Easy Key Lime Dessert
I’ve been blogging for years and can count on one hand the number of lime recipes I have. And that includes squirting some lime over avocado. Time to branch out and make a classic. Except rather than making classic key lime pie, I made key lime pie bars. I’ll always take bars over pie since making pie crust is never on my to-do list, and this is a one bowl, no-mixer recipe. Just like my Lemon Bars, there’s nothing lackluster about how much robust lime flavor is present. The filling is tart and bold without being overpowering. While baking, the butter and brown sugar in the crust caramelize, and it plays perfectly off the lime. It’s the same crust I used in Peanut Butter Swirled Cheesecake Bars, Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, and Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. It seriously makes the bars. It’s a keeper, even for someone who doesn’t like crust. It’s got just enough crispiness and crunch, yet there’s slight chewiness, and it holds together without crumbling, something that graham cracker crusts don’t always do.
For the filling, I used actual key limes. They’re smaller ping-pong sized limes, about half the size of average limes. They’re typically grown in the Florida Keys, hence the name. I found a bag of about 25 for $2.49 at my regular grocery store and literally needed almost all of them to get 1/2 cup lime juice. The filling is simply lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, 1 egg, sour cream (I used lite), and sugar. Because I didn’t want the bars to resemble cheesecake, I avoided using any cream cheese and instead used sour cream to lend richness and creaminess. After whisking together the filling and tasting it, I thought it was a little bitter. Taste your mixture, and because all limes and palettes vary, add sugar if necessary.
After removing the pan from the oven, the bars looked like a beating heart was pulsing under the surface for over 2 minutes. It was like watching on a science experiment on the cooling rack. It should go without saying, but you must allow them to cool for at least a couple hours at room temp, cover them, and refrigerate until chilled. I cannot imagine eating warm Key lime pie. It’s an easy key lime dessert to make a few days before an event and just keep parked in the fridge until you need it. The bars remind me of warm weather, ocean breezes, and I want to blast some Margaritaville. And make one, too. To wash down the bars with.
What’s in Key Lime Bars?
To make these key lime pie bars, you’ll need:
Unsalted butter Graham cracker crumbs Light brown sugar Cornstarch Salt Sweetened condensed milk Egg Lime juice Sour cream Granulated sugar
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Key Lime Pie Bars
Don’t let the key lime bars get ‘browned’, they should stay fairly pale and light.
Can I Double This Recipe?
You most likely can double the ingredients and bake these key lime pie bars in a 9×13-inch pan. However, I haven’t tried this myself so I can’t say for sure if the bake time would be altered.
Can I Use Regular Limes?
If you can’t find Key limes, just use regular limes or I’m sure bottled lime juice will be just fine. I’m wishing I had gone either of those routes because juicing all of those mini limes wasn’t what I had bargained for.
Tips for Making Key Lime Bars
Note that the ingredients list calls for sweetened condensed milk and NOT evaporated milk. They’re two totally different milk products, so read the labels closely before purchasing. You can purchase pre-made graham cracker crumbs or you can make your own by pulsing regular graham crackers in a food processor until sandy in texture. Baking times will vary based on oven and climate variance, the type of sour cream used (lite makes batter runnier thus taking longer to bake), and if sugar was added (makes batter runnier). The center should be set and not too jiggly. Always watch your bars, and not the clock. Bake until done.
More Easy Bar Desserts:
Glazed Lemon Pie Bars — The crust is buttery, soft, and tender while the filling is juicy and luscious with the perfect amount of sweet-yet-tart flavor and a lemon glaze boosts the lemon flavor even more. Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Blueberry Pie Bars— These pie bars are one of my all-time favorite frozen blueberry recipes! They have the flavors you love in a blueberry pie, but you don’t have to mess around with homemade pie crust.
Mississippi Mud Pie Bars – An EASY, almost no-bake dessert with a chocolate chip cookie base, chocolate pudding, sweetened cream cheese, Oreos, and hot fudge!! RICH, decadent, indulgent, and a great party dessert that you can MAKE-AHEAD!!
Salted Caramel and Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars — The bars are one of my all-time favorites, even if you’re not a huge pecan pie fan. They’re thick, rich, decadent, filling, salty-and-sweet.
Banana Cream Pie Bars – Faster and easier than making a banana cream pie and taste AMAZING!! A crunchy crust, tender banana slices, luscious banana pudding, and creamy whipped topping make these layered pie bars WINNERS!!
Glazed Cherry Pie Bars — The cherry bars are like cherry pie but easier. There’s a buttery, soft, tender crust topped with cherry pie filling before being baked and glazed.
Salted Caramel Maple Pecan Pie Bars— This pecan pie bars recipe is a fast, one-bowl, no-mixer recipe, but the bars taste like you slaved over them. So much easier than making pecan pie!
