Key Lime Pie Bars

Homemade creamy key lime pie bars! A refreshing dessert that screams “summer in Florida.” I’ve had many key lime desserts and most of them are slightly too sweet… to the point where it gets obnoxious to eat. These are perfect because they’re still sweet but the acidity of the lime juice and the sour cream really  make them balanced.

THE KEY LIME PIE BARS EXPLAINED:

A buttery, nilla wafer and graham cracker crust with brown sugar. Then there’s a super creamy, tangy, sweet, key lime filling. Topped with a less-sweet whipped cream to really help cut the overall sweetness and it pairs nicely with the tang from the key limes.

FAQ’s:

why don’t these bars have eggs, flour, or any other bonding ingredients to hold them together?

I have used eggs in key lime pie bars before and they never had this creamy texture. Flour just doesn’t go in this type of dessert, it would result in an odd texture. What bonds these bars together is the sweetened condensed milk being baked and chilled, as well as the cornstarch for stability. When you mix the filling ingredients together, you’ll notice the combination of ingredients result in a thicker consistency the more you add key lime juice.

grocery list:

• nilla wafers
• graham crackers
• brown sugar
• butter
• sweetened condensed milk
• sour cream
• key lime juice
• cornstarch
• heavy cream
• sugar

equipment list:

• square baking pan (8×8)
• square parchment paper (8×8)
• sharp/good knives

*link to my amazon storefront to purchase equipment*

Key Lime Pie Bars

Nilla wafer and graham cracker crust, with a creamy key lime filling.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 17 minutes mins

Cooling Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 27 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9 bars

Calories 1037 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Key Lime Pie Bars

• 1 cup (80g) nilla wafers
• 1/2 cup (65g) graham crackers
• ¼ cup (45g) brown sugar
• 5 tbsp butter , melted
• 28 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup key lime juice
• ½ tbsp cornstarch

Whipped Cream

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 8x8 baking dish and line with parchment paper and set aside.
• Crush Nilla Wafers and graham crackers in food processor or Ziploc bag with a rolling pin, until fine. In a medium mixing bowl, mix crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter until crumbs are well coated. Press crumbs evenly into bottom of the pan. Bake for 7 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, and lime juice until well combined, using a rubber spatula to scrape edges and ensure all is combined.
• Pour filling evenly on top of cooled crust, bake for 10-15 minutes, it will still be somewhat jiggly but it will become firm once chilled. Set aside and let cool for about 30 min-1 hour, transfer to the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
• To make the whipped cream, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla extract then whip until semi-stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread onto bars. Dip a sharp knife in hot water before cutting to make clean cuts.

Nutrition

Calories: 1037kcal

Keyword bars, key lime

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