break them down to crumbs with a rolling pin or mallet.
- To get nice clean cuts, use your biggest, sharpest knife and cut straight down into the bars like you're using a cleaver - don't swipe to the sides - then lift the knife straight up. You’ll feel a little crack as the crust gives way to the knife.
- Clean the knife after each cut with HOT water.
- If you don't have a citrus zester use the small side of a cheese grater.
- Key limes are yellowish, and as such your pie will look pale yellow. For this reason, I use bright green Persian limes as garnish for contrast.
FAQs
Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Skip the whipped cream step until ready to serve. Loosely stack them with a piece of parchment paper between layers, but not more than 2 bars high.
Hold the lime in one hand and a citrus zester/thin cheese grater in the other. Beginning at the top of the fruit and working your way around the lime, use the zester to cut off the peel in tiny pieces. If you start to uncover the bitter white pith, stop and move to another area.
Yes. These key lime bars can be successfully doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch pan. It may take a few minutes longer to set up in the center so pay closer attention to cook times.
Use bottled key lime juice in a jam. But fresh limes make the lime zest and garnish. Freshly squeezed juice tastes better, and you can also use Persian limes which will be more acidic and tart but still delicious.
Absolutely. I have frozen these and my key lime pie before with great success. Lasts about 3 months in the freezer.
Not Sure
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Key Lime Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ½ cups Finely Ground Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 6 tablespoon Unsalted Butter melted
- ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar
Filling
- 2 14-oz cans Sweetened Condensed Milk 2 can
- 5 Egg Yolks large
- ½ cup Fresh Key Lime Juice About 1 lb of key limes
- 2 Lime for zest, optional
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup Whipping Cream
- 2 tablespoon Granulated White Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- For crust, preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃). Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper. Allow the parchment to hang over the sides by about 2 inches for easy removal of the bars.
- Mix 1 ½ cups Finely Ground Graham Cracker Crumbs, 6 tablespoon Unsalted Butter and ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar until well combined. Press mixture evenly into an 8×8 inch square pan all the way to the edges.
- Bake at 375℉ for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the filling. Lower oven temperature to 350℉ (177℃).
- In a bowl, whisk together 2 14-oz cans Sweetened Condensed Milk and 5 Egg Yolks thoroughly. Add in ½ cup Fresh Key Lime Juice and zest if preferred. Blend until well combined.
- Pour mixture into mostly cool crust. Bake for 15 minutes. The center should set, but the entire pan will wiggle a little if you shake it. After baking, let cool on the counter for 30 minutes and then put in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 hours until completely cooled.
- A chilled bowl is preferred for making whipped cream. In a stand mixer or hand mixer, add 1 cup Whipping Cream, 2 tablespoon Granulated White Sugar, and ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract. Mix at high speed until peaks form. Depending on how stiff you like your whip cream, this can take 2-8 minutes.
- Cut the bars with a hot knife to make nice cuts. You can spread the whip cream on top or use a frosting tip to make cupcake decorations. Garnish with a thin lime wedge, if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Fresh and ripe key limes are important to the proper taste. Limes that are too tart or sour will result in a pie that will also reflect those qualities.
- If you must use regular limes, cut the amount of juice to ¼ cup. Taste the filling before you pour into the crust and you can always add more if you like, 1 tablespoon at a time. I find regular limes to be stronger and more bracing than key limes.
- While Nellie’s key lime juice will also work, I have not personally tried it this way.
- If you are in a hurry, you can use a pre-made graham cracker crust. I would still make the whip cream though if you can. It is so much creamier.
Jessica says
Phenomenal!
Gloria says
The flavor was excellent all around. I used Nellies key lime juice.
Sara says
This was my first time making key lime pie and it came out AMAZING!! Thank you for the recipe.