These Key Lime Pie Bars are a fun, delicious twist on a classic American dessert. They’re full of fresh tart lime flavour, offset with creamy condensed milk, on a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread base. This dessert was the perfect addition to a recent pizza night at my cousin’s place (along with my garlic bread focaccia!) They kind of taste like a cheesecake, but without needing cream cheese!
I love recreating desserts in ‘bar’ form because they feel more casual and easygoing. They’re perfect for picnics, BBQ’s, or any time you want something you can slice, transport and share without fuss.
Now I know this isn’t a Key Lime Pie in the traditional sense. If you didn’t know, key limes are actually a special variety grown in the Florida Keys. The closest I’ve come to cooking with them was smuggling a bottle of authentic key lime juice back from a trip to the US years ago! In their place I’ve used regular limes, which I found marked down to an irresistible bargain!
These Key Lime Pie Bars have two elements:
On the bottom is a shortbread base. Traditional Key Lime Pie calls for a Graham Cracker crust, but I’ve gone for my favourite shortbread base from Tartine Bakery. It’s buttery, delicious and sturdy enough to be cut into neat bars without crumbling. I’ve used it for many years and it never lets me down. It’s the same one from my Cherry Pie Crumble Bars!
The base only has 3 ingredients – icing sugar, plain flour and butter. They’re mixed together to form a smooth dough, then pressed into the bottom of a pan and baked until golden. I used a 21cm square baking tin with straight sides and a removable bottom, lined with non-stick baking paper. It sliced up into 14 bars which I thought were the perfect size – especially as they are quite sweet. You can always have more than one! But of course you could make it in a round tart tin like a traditional pie, if you prefer!
Then comes the creamy lime filling! In the days before refrigeration, condensed milk was a pantry staple since it lasted longer than fresh milk or cream. It’s a key ingredient in Key Lime Pie, so to speak. Whisk together the eggs, yolks, lime juice, zest, vanilla, and coconut extract with the condensed milk until smooth and creamy. Pour the filling over the shortbread base and bake until just set. Cool it in the tin and then let it chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight until you’re ready to serve.
It’s a little hard to describe the texture, somewhere between a curd and a cheesecake. It’s smooth but not overly rich, with just enough structure to slice neatly while still melting in your mouth.
If you’re transporting these Key Lime Bars, slice them first and garnish just before you serve at your destination. When it comes to toppings, the choice is yours and you’ve got some great options!
- Whipped cream, lightly sweetened with some icing sugar for classic Key Lime Pie vibes.
- Crushed or torched meringue – my personal favourite! It’s simple but brings a lovely flavour and texture, especially if you lightly torch fresh meringue with a kitchen blowtorch!
- Toasted coconut adds texture and ties in beautifully with the tropical flavour.
- Lime zest or slices look so pretty and add an extra zing of fresh citrus!
- A dusting of icing sugar – simple, elegant and perfect if you’re short on time.
- White chocolate drizzle for something a little more decadent!
- Crumbled biscuits or shortbread adds a little textural moment that nods back to the flavour of the base.
- Fresh raspberries would dress these bars up beautifully and the flavour of the berries would be delicious with the filling!
…or skip the toppings and just eat straight from the fridge when no one’s watching! Zero judgement here!
Related Post: Creamy Calamansi Bars
Key Lime Pie Bars
These creamy, tangy Key Lime Pie Bars taste like sunshine! This is a simple, crowd-pleasing twist on the classic pie with a buttery shortbread base, perfect for BBQ's or picnics.
Ingredients
Shortbread Base
- 1/2 cup icing sugar (80g)
- 1 1/2 cups plain flour (235g)
- 170 g butter
Filling
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (395ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
Toppings, your choice of:
- Whipped cream
- Torched meringue
- Crushed meringue
- Toasted coconut
- Lime zest
- Icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°F (350°F) and line a 21 x 21cm (8 inch) square baking tin with non-stick baking paper.
- To make the shortbread crust, sift the icing sugar and flour into a bowl and beat in butter on a low speed with a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer until a smooth dough forms. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking tin.
- Press evenly into the bottom of the pan. Use the back of a spoon or the flat bottom of a jar to press down firmly and evenly. Line the crust with a sheet of non-stick baking paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 25-35 minutes until it is an even deep golden brown, making sure to rotate the pan after about 15 minutes to ensure it bakes evenly.
- While the crust is baking, make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks together. Add the lime zest and juice, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and coconut extract and whisk until fully combined.
Pour the mixture over the cooked shortbread crust and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes and then place in the fridge to cool completely, for at least 2-3 hours but preferably overnight.
- Cut evenly into bars and serve with your toppings of choice. Keep refrigerated to up to 4 days but garnish just before serving.