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These Key Lime Pie Bars are fresh and creamy with a perfect limey zip! With a graham cracker cookie crust and fluffy whipped topping this is the last Key Lime Pie recipe you will ever need.
Key Lime Pie Bar Recipe
If your definition of the best key lime pie is fresh, tangy, creamy, and sweet with a buttery graham cracker crust and dollops of whipped topping – you are in the right place! Instead of using a small pie dish, you will make this into pie bars with a 9×13 pan. Key Lime Pie Bars are ideal for larger groups, serve up well, and are so easy to throw together!
A couple of recipe notes:
- Make sure that you do not over bake the cookie crust!!!
- You HAVE to use fresh lime juice. Bottled lime juice will not give you enough flavor (trust me…).
What Ingredients are in Key Lime Pie Bars?
- Salted butter – I prefer to use salted butter in my kitchen. If you prefer unsalted butter, feel free! Just add an extra pinch of salt to the crust.
- Granulated sugar
- Grown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Graham crackers, crushed – I use regular graham crackers, but cinnamon graham crackers would be delightful in this!
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
Key Lime Pie Filling + Toppings
- Cream cheese – You need to use the block of cream cheese! Not the spreadable kind you use on bagels.
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Lime juice – You MUST use real lime juice. Do not use bottled lime juice. Trust me, I tried it and it is a no go. There is not nearly as much flavor and your pie will end up just tasting like cream cheese.
- Powdered sugar
- Lime zest – This is optional, but I love the extra kick of flavor!
- Limes, cut into wedges – For serving.
- Whipped topping, thawed
How to Make Key Lime Pie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and set side.
- Using an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
- Next, add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix until light in color and creamy.
- Add in the dry ingredients (flour, crushed graham crackers, baking soda, baking powder and salt) and mix into the dough until completely combined.
- Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15-17 minutes or until the edges are turning golden brown and the center no longer looks wet and glossy.
- Allow the cookie layer to cool completely.
- Once the cookie crust has cooled completely, make the filling by creaming the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in the sweetened condensed milk and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Next, add in the powdered sugar, lime zest and lime juice. Remember, you can always add in more lime juice but you can’t take some out. So start small and add more until the flavor is to your preference.
- Once your pie filling is finished, pour and spread it onto the cookie crust.
- Place the whole pan into the fridge and let it chill for 15 minutes.
- Once chilled, top with the whipped topping and lime slices.
- Cut and enjoy! Store in the fridge.
How should I store Key Lime Pie Bars?
Store assembled Pie bars in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Pie Recipes You’ll Love
Key Lime Pie Bars
These Key Lime Pie Bars are fresh and creamy with a perfect limey zip! With a graham cracker cookie crust and fluffy whipped topping this is the last Key Lime Pie recipe you will ever need.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (167g) salted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (76g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (185g) brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (304g) all-purpose flour
- 1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed , (1 sleeve is 9 full crackers)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Key Lime Pie Filling + Toppings
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, room temperature
- 7 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4-1/2 cup lime juice
- 4 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 lime, zested , (optional but I love the extra kick of flavor!)
- 2 limes, cut into wedges for serving
- 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and set side.
- Using an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.3/4 cup (167g) salted butter, softened, 1/3 cup (76g) granulated sugar, 3/4 cup (185g) brown sugar
- Next, add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix until light in color and creamy.2 eggs, 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- Add in the dry ingredients (flour, crushed graham crackers, baking soda, baking powder and salt) and mix into the dough until completely combined.2 cups (304g) all-purpose flour, 1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed , 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
- Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15-17 minutes or until the edges are turning golden brown and the center no longer looks wet and glossy.
- Allow the cookie layer to cool completely.
- Once the cookie crust has cooled completely, make the filling by creaming the cream cheese until smooth.1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, room temperature
- Add in the sweetened condensed milk and mix until thoroughly combined.7 oz sweetened condensed milk
- Next, add in the powdered sugar, lime zest and lime juice. Remember, you can always add in more lime juice but you can’t take some out. So start small and add more until the flavor is to your preference.1/4-1/2 cup lime juice, 4 tbsp powdered sugar, 1 lime, zested
- Once your pie filling is finished, pour and spread it onto the cookie crust.
- Place the whole pan into the fridge and let it chill for 15 minutes.
- Once chilled, top with the whipped topping and lime slices.2 limes, cut into wedges for serving, 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
- Cut and enjoy! Store in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 158mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
My son (24 years) chose these for his birthday