Key Lime Bars
Indulge in a slice of sunshine with Key Lime Bars! These delightful treats feature a buttery graham cracker crust, a luscious creamy key lime filling, and a cloud of whipped cream on top. Whether you're hosting a party, bringing a dish to a potluck, or just treating yourself, these bars are the perfect dessert for any occasion!
Servings 16
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 ½ cups (150 g) graham cracker crumbs, about 9 whole crackers or 1 full sleeve
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
- 2 14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- ¾ cup (180 ml) fresh key lime juice, about 25 key limes
- ½ cup (113 g) plain whole milk Greek yogurt
For garnish
- whipped cream, if desired
- lime zest, if desired
Instructions
Make the crust
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF degrees. Line a 8-inch square pan with parchment paper with enough overhang easy removal.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar until well blended.
- Drizzle the butter over the crumbs and stir with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Tightly press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. The bottom of a clean measuring cup works best for this. Packing it tight will make sure it holds together and doesn't crumble when sliced!
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Set on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, lime zest, and key lime juice together until well combined. Gently whisk in the yogurt.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and set on a wire rack until cooled to room temperature.
- Cover and refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Garnish and serve
- Just before serving, top the pie with whipped cream and lime slices if desired.
Notes
- Graham cracker crumbs: You can use store-bought crumbs or pulse the crackers in a food processor until finely ground.
- Lime zest: I zested 1 regular for the filling. Be extra careful when zesting and avoid using the white part under the green skin. This is known as the pith, and it can be quite bitter.
- Key lime juice: I highly recommend fresh key lime juice, but if you don't want to spend the time juicing these tiny limes, you can use bottled juice. Just be sure it says "key lime juice".
- Yogurt: This recipe uses yogurt instead of eggs to create a silky texture. Full-fat Plain Greek yogurt works best, but regular yogurt or sour cream can be substituted.
- The crust can be prepared and prebaked up to 2-3 days in advance. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
- The filling can be made up to 2-3 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate, then assemble and bake.
- Baked and cooled bars will keep for up to 1 week stored in the refrigerator. Or store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.