A buttery crust, a lusciously tart key lime filling, and just the right touch of sweetness—these Key Lime Bars are sunshine in every bite!
Growing up, my family and I always spent our Christmas holiday break in southwest Florida, visiting my grandparents. During our stay, we’d often take an overnight trip down to the Florida Keys, and Key West was one of our favorite spots. While Florida in general was a welcome break from winter, Key West seemed like a tropical island getaway on a whole other level! The ocean views, laid-back pace, and delicious food all made it feel like a true escape. One of our favorite things to eat was key lime pie, that namesake dessert.
Key lime bars have the delicious flavors and texture of key lime pie without the work of making a pie. And the smaller bar-sized portions are just right for parties. Similar in texture and appearance to the ubiquitous lemon bars or lemon squares, key lime bars are a nice twist on that classic recipe as well. The notable difference is the use of key lime juice. Key limes (sometimes called Mexican limes) are smaller and rounder than regular limes. Additionally, because of their higher acidity levels, they are a bit tarter in taste.
You will love that quintessential tartness with the smooth, creamy texture of key lime bars. The texture is a bit like cheesecake, and you get a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness, with the contrast of the graham cracker crust. Key lime bars are light but still indulgent, easy to make, and since they’re best chilled, are perfect for a summer gathering or picnic.
No Key Limes?
If you live in an area where you can’t buy key limes in your supermarket, don’t panic. For starters, you can see if your grocery store carries bottled key lime juice. Look in the aisle with the bottled lemon and lime juice, away from the produce section. If that doesn’t pan out, simply substitute regular limes. You’ll need about 3-4 medium-sized limes to get 1/2 cup of juice. The taste might not be quite as tart as key limes, but you’ll still get that bright citrus flavor.
How To Make Ahead And Store
Key lime bars are an easy make-ahead dessert, since they require chill time. You can make them up to 2 days ahead of time, and just extend that chill time until about 30 minutes before you are ready to serve. Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge; you can store them that way for 3-5 days. The bottom crust will get a little soggy the closer you get to 5 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Can I Substitute Evaporated Milk For Sweetened Condensed Milk?
No, evaporated milk is too thin and not sweetened, so it will not work for this recipe. If you need a substitute, you can substitute an equal amount of cream of coconut (not coconut cream). Using cream of coconut will impart a bit of coconut flavor but won’t overwhelm the tasty lime flavor.
Serving Suggestions
If you want to top the bars with whipped cream, try Sweetened Whipped Cream or to capitalize on that tropical theme, try Coconut Whipped Cream. Bonus points on that one because it’s dairy-free. If you’re including key lime bars with other cookies or bars on a dessert tray, they go well with Blueberry Cheesecake Bars or Icebox Cookies. Of course, just a key lime bar with a glass of cold milk or mug of hot tea or coffee is delicious all on its own, too!
Key Lime Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 4 large egg yolks
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup key lime juice
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter in a bowl until well combined. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, and lime zest until smooth.
- Pour the filling over the baked crust and return to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the filling is set.
- Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow the bars to set.
- Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the bars out of the pan and cut into squares before serving.
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