These Key Lime Gooey Bars are the best gooey bars I’ve ever had! Fresh lime juice and zest are the secret ingredients!
Is it spring yet??? Seriously! After the mildest winter I can remember, we had a week of rain, and now we’re back in the 70s and looking to hit 80 this weekend. All the fruit trees are in full bloom and the boys are starting the slow transition to where they just actually start living outside.
I. Love. It.
I am so ready for spring. I can’t wait to get my garden started, crank up the bbq, and start enjoying our beautiful back yard.
This past weekend Dorothy hosted a whole bunch of us Sacramento food bloggers at her house. And not just the bloggers…nooo, the families came too! All the kiddos had such a great time making new friends and running around like crazy people…oh, wait. That was just my two boys 🙂
As you can imagine, the food was awesome! I brought these Key Lime Gooey Bars and some Veggie Crescent Bites to the party. The gooey bars were a total hit. Best part? Sooo easy to make!
I really amped up the lime flavor of the cake mix with some fresh lime juice and lime zest. It really adds a punch of fresh flavor to the bars and makes them go from “good” to “wow” in a jiffy.
A sprinkle of white chocolate chips in the center adds a pop of color and texture and provides some depth of flavor to these sweet and gooey bars. There is just no way you’re not going to love them. Promise.
I zested another lime and some lemon to go on top of the bars. Totally optional but it sure makes them look pretty.
These Key Lime Gooey Bars will be the perfect treat all spring and summer long! The boys are already asking for another batch 🙂
Key Lime Gooey Bars
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz Key Lime Cake Mix 1 box - I used Pillsbury
- 4 oz unsalted butter 1 stick - softened
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- lemon and lime zest for top of bars if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.
- Beat butter with a mixer until soft and fluffy.
- Add in cake mix,egg, lime juice and zest and continue beating until combined.
- Press about two-thirds of the cake mixture onto the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan.
- Sprinkle white chocolate chips over the top.
- Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the top of the chocolate.
- Crumble the remaining cake mixture over the top of the sweetened condensed milk, trying to spread it out as much as possible. Press lightly.
- Bake for 29-32 minutes, or until edges start to brown.
- Let bars cool completely before cutting.
- Top with additional lime and lemon zest if desired.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Nutrition
More yummy treats:
Fruit Basket Mini Sugar Cookie Pizzas
Raspberry Marshmallow Fruit Dip
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 Linking up at some of these parties.
Chocoprinses says
HI, as I’m in Europe ánd prefer not to use any prefab mixes, how could I make these bars just from pure ingredients from scratch?
Sandra McCollum says
Girl I love these, they look amazing. Making them this week. Maybe it will bring me out of the cold weather and tired from the conference funk. xo Pinned and Yummed.
Connie says
They look terrific! Do you think these bars can be frozen?
jenny says
Can you use regular butter?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Hi Jenny! If you’re asking if you can use salted butter, the answer is yes 🙂
lynda says
Hi! I was reading the recipe and wondered if you could opt out of using foil to line a baking pan and instead just lightly spray a glass pyrex baking dish? Do you think it matters?
Looks so good, I’m having a hard time choosing between this recipe or the strawberry lime gooey bar recipe!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Aboslutley Lynda! You will just cut the bars directly in the pan that way. Enjoy!