Easy Key Lime Pie Bars

Love key lime desserts? This easy key lime pie bars recipe features a buttery cookie crust, sweet and tangy key lime filling, and a creamy cream cheese topping for the best-ever three-layer treat. Whether you bake them in a 9x13 pan for squares or make mini bites, these key lime cheesecake bars are a must-try for any citrus lover. Pin this now so you have a refreshing and delicious key lime recipe ready whenever you need it!

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Why this is the best key lime pie bars recipe

This citrusy dessert is delicious! Everyone loves cheesecake, and everyone loves key lime pie, and these treats will delight both kids and adults alike.

The contrast between the crispy cookie crust, the sweet key lime pie filling, and the creamy cheesecake is sublime. You won't be able to eat just one.

Most of the ingredients for this easy recipe are common and easy to find. You probably have most of the simple ingredients already in your pantry. The exception is key limes, which can be tricky to find outside of very large grocery stores. If you have trouble finding them, you can substitute standard limes or buy key lime juice on Amazon.

It's an irresistible flavor combination! The combination of tangy cheesecake and sweet key lime is always a crowd-pleaser.

What are key limes?

Key limes are small, spherical limes that have a very tart, almost bitter flavor. Key limes are often used in very sweet desserts because the sugar balances out the acidity.

Key limes are usually ping pong to golf ball sized, and they are green when picked but yellowish when ripe. When you buy them, you will want to pick key limes that are firm but not hard and heavy for their size (this means more juice).

It can be hard to find key limes in US grocery stores, so you may need to buy key lime juice instead. Freshly squeezed juice always tastes better, but if you can't get whole key limes, jarred juice is an alternative.

Differences aside, you use key limes just like you'd use their larger cousins. Wash and dry them, use a microplane grater or zester to remove the zest, and then squeeze them using a citrus press.

A normal (Persian) lime contains 2-3 tablespoons of juice, but a key lime only contains 2-3 teaspoons of juice because it's so much smaller. This recipe calls for 1 cup of key lime juice and a ¼ cup of key lime zest, so if you're using whole key limes, you're going to need 20 or maybe even a few more to get enough.

Can you use normal limes in place of key limes?

Yes, you can. You will need fewer fresh limes, obviously, because Persian limes are three times bigger than key limes. If you're using "normal" limes, you will probably only need 6-8.

Remember that the juice of key limes is so tart that it's almost bitter, so you will need less sugar in the recipe if you're using standard limes. Start with 2 cups, mix up the lime filling, and then taste it. Add more sugar if it needs more. The recipe calls for 3 cups, but you definitely won't need that much if you're using Persian limes.

What you'll need to make key lime pie bars

Equipment

• Deep 9x13 pan - This is to bake the key lime bars.
• Parchment paper - This is to line the baking dish, to make removing the bars easier. If you use parchment, you can just lift them all out instead of trying to use a spatula to get out one at a time.
• Sifter - This is necessary to get the flour and powdered sugar to the correct consistency before mixing the cookie crust.
• Food processor - This is how you will mix the key lime pie filling. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a blender and just pulse it on a slow setting.
• Electric mixer - This is the whip the heavy cream and cream cheese for the cheesecake layer. I use a hand mixer, but you could use a stand mixer instead if you have one.

Ingredients

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutrition facts.

For the crust

• All-purpose flour or a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking mix - This is the foundation of the cookie crust. You can make it gluten-free by switching the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free baking mix.
• Powdered sugar - This may be labeled 10X sugar, confectioner's sugar, or icing sugar. It's all the same thing. You'll need more for the cheesecake topping.
• Salt - Salt balances out the sweetness in the cookie crust. Don't leave it out.
• Melted butter - It doesn't matter whether the butter is salted or unsalted. Use what you have. If you're buying butter specifically for this recipe, I'd personally buy unsalted.
• Shredded coconut - You can use sweetened or unsweetened coconut, to your preference. I used unsweetened.

