These key lime bars are just like the classic key lime pie, just made into easy bite sized bars. They’re made from an easy graham cracker crust, a rich and creamy key lime cheesecake filling and are topped with a delicious key lime whipped cream. This key lime dessert is the perfect, refreshing treat to enjoy on a hot day.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
There is something so refreshing and incredibly delicious about tart and sweet treats during the hotter months of the year. I especially love my Key Lime Cookies and No Bake Margarita Pie. After making these spectacular key lime pie bars, I think I may just have a new favorite easy lime dessert! I know you’ll love this recipe too because:
- Simple pantry ingredients: You only need 7 basic ingredients to make a batch of quick, simple and simply decadent lime bars.
- You love tart, sweet and creamy treats: If being incredibly easy to make wasn’t reason enough, these key lime cheesecake bars are the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Plus, they are absolutely stunning to look at!
Ingredients
Before I show you how to make these easy lime bars, make sure you have these simple ingredients ready to go!
Crust Ingredients: Gather crushed graham crackers, light brown sugar, key lime zest and melted butter.
Filling Ingredients: Gather cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice and key lime zest.
Whipped Topping Ingredients: Gather heavy cream, sugar and key lime juice.
Substitutions
Making these easy lime bars is super simple and you probably already have everything you need. Here are my recommended substitutions to make this brownie recipe if you need them.
- Graham Crackers: Graham crackers are used to make these key lime cookies more like their key lime pie namesake. If you want to replace the graham crackers, almond flour makes a good substitute for the key lime bars crust.
- Light Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar or Maple Sugar would both be food substitutes for the light brown sugar in the graham cracker crust.
- Key Limes: Feel free to use regular limes in place of the key limes.
- Unsalted Butter: You can use the same amount of salted butter as written in the recipe, but omit the added salt.
- Cream Cheese: Use mascarpone cheese as a substitute.
- Key Lime Juice: Rather than squeeze my own key lime juice, I like to use bottled key lime juice.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: This is a bit harder to substitute. If needed, mix 3 cups (710 ml) heavy cream with ¾ cup (150 g) sugar until well combined. Use this in place of (2) 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk.
How To Make
Learn how to make key lime pie bars in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper along the bottom and two sides. Make the graham cracker crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs with the key lime zest and light brown sugar. Mix in the melted butter until well combined and the crust is the texture of wet sand.
- Evenly press the graham cracker mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for about 10 minutes to set the crust. Cool on a cooling rack while you make the key lime filling.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream the cream cheese until smooth. On low, beat in the sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice and zest until smooth and well combined. Go slow and for as long as it takes to work out most of the little cream cheese lumps.
- Pour the lime bars filling on top of the crust. Bake for another 10 minutes to help set the filing. Cool to room temperature, cover and chill for a minimum 4-6 hours, but ideally overnight.
- If you would like to top these easy lime bars with whipped cream, whip heavy whipping cream with 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar and 2 tsp (10 ml) key lime juice to soft or medium stiff peaks. Cut the chilled cream cheese key lime bars into your desired number of pieces, top with the key lime whipped cream and more key lime zest.
How To Make Ahead, Serve, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: These key lime pie bars can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Just cover them and keep them chill in the fridge until it’s time to top with the whipped cream and served.
- Serve these key lime bars straight from the fridge.
- Store this key lime cream cheese dessert covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days.
- Freeze the bars: Make sure the sheet pan key lime bars are completely cooled to room temperature. Cut the bars into your preferred amount of pieces. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw the key lime bars overnight in the fridge. Enjoy straight from the fridge.
M’s Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in deliciously creamy pie bars.
- Use an 8x8 pan metal pan. This recipe was created using an 8x8 aluminum pan. Double the recipe and make in a 9 x 13 pan.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper. This helps to release the key lime bars from the pan more easily.
- For the creamiest, smoothest filling, go slow and scrape the bowl a few times in between rounds of mixing.
- Fully cool the key lime pie bars. In order for these lime bars to hold together, they need to chill for a minimum of 4 - 6 hours. Ideally these bars would chill overnight.
FAQs
The easiest way they can be distinguished is by their appearance. Key limes are often smaller and more yellowish-green than a traditional lime. As far as taste, key limes are less tart and more sweet than traditional limes.
Although the taste is a bit different, limes and key limes are easily interchangeable.
An easy way to make an approximate taste of key limes by using regular limes is to mix in an equal amount of meyer lemon juice. This key lime bars recipe uses ½ cup (118 ml) key lime juice, so make an approximate substitute use ¼ cup (59 ml) lime juice mixed with ¼ cup (59 ml) meyer lemon juice.
Other Citrus Recipes to Try
If you try this Key Lime Bars Recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Key Lime Bars Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 8 x 8 (20 cm) pan
- 1 parchment paper
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1¾ cups crushed graham crackers (about 12 sheets)
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 1 key lime, zested
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
Key Lime Filling
- 8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup (118 ml) key lime juice, room temperature
- 2 key limes, zested
Key Lime Whipped Cream
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp (13 g) sugar
- 2 tsp (10 ml) key lime juice
- 1 key lime zest, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper along the bottom and two sides.
- Place the sheets of graham crackers in a food processor or plastic zip-lock bag. Crush the graham crackers to a sand like consistency.
- Make the graham cracker crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs with the key lime zest and light brown sugar. Mix in the melted butter until well combined and the crust is the texture of wet sand.1¾ cups crushed graham crackers, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 1 key lime, zested, 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
- Evenly press the graham cracker mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for about 10 minutes to set the crust. Cool on a cooling rack while you make the key lime filling.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream the cream cheese until smooth. On low, beat in the sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice and zest until smooth and well combined. Go slow and for as long as it takes to work out most of the little cream cheese lumps.8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese, room temperature, 2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk, ½ cup (118 ml) key lime juice, room temperature, 2 key limes, zested
- Pour the lime bars filling on top of the crust. Bake for another 10 minutes to help set the filing.
- Cool to room temperature, cover and chill for a minimum 4-6 hours,but ideally overnight.
- If you would like to top these easy lime bars with whipped cream, whip heavy whipping cream with 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar and 2 tsp (10 ml) key lime juice to soft or medium stiff peaks.½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream, 1 tbsp (13 g) sugar, 2 tsp (10 ml) key lime juice, 1 key lime zest, optional
- Cut the chilled cream cheese key lime bars into your desired number of pieces, top with the key lime whipped cream and more key lime zest.
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