key lime pie bars with macadamia nut crust

Key Lime Pie Bars have a creamy filling flavored with fresh key lime juice and zest, and a crisp, buttery graham cracker crust. Top this easy treat with a dollop of fresh whipped cream for a refreshing treat on a hot summer day!

this recipe

Why you’ll love these Lime Bars:

• Packed with Lime Flavor – These bars are bursting with fresh lime flavor, perfect for a citrus fan!
• Creamy Texture – The ultra creamy texture of these bars almost reminds me of cheesecake, but lighter. You’ll fall head over heels for this easy key lime bar recipe.
• Easy Dessert – With minimal effort and ingredients required, this is a great recipe for any level of baker. And, it’s a great make-ahead option to simplify things when hosting or entertaining!

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Graham Crackers – Purchase graham cracker crumbs, or pulse graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor until you have fine crumbs.
• Macadamia Nuts – I like to add some crushed macadamia nuts to the crust, but you can totally skip them if you’d like.
• Key Limes – If you can’t find key limes, use bottled key lime juice (found in most grocery stores) and zest from regular limes.
• Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
• Eggs – Use large eggs, at room temperature.
• Cream cheese – Use full fat cream cheese, at room temperature.

Recipe Variations:

• Gluten-free – Use gluten-free graham crackers to make this recipe easily gluten-free!
• Nuts – Feel free to omit the nuts in the crust with no sub needed.
• Key Limes vs Regular Limes – If you don’t want your bars to be quite as tangy with the lime flavor, use regular limes (use freshly squeezed lime juice) instead of key limes. Use the same quantities of juice and zest.
• Shortbread Crust – You could use a shortbread crust from another bar recipe you know and love, but I love a graham cracker crust since it’s what you’d find as the pie crust on a key lime pie.

How to Make Key Lime Bars

Step 1: Make & Bake the Crust. Mix together crushed graham crackers, melted butter, a pinch of sugar, and crushed macadamia nuts (optional). Press into a lined baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the Filling. In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, egg yolks, a can of sweetened condensed milk, plenty of fresh lime juice and lime zest, and a splash of vanilla. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer.

Step 3: Bake. Pour the lime mixture over your crust, and pop it back into the oven to bake until the bars are just set. Let cool completely at room temperature on a wire rack, then chill in the fridge overnight (or up to 48 hours!) before slicing and serving.

Step 4: Make Whipped Cream. Beat together cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla together on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. Don’t make this until you’re ready to serve the bars.

Serving + Storing:

Dollop the fresh whipped cream on top of the key lime bars, and add a sprinkle of lime zest for garnish. One of the easiest desserts you’ll ever make. It’s perfect for SO many summer occasions, too!

Love lime? Make my Key Lime Slice and Bake Cookies or my Silky Lime Curd next!

Expert Success Tips:

• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
• Clean Slices – Use a sharp knife, and wipe it between each cut for perfect slices.

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• 9×9 Pan – A ceramic or metal 9×9 square pan is ideal for this recipe.
• Cordless Mixer – I love the flexibility of a cordless electric mixer!

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More Recipes For Lime Lovers:

• Key Lime Bundt Cake
• Key Lime Pie Cheesecake
• Mojito Cake with Whipped Rum Buttercream
• Frozen Rum Punch with Strawberry, Mango, & Lime

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