For the key lime pie filling

• Granulated white sugar - This sugar will dissolve in the liquid, so it's not necessary to use powdered sugar to get a smooth texture.
• Zest from key limes - Fresh lime zest goes into the key lime filling, and it's also used for garnish at the end. If you have whole fresh key limes, I would zest all of them. Better to have more zest than you need than to not have enough. If you can't get fresh key limes, buy some regular limes and zest them instead.
• Freshly squeezed key lime juice - As mentioned above, if you cannot find whole fresh key limes, you can use key lime juice from a jar as an alternative.
• Room temperature eggs - These bind the key lime pie filling together and give it body. They will blend into the filling more easily and make a fluffier filling if they are room temperature and not chilled.
• Green food color - This is optional. If you don't mind your key lime pie bars being a sort of off-whitish color, you can leave the food color out.

For the whipped cheesecake topping

• Chilled heavy cream - The temperature of your ingredients matters! Cream is the opposite of eggs. Chilled cream makes lighter, fluffier whipped cream because the fat molecules form a more stable structure when they're cold.
• Powdered sugar - Half of this will go into the whipped cream, and the other half will go into the cream cheese. You don't want to use plain white sugar here because that will make the cheesecake topping grainy.
• Coconut extract - This may be labeled coconut flavoring. It is optional.
• Room temperature cream cheese - Stick with the full-fat cream cheese, not the low fat, which will taste weird. If this is cold, it will be impossible to blend into the whipped cream.
• shredded coconut - As above, this can be sweetened or unsweetened, to your preference.

How to make key lime cheesecake bars

For the cookie crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray. Set aside.
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2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together 2½ cups of flour, powdered sugar, and salt.
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3. Add melted butter to the flour mixture and whisk until combined. Add coconut flakes and mix well.
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4. Pour the dough into the prepared pan and press into a flat, even layer using a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup.
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5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is a light golden color around the edges.

For the key lime pie filling

1. Zest the key limes. If you're using key lime juice from a bottle, buy some standard limes and zest them instead. You need lime zest in this recipe.
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2. Place granulated sugar in a food processor or mixer, and add in the 3 tablespoons lime zest. Pulse or blend until the zest is fully incorporated and sugar is a light green color.
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3. Add the remaining half cup of flour to the sugar mixture in the food processor and blend well.
4. Add lime juice, eggs, and green food coloring (if using), and pulse until completely combined.
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5. Pour the filling over the crust and place back in the oven.
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6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning the pan after 15 minutes. Check for doneness by wiggling the pan. If it doesn’t jiggle in the middle, it’s done. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and allow to cool for an hour before chilling in the fridge for at least two hours.
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For the whipped cheesecake topping

1. Pour the chilled cream, 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, and coconut extract into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for approximately 2 minutes until thick and spreadable.
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2. In a second medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar on medium-high speed for approximately 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
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3. Fold the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture, adding 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut flakes.
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4. Spoon the cheesecake topping onto the chilled key lime filling and spread evenly with a spatula. Chill.
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5. When the cheesecake layer is set, cut into bars of desired size. For easiest cutting, use a clean, sharp knife, and dampen the blade with a wet paper towel between slices.
6. If you wish to toast the remaining coconut flakes for garnish, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Evenly spread coconut flakes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 4-5 minutes, then toss a little, and bake another minute or two, until golden brown.
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7. Garnish bars with toasted coconut,
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8. key lime zest,
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9. reserved powdered sugar,
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10. and key lime wedges as desired.
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Variations & substitutions

You can make these lemon bars by using lemon zest and lemon juice. Don't add as much sugar, and taste the filling before you bake it to make sure it tastes right.

Same with using standard limes. You can use regular lime juice, just use less sugar and taste the filling before you bake it.

I think you could probably use oranges or any citrus fruit really.

As I said above, you can use all-purpose flour or a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking mix.

Storing leftovers

Place leftovers in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Try these other delicious desserts:

• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
• Mandarin Orange Fluff Jello Salad
• Orange Creamsicle Cake
• Sparkling Pink Lemonade with Berries and Mint

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