Key Lime Pie Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
These Key Lime Pie Bars are the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, with a buttery graham cracker crust that adds a delightful crunch to each bite. They are easy to make and perfect for any occasion, from a summer barbecue to a holiday dessert table.

Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Whipped Cream
Garnish
Instructions
Crust
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with butter. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the width of the pan and long enough to hang over the sides. Press the parchment into the pan, creating a parchment sling.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.
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Add the melted butter and use a rubber spatula to stir until all the crumbs are coated. The mixture should look like wet sand.
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Pour the crumbs into the prepared baking dish and use your fingers to spread them into an even layer.
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Using a small measuring cup or flat-bottomed drinking glass, press the crust tightly into the bottom of the pan.
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Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until it has just started to darken around the edges. Then let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Filling
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Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
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Zest the limes, then set 4 teaspoons aside for the filling and 1 teaspoon aside for the garnish.
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Juice the limes to get 1 cup of lime juice.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks, condensed milk, key lime zest, key lime juice, and salt together until fully incorporated into a smooth yellow custard.
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Pour the filling over the cooled crust and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until just set. You can test for doneness by gently shaking the pan—the filling should jiggle slightly.
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Return the pan to the cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.
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Once cool, cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Whipped Topping
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Pour the heavy cream into a large, chilled mixing bowl.
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Use a whisk or electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (if using an electric mixer, start on a low speed and gradually increase to medium) to whip the cream.
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Once the cream starts to thicken, add the powdered sugar and salt.
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Continue whipping the cream until it forms medium-stiff peaks (the cream stands on its own when you remove the whisk).
Finishing the Bars
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Remove the chilled bars from the fridge and, using the parchment sling, lift the bars out of the pan and place on a cutting board.
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Cut the bars straight down with a warmed and dried chef’s knife. Repeat warming and drying the blade as needed to cut the bars.
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Cut the bars into 8 pieces.
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Top each bar with an even layer of whipped cream dolloped using a small spoon and a sprinkle of lime zest.
Serving Size 1 bar
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 553kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 21g33%
- Saturated Fat 10g50%
- Cholesterol 45mg15%
- Sodium 325mg14%
- Potassium 502mg15%
- Total Carbohydrate 85g29%
- Dietary Fiber 1g4%
- Sugars 74g
- Protein 11g22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Disclaimer
This recipe was generated by artificial intelligence and as such, you should take more care when preparing this recipe than normal. We do not guarantee or take liability for the accuracy of its ingredients, instructions, or nutritional information. Please use common sense when cooking this recipe.
The cake in the image was generated by Midjourney (AI) 🙂