BEST Key Lime Pie Bars

Name: BEST KEY LIME PIE BARS RECIPE
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: PT-480258H13M19S
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 230g graham crackers (~16 full sheets); 1/2 cup melted butter (113g); 2 cans sweetened condensed milk (28oz); 3/4 cup key lime juice (180g); 1 tbsp key lime zest (2-3 limes); 2 tsp vanilla; 2/3 cup sour cream or yogurt (160g); 2 egg yolks; 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled (360g); 2 tbsp granulated sugar

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These delicious Key Lime Pie Bars take less than 15 minutes of work, only 9 simple ingredients, and are the absolute best you're ever going to have. They are lusciously silky, with the key limes shining through with a bright tangy flavor. And the hardest part of this recipe is juicing the key limes, which should give you an idea for how easy it is!

key lime pie bars on brown parchment paper decorated with whipped cream and zest; a bar is taken out showing the interior or another bar in focus

a key lime pie bar on a small plate with a fork taking out a bite and resting on the side. the bar has a graham cracker crust, a silky key lime interior, and whipped cream on top; decorated with lime zest

Read the full blog post below for detailed notes, tips, tricks, photos and videos.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

WHAT ARE KEY LIME PIE BARS?

Key lime pie is a classic American dessert that originated in the Florida Keys made with key limes, which are smaller and more aromatic than regular limes. The pie is known for its tangy and creamy filling made from key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks. The filling is poured into a graham cracker crust before being baked, and the pie is typically topped with either whipped cream or a meringue. It is a very refreshing, summery dessert.

Key Lime Pie Bars are simply a version of Key Lime Pie made in the shape of bars by baking in a square or rectangular pan instead of a round pie dish. In my opinion, bars are easier to make and serve than a pie!

WHAT MAKES THESE THE BEST KEY LIME PIE BARS?

These Key Lime Pie Bars have all the hallmarks of a perfect key lime pie:

A silky smooth texture. To me, this is the most important thing to get right! The key lime filling is supposed to be very creamy, almost like a no bake dessert - not eggy or dry - and these bars hit it out of the park in the texture department. They are so smooth and silky that they feel like a luxurious caress in your mouth
A sharp key lime flavor. Key lime pies aren't supposed to have a subtle flavor, they're supposed to let the key lime flavor shine and pop. These bars do just that, with a sharp, tangy and bright flavor that tastes like summer
Perfectly balanced layers. These bars have the perfect ratio of crust to key lime filling to whipped cream. The result is sublime: just enough crunch vs silk vs cream, and the right amount of sweetness to balance the tartness without overpowering it
They are ridiculously easy to make. A good recipe certainly loses points if it is overly fussy, and these bars certainly are not. They take 9 simple ingredients (including vanilla) and less than 15 minutes of work. They're so simple that it feels almost unfair that they look and taste so good!

sliced key lime pie bars on parchment paper, with one bar placed sideways to show the crust, filling and whipped cream layers

close up of a key lime pie bar standing vertically on a board next to other bars. it has a golden crust, silky key lime filling and whipped cream topping; picture from an angle

CAN I USE REGULAR LIMES INSTEAD OF KEY LIMES?

Of course, you will get the best results when using key limes. But if you can't find them where you live, don't worry, you can use regular limes (not lemon). Regular limes are larger and more sour than key limes, so I do recommend starting with a lower quantity of the juice and tasting to adjust the filling to your liking. And be sure to use fresh limes, not bottled juice!

CAN I BAKE KEY LIME PIE USING THIS RECIPE?

Yes! If you want a regular pie instead of bars, you can make this recipe in a 9" round pie pan instead of a 9" square pan. In that case, you will push the crust up the edges as well, not just pack it on the bottom. The baking time may be slightly longer, but not more than 2-3 minutes.

VIDEO TUTORIAL

Here is a short video tutorial for the best key lime pie bars:

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PROCESS WITH PHOTOS

The detailed recipe is in the recipe box below, but let's go over the steps with photos to help you visualize everything!

First, grind the graham crackers and mix them with melted butter:

key lime pie crumbs and melted butter in a glass bowl

graham cracker crumbs mixed with melted butter in a glass bowl

Press down tightly in the bottom of a 9x9" square baking pan and bake:

graham cracker crumbs in a square baking pan

graham cracker crust packed down tightly in a square baking pan

For the crust, start by juicing the key limes and zesting 2:

many key limes on a wooden cutting board

Add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and sour cream (or yogurt) and whisk to combine:

key lime filling ingredients in a glass bowl

process of making key lime filling in a glass bowl

Taste to adjust, then whisk in the egg yolks:

2 egg yolks added to key lime pie filling in a glass bowl

key lime pie filling in a glass bowl with a whisk

Pour onto the baked crust, and bake until set:

key lime filling poured onto crust in a square baking pan

baked key lime pie filling in square baking pan

When the bars are set, whip heavy cream with sugar to stiff peaks:

heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk whisked to stiff peaks

Slather the cream onto the bars:

whipped cream dolloped on top of key lime pie in a square pan

whipped cream spread on top of key lime pie bars in square pan

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

key lime pie bars on brown parchment paper decorated with whipped cream and zest

a key lime pie bar on a small plate. the bar has a graham cracker crust, a silky key lime interior, and whipped cream on top; decorated with lime zest

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