Easy Key Lime Bars

Key Lime Bar on a white plate with fork.

4.85 from 13 votes

These Key Lime Pie Bars feature a smooth, tangy key lime filling on a buttery graham cracker crust, topped with whipped cream for the perfect balance of sweet and tart!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Bars

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 269kcal

Author: Gabriela

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup finely ground graham crackers or digestive biscuits
4 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted
6 large egg yolks
3 teaspoons finely grated lemon/lime zest
1 ⅓ cups fresh lime/lemon juice about 5- 6 big limes, key limes or regular lemons
28 ounces condensed milk (2 cans/14oz)
½ cup heavy cream
2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).
In a food processor, pulse together the graham crackers and butter until you obtain a wet sandy mixture.
Press the mixture of crumbs onto the bottom of a 9x13 inches size baking pan.
Bake the crust for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Let cool and leave the oven on.

Filling:

Mix egg yolks and lemon zest with an electric mixer until VERY thick, about 5 minutes.
Add condensed milk in a slow, steady stream, mixing constantly. Add lemon juice and mix until combined.
Spread filling evenly over crust and bake until filling is just set for about 12- 15 minutes. Let cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Beat the cold heavy cream with a little sugar (2-3 tablespoons or less) and spread evenly over the lemon bars.
Decorate with lemon zest, slices of lemon, etc.

Notes

Key Lime Substitute: If you can't find fresh key limes, regular limes (Persian limes) work just fine. You can also use lemon juice for convenience.
Crust Variation: Swap graham crackers for vanilla wafers or Biscoff cookies for a unique twist.
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage, up to 3 months.
Make-Ahead Tip: These bars taste even better the next day as the flavors meld together!
Topping Options: Traditionally, key lime pie was topped with meringue, but whipped cream is a modern favorite.

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