Key Lime Pie Bars

These Key Lime Pie Bars are sweet and tart and totally irresistible! Made with the perfect graham cracker crust, a creamy, zesty filling, and a dusting of powdered sugar, they’re the perfect cool and refreshing dessert for summer.

Do you love all things Key Lime? Make sure to try my Key Lime Pie Fruit Dip, Key Lime Snowball Cookies, and my famous Key Lime Pie.

Key Lime Bars

If there is one type of food that I enjoy more during the summer than any other time of year, it would have to be citrus. Orange, lemon, lime, but especially lime – key lime, to be exact. It’s so utterly refreshing, with that bit of tartness that makes your mouth water. It really adds the perfect zesty flavor to desserts like these key lime pie bars!

These bars are baked to perfection, chilled, and topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar and even more key lime zest. These delicious key lime pie bars would be the perfect treat to take to your next BBQ, picnic, or family gathering – they are sure to be a hit!

You only need FOUR ingredients for the key lime bars filling (three for the crust and then a little zest and powdered sugar to finish these bars off). These bars are sure to become a new family favorite!

Why You’ll Love These Key Lime Pie Bars

• Perfect for Summer: Key lime pie bars are the perfect summer dessert. They are light, creamy, and have a great balance of sweet and tart flavors, making them a refreshing treat for hot summer days.
• Easy to Make: This recipe is so easy to make. You only need a few simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time.
• Versatile: These bars are incredibly versatile and can be served for any occasion: BBQs, picnics, family gatherings, you name it!

Ingredients Needed

These delicious bars come together so quickly with a delicious, three ingredient graham cracker crust and a simple four ingredient filling. You can find the full, printable recipe in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Graham Cracker Crust

• graham cracker crumbs
• salted butter
• granulated sugar

Key Lime Pie Filling

• sweetened condensed milk – Add sweetness to balance the tartness of the limes.
• egg yolks – Create a rich and creamy filling.
• key lime juice – Fresh key lime juice is best but sometimes key limes can be hard to find. I use this bottled key lime juice regularly and it is truly fantastic.
• key lime zest – Use regular limes for the zest if you can’t find key limes.

You’ll notice the 5 egg yolks in the recipe card below. These yolks create a richness and creaminess that will have your friends and family begging for your recipe. (Just send them my way!) Sweetened condensed milk, fresh key lime juice and zest round out the perfectly tart filling.

How to Make Key Lime Pie Bars

The combination of sweet and tart flavors in these bars is simply irresistible! Plus, they are incredibly easy to make, requiring only a few simple ingredients and minimal effort. The bars are baked to perfection, chilled, and topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar and even more key lime zest. I like to zest a lemon too for some additional color.

As always, you can find the full, printable recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Spray an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar in a small bowl.
3. Press the graham cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 7 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, and zest together in a medium bowl.
7. Pour over cooled crust.
8. Bake for 25 minutes. Let the bars chill before serving.
9. Dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle with additional zest if desired. Cut into bars.

Storage Information

Refrigeration: Wrap the bars tightly with plastic wrap, or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days. 

Freezing: The bars can be frozen for up to two months in an airtight, freezer-safe ziplock bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular lime juice instead of key lime juice?

While key lime juice is preferred, regular lime juice can be used as a substitute in a pinch. But guess what? You can also buy key lime juice that is outstanding. Yep, it’s a thing. I used it in this Key Lime Pie Fruit Dip and it has amazing flavor.

Do I have to make these bars with a graham cracker crust?

I definitely recommend a graham cracker crust because that is traditionally the crust used in key lime pie.

The crust is such a key component in these bars because they need to be able to withstand the cutting and hand-holding that happens before they can be devoured. Butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar is all it takes – it’s the ratio that makes the difference.

Do these key lime bars need to be refrigerated?

Yes! Due to the egg yolk, custard-esque filling, the bars need to be refrigerated. Cover tightly and chill for up to one week.

Trish’s Tips

• Use fresh key lime juice for the best flavor. Although, if you can’t get fresh, this bottled kind is a great substitute!
• Don’t overmix the crust; it should be crumbly, not dense. 
• Let the bars cool completely before slicing to ensure they hold their shape.

More Citrus-y Treats to Try

1. No Bake Lemon Pie
2. Lemon Lime Jello Salad
3. Key Lime Pie Lush
4. Lemon Bars
5. Orange Creamsicle Cake

Originally published July 14, 2019.