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With a creamy filling that is both tart and sweet and a coconut graham cracker crust, these Key Lime Pie Bars are the definition of summer in one perfect bite! These bars are easy to make and a great alternative to a traditional key lime pie.
I don’t know if you happened to catch my post last week for Key Lime Pie Ice Cream, but I’ve pretty much been obsessed with key lime everything since then, so I thought it was the perfect time to share these super simple Key Lime Pie Bars with you.
They’ve been on the site for ages, but they were definitely in need of a little refresh, so I tweaked the recipe and added new photos.
And now I’m just over here contemplating what key lime dessert to whip up next!
EASY KEY LIME PIE BARS
I love key lime pie. I love the tart flavor of the key limes, I love the creamy sweetness of the sweetened condensed milk, I love the pairing of the creamy filling with the graham cracker crust.
And unlike another classic citrus pie, lemon meringue pie, I love how simple it is to make key lime pie filling. Zero fuss.
But you also know that I love a good bar dessert. Being able to cut a dessert into bars and share it easily is one of my favorite moves.
So of course I had to turn key lime pie into bars!
Because key lime and coconut go so well together, I also wanted to add some coconut flavor to these bars.
I ended up adding some sweetened flaked coconut into the graham cracker crust. The coconut adds a subtle flavor and a bit of extra texture to the bars, which I love a lot!
I like to top these bars with a dollop of whipped cream and toasted coconut before serving, but they’re just as delicious straight from the fridge before bed. Ask me how I know.
HOW TO MAKE KEY LIME BARS
To make these bars, start by mixing together the graham cracker crust ingredients and pressing it down in a 8×8-inch pan that’s been lined with parchment paper.
I recommend leaving a “handle” of parchment paper over at least 2 sides of the pan. This will make it much easier to pull the bars out of the pan for cutting later.
To press the crust into the pan, grab a measuring cup or a glass with a flat bottom. Using the flat bottom of the cup or glass will make it easier to press the crust into an even layer!
Bake the crust for about 8 minutes while you whisk together the filling.
To make the key lime bar filling, just whisk the ingredients together in a bowl.
That’s it. I told you this was easy!
Pour the filling onto the baked crust and pop it back into the oven for about 12 minutes. You’ll know the bars are done when tiny pinholes burst on the surface of the filling. But be careful not to let the filling brown!
Let the bars cool on a wire rack and then chill in the fridge for several hours before using the parchment “handles” to gently lift the bars out of the pan, cut, and serve.
WHAT IF I CAN’T FIND KEY LIMES?
Finding fresh key limes at the store can be hit or miss. And honestly, tiny key limes are kind of a pain to juice anyway.
So here’s my secret: I buy key lime juice instead of fresh key limes.
My grocery store carries Nellie & Joe’s key lime juice, but any brand you find should work just fine.
If you do want to use fresh key limes, here’s a tip for juicing them: Use a (clean) garlic press to juice those tiny little suckers!
CAN I USE A 9X9 PAN INSTEAD?
I baked my Key Lime Pie Bars in an 8×8-inch pan. I like the thick layer of filling that you get when you bake them up in an 8×8 pan, but you could use a 9×9-inch pan instead.
If you’re using a 9×9-inch pan, the filling and crust layers will be slightly thinner, but equally delicious. Just reduce the baking time for the filling to 5-8 minutes instead of 10-12 minutes.
A HELPFUL TIP FOR CUTTING THESE BARS
Whenever I cut a dessert with a chilled filling, whether it be Key Lime Pie Bars or Vanilla Cheesecake or Cheesecake Brownies, I use a simple trick to get a nice clean cut.
Grab a large knife and run it under very hot water for a few seconds. Quickly wipe it dry on a clean towel and then cut the bars or cheesecake. The knife will be hot enough to cleanly cut through the filling.
Just clean the knife off between each cut, running it back under the hot water as needed if it starts to cool off.
Voila! Clean edges that will make you look like a pro.
Key Lime Pie Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers about 2/3 of a sleeve
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
For the filling
- 3 cups sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup key lime juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the crumbs, coconut and sugar; add butter and blend well. Press onto the prepared pan.
- Bake for 8 minutes; cool on wire rack.
For the Filling
- In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill thoroughly before serving, at least 2-4 hours. Cut into 16 bars; garnish with whipped cream and toasted coconut.
Notes
- If using a 9×9-inch pan, bake the filling for 5 to 8 minutes.
- I use Nellie & Joe’s key lime juice when I cannot find fresh key limes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
In the notes it states, “If using a 9×9-inch pan, bake the filling for 5 to 8 minutes.” But its a 9×9 pan that is listed in the regular recipe. If the 9×9 is the alternative pan, what is SUPPOSE to be the correct size? I take it this is a type or error? Thanks
Hello! Thanks for catching that! It was supposed to say 8×8-inch pan in the instructions. The note on the 9×9-inch pan is correct. I have updated the recipe card. Thanks for stopping by!
Jamie
I don’t like coconut and I do love savory mixed with sweet so I have started substituting old-fashioned saltine crackers for graham crackers and am very pleased with how they cut the sweetness yet leave the sweetness, if that makes any sense. (I grew up eating fudge sandwiched between saltine crackers so I guess that’s where all this started.) And obviously I left out the coconut but made it available to my daughter to sprinkle on hers.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the bars, Sandy! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Are 2 cans of condensed milk enough or do I need more? I will try them out!! I love key lime pie!!
Hello! I needed 3 of the larger cans. Hope this helps!
Jamie
I made these for Mother’s Day and they were delicious. I did leave out the coconut. Thanks !
So happy to hear you enjoyed them, Christine! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and leave your feedback!
-Jamie
Thanks for a great recipe .Made these,were a big success!
Thank you for this! Lime for my sister and coconut for my mom. Perfect!!
Just made this recipe using key limes off my tree in my backyard…it was so easy and delicious! Brought it to work and my co-workers all loved it. Thank you.
Nicole-
Lucky you! I would love to be able to have a lime tree. I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Happy holidays!
-Jamie
I love your blog and recipes. I’ve been in the Foodservice industry for 26 years and helped design and market gourmet desserts. Your creativity rocks! Keep it up.
These were fabulous! I made them for a Labor Day Weekend party and they were loved by everyone, even the toddler in the group. I made them in an 8×8 pyrex baking pan lined with parchment overhanging the edges so that I could pull them out to cut. Worked great. I did add a few extra minutes to the baking time to adjust for the extra thick bars. Also, I used about 14 rectangular graham crackers (a sleeve and a half…I think) to get 1 and 1/2 cups crushed.
Kristen-
I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the key lime pie bars – thanks for coming back and letting us know the recipe was a success in your kitchen! Have a great day.
-Jamie
looks wonderful how many does this serve?