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Key lime pie bars are made with a buttery graham cracker crust, a sweet creamy lime filling made with sweetened condensed milk and cream, and topped with fresh whipped cream.
Key lime cream pie bars are the perfect dessert. The combination of the buttery crunchy graham cracker crust, the tangy tart cream filling, and the sweet whipped cream is the perfect balance. Sweet and tart, crunchy and creamy. If you are a lemon or lime fan, you are going to LOVE these bars!
Living in Arizona, we have an abundance of citrus fruits every winter and spring. I am always searching for new ways to use fresh limes, lemons, and oranges and these creamy key lime pie dessert bars are the perfect way!
Key Lime Pie Bar Ingredients:
Key lime cream pie bars are made of three separate but simple elements. The graham cracker crust, the tart key lime filling, and sweet whipped cream.
Graham cracker crust:
- Graham cracker crumbs: You can either buy the graham cracker crumbs pre-made, or you can buy your favorite graham crackers at the store and crush them on your own. I like to put mine in the food processor so that they are an even and smooth texture. If you would rather, you can place them in a gallon sized ziplock bag and roll them out with a rolling pin or crush them with your hands until they are a crumbled, fine material.
- Melted butter: This is what holds your crust together. You can use either salted or unsalted butter depending on the flavor you prefer in your crust. The salt can bring out a good balance to the sugar and the sweet pie, if that’s your preference.
- Sugar: Sugar is a sweetener and will make the crust have a better flavor. The sugar ties the crust to the pie and makes it more cohesive.
Key lime pie filling:
- Sweetened condensed milk: This plays a huge role in the texture and the flavor of the filling. The sweetness is the perfect balance to the tart lime, and the creaminess of the condensed milk helps it cook to be a smooth and soft texture like a pie filling.
- Heavy cream: Like the sweetened condensed milk, the heavy cream is what helps the filling get its creamy and thick texture.
- Egg yolks: When cooked, egg yolks are what thicken the filling. Make sure that you are using large eggs to get the correct measurements.
- Key lime juice and zest: The star of the show! The lime juice provides the tart citrus flavor that makes these key lime bars stand out. Keep one teaspoon of zest for a garnish.
Whipped cream:
- Heavy cream: When air is incorporated, heavy cream becomes a light and fluffy whipped cream.
- Powdered sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to the whipped cream.
How to make Key Lime Cream Pie Bars:
The key to making the key lime bars extra creamy, soft, and delicious is to bake them in a water bath. A water bath is when you fill a large pan with water and then place the smaller baking pan inside so the water comes up about halfway up the pan. I’ll explain more in the “FAQ” section below.
- Start with the crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After mixing the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar, press it along the bottom of a greased pan. For a thicker crust, make the bars in a 9 inch pan rather than a 9 x 13 pan. Bake the crust for 7-8 minutes, then let it cool.
- Turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
- Start on the filling by whisking together the sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, lime juice, and lime zest. Pour the mixture onto the cooled crust.
- Place the baking pan into a large pan to make a water bath. Pour enough water into the larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the smaller baking pan. Bake for 19-24 minutes at 325 degrees.
- The filling is done when it no longer jiggles in the center. Remove from water bath and set it on a rack to cool for 1 hour. After cooling for 1 hour, you can place it in the fridge to finish cooling until you are ready to serve it.
FAQ
Why is a water bath important? It adds moisture to the oven which is important with creamy custards that tend to crack from the heat of the oven. It also helps to create a creamy texture rather than a rubbery one. Make sure not to open the oven when you’re checking on the bars, that will let the moist air escape and undo some of the work of the water bath.
It can be hard to know that your bars are done because unlike other baked goods, these don’t really brown on top. Similar to a cheesecake, you have to look at texture more than color. If the bars are still jiggling and seem to have that more liquids consistency, it’s a good sign that they need a little more time. Avoid testing them for as long as you can so that you don’t introduce too much dry air into the oven.
I would suggest running a knife under hot water so that the warm knife can easily cut through the chilled bars. Wipe the knife off in between cuts, and run under hot water repeatedly as the knife starts to cool off.
These can easily be refrigerated in an air tight container for up to a week.
Yes! If you have some lemons on hand, you can easily substitute the juice and the zest for the lime in this recipe (or you can do a mix of both). They would be some delicious lemon cream pie bars!
Related Recipes:
I cannot get enough citrus treats! I love the time of year when we have more lemons and limes than we can handle. These are some of my favorite recipes that have lemon and lime in them. Let me know which ones you try!
These Key Lime Cream Pies are one of my favorite dessert bar recipes of all time and are the perfect dessert to take to a potluck, party, or shower. They are always such a hit with everyone!
If you love lemon and lime, here are a few popular lemon recipes:
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Key Lime Pie Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 3 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- 3/4 cup Butter melted (may use salted or unsalted depending on if you want your crust to have a slightly salty taste)
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
Key Lime Pie Filling:
- (2) 14-ounce cans Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 6 Egg Yolks large
- 3/4 cup Key Lime Juice or just lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon Key Lime Zest
Fresh Whipped Cream:
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. If you want a thicker bar, use a 9-inch square pan.
- To make the graham cracker crust: in a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Press the graham cracker mixture firmly into baking pan. Firmly press down with hands.
- Bake the crust for 7-8 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool.
- Turn oven temperature down to 325 degrees.
- To make the filling: whisk together sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, lime juice, and 2 teaspoons lime zest — reserving 1 teaspoon of lime zest for garnish. Pour filling over cooled crust.
- Place the baking pan into a large pan to make a water bath. Pour enough water into the larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the smaller baking pan. Bake for 19-24 minutes at 325 degrees. The filling is done when it no longer jiggles in the center. Remove from water bath and set it on a rack to cool for 1 hour, then refrigerator until chilled.
- To make whipped cream: Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add desired powdered sugar and whip for 30 seconds longer.
- Cut the bars into squares and serve chilled with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh lime zest.
- *Recipe adapted from Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My recipe inspiration. My Grandma Faye was the kindest woman on the planet. I was that kid who begged to go stay at her Grandma’s house. I would sit in the back of the station wagon as we made the trek up the mountain to her home. I loved spending the night at her house because she made us feel so loved and important and I just enjoyed being around her. Oh, how I miss her!
Whenever I make something lemon or lime, I think of my Grandma Faye because she was known for her phenomenal pies. When we stayed at her house, she would always make us some delectable dessert. It usually involved some kind of citrus and I developed a deep love for it. These Key Lime Pie Squares remind me of her.
Happy Baking, my friends! xo
So delicious!!!!
what temp hould the ware be for the water bath?
This is my favorite lime recipie! Great for pot lucks and book club dessert. I sometimes substitute Biscoff cookies to make them really indulgent. I have also used one part yuzu extract instead of part of the lime juice.
I made these for our Easter dinner dessert…Delicious!! These are my husbands new favorite! Thanks for this fabulous recipe!