As soon as warm weather hits, I am game for all things citrus. One of my favorite being Key Lime Pie – yum! A while back, I perfected my Key Lime Pie recipe (find it here), and this time, I decided to kick things up a notch. I made my own graham cracker base, which is the perfect complement to these tart and tangy bars. Don’t worry, no mouth-puckering sour here, these key lime pie bars are a sweet treat!
What’s in Key lime pie bars?
These bars are super easy to make, based off of my Perfect Key Lime Pie recipe, which was really made for lazy people like myself. To make these, you’ll need:
- Graham crackers, brown sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt to create the perfect graham cracker crust. You can totally use store bought, but making your own yields delicious results. Plus, crushing graham cracker sheets is a great way to relieve some stress.
- A can of condensed milk – any brand works. This makes these creamy and sweet.
- Key lime juice (I use the kind that comes from a bottle, but you can use fresh) plus the zest of 2 fresh limes. This is going to give your bars that tart, citrus flavor.
- Egg yolks to bind the filling and stabilize it.
- Sour cream to add creaminess while also complementing the tart flavors. Trust me, it works.
- (Optional) Whipped cream for topping. I like to top mine with a dollop of whipped cream and a little quarter of a lime slice.
Making the bars
First, you’ll want to make your crust. Crush your graham crackers, combine the crumbs with sugar and melted butter and salt, and press into your pan. I use an 8×8 square pan. Bake for 10 min and allow your crust to set.
While your crust bakes, beat egg yolks with the lime zest, then add the condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice. Stir until your mixture is uniform and then pour over the baked crust. Top with a little more lime zest and pop in the oven for 15-17 minutes. It should be mostly set, but jiggle a bit.
Let it set for at least 30 minutes at room temp, then put it in the fridge to finish setting for 3+ hours. Once fully cooled, cut, top, and enjoy! Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Key Lime Pie Bars
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- 8×8 Pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 9 graham cracker sheets
- 6 tbsp butter melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 limes zest
- 3 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup key lime juice 1/2 cup for milder flavor
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Whipped cream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325
- Crush graham cracker sheets
- Combine graham cracker crumbs with brown sugar, salt, melted butter, and combine until fully moistened.
- Press into parchment lined 8×8 baking pan until you have an even bottom crust and bake for 10 min
- Meanwhile, Beat egg yolks with lime zest, then stir in condensed milk, then add sour cream and lime juice. Stir until mixture is uniform
- Once it’s out of the oven, pour onto graham cracker crust evenly and put on baking sheet
- Bake for 15-17 min, it should still jiggle a bit when it comes out. Allow it to cool for 30 min.
- Put in the fridge for ~3 hours (or more) and then top with whipped cream and sliced limes- enjoy!
2 thoughts on “Key Lime Pie Bars”
I’ve “hated” citrus desserts my whole life up until having these bars. They are tart, sweet, creamy, and not to mention easy to make. Planning to make these in the dead of winter just to have a taste of summer.
Pingback: Light Key Lime Pie Dip - Food By The Gram