Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes Key Lime Bars 5.0 (2) Enjoy the flavors of key lime pie with these easy-to-share bars. Close Credit: Rachel Marek Servings: 12 Servings Yield: 1 8-inch square pan Jump to recipe If you love the tart, tangy taste of Key lime pie, you'll adore these bars. Featuring a creamy condensed milk filling flavored with Key lime juice atop a buttery graham cracker crust, each bar offers a mouthwatering contrast of flavors and textures. The recipe is a riff on the famous Key lime pie from Joe's Stone Crab restaurant in Miami Beach. It's sure to be a standout option on your summer dessert table. Make it for pool parties, potlucks, casual patio get-togethers, or whenever you’re craving a cool sweet treat. Plus, since the dessert is in bar form, it's easy to enjoy—no forks or plates required. Key Lime Pie How to Store Limes Key limes, like other limes and other citrus fruits, can be stored at room temperature for two to three days. Be sure to keep the fruit out of direct sunlight and avoid overcrowding the fruit bowl. After two to three days, store the limes in the fridge. If you can't find Key limes, use regular fresh lime juice for these bars. Key Lime Bar Crust Variations Instead of graham crackers, use vanilla wafers or Biscoff cookies for the crust. You can also add warming spices to the crumbs for extra flavor. Delicious examples include cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or five-spice powder. Directions Credit: Rachel Marek Preheat oven and prepare crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together crumbs, sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Credit: Rachel Marek Press crust into pan and bake: Press evenly onto bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic pan. Bake until dry and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Leave oven on. Credit: Rachel Marek Mix egg yolks and zest for filling: Place egg yolks and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on high speed until mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. Credit: Rachel Marek Add condensed milk: On medium speed, pour in condensed milk in a steady stream, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat on high speed until thick, about 3 minutes. Credit: Rachel Marek Add lime juice: On low speed, add lime juice; mix until just combined. Credit: Rachel Marek Credit: Rachel Marek Add filling to crust, bake, and chill: Pour filling over crust; spread evenly. Bake until just set, about 10 minutes. Credit: Rachel Marek Credit: Rachel Marek Cool, then chill: Let cool completely on a wire rack. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Credit: Rachel Marek Prepare topping and serve: Beat cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks just form. Credit: Rachel Marek Cut into rectangles for serving: Cut dessert into 1 1/2-by-2-inch rectangles. Garnish each with whipped cream and a slice of Key lime. Credit: Rachel Marek Other Toppings While we love a dollop of whipped cream to finish these bars, there are other possible garnishes instead of or as well as the cream: Lime zestDusting of powdered sugarShredded coconut Storing Key-Lime Bars Wrapped in plastic, the bars will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They cannot be frozen. Frequently Asked Questions What's the difference between Key limes and regular limes? Key limes are smaller and more acidic than regular limes. However, you can use regular lime juice in place of Key lime juice. Just be sure to use freshly squeezed juice instead of the bottled kind, which tends to be too tart. Can I substitute lemon juice for Key lime juice? Yes! For a lemon variation, simply replace the Key lime juice with fresh lemon juice. You can also use equal parts lime and lemon juice for a tasty twist. Can you freeze Key lime bars? Since these bars contains dairy (sweetened condensed milk), it's best to avoid freezing them. The cold temperatures will negatively affect the texture of the condensed milk. Other Key Lime Recipes to Try: Key Lime Pie Key Lime Tart No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake Coconut Key Lime Squares Key-Lime Mousse Pie Updated by Kirsten Nunez Kirsten Nunez Kirsten Nunez is a writer who focuses on food, health, nutrition, and DIY. She has a master's degree in nutrition, and has been writing professionally for nearly 10 years for digital and print publications, such as decorvow, Shape, Real Simple, Healthline, and SELF. She also creates original recipes, which have appeared on product packaging in stores.