Description
Zesty key lime bars bring sunshine from Florida’s groves to your dessert plate with tangy sweetness and buttery graham cracker crust. Creamy filling and delicate balance of flavors invite sweet memories of tropical afternoons spent savoring delightful citrus treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Key Ingredients:
- 1 can (14 ounces / 396 grams) sweetened condensed milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) key lime juice
Crust Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Garnish Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- Powdered sugar
- Whipped cream
- Lime slices (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by setting the temperature to 350°F (175°C), ensuring an optimal baking environment.
- Create a convenient lifting mechanism for the bars by lining a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing extra material to hang over the edges.
- Craft the crust by thoroughly blending graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter into a cohesive, slightly moistened mixture.
- Transform the crumb mixture into a uniform base by pressing it evenly and firmly across the bottom of the prepared pan, creating a compact foundation.
- Initiate the crust’s initial cooking phase by placing the pan in the preheated oven and baking for approximately 8-10 minutes, watching for a delicate golden hue to develop.
- Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool momentarily, establishing a stable platform for the subsequent layers of the key lime bars.
Notes
- Swap graham crackers with gluten-free alternatives like almond flour or gluten-free cookie crumbs for celiac or gluten-sensitive diets.
- For a richer crust, add finely chopped toasted nuts like pecans or almonds to enhance the texture and bring deeper nutty undertones.
- Ensure butter is completely melted and evenly mixed to create a uniform, compact crust that holds together without crumbling when sliced.
- Use room temperature eggs and fresh key lime juice for the most vibrant, tangy flavor that makes these bars truly zesty and bright.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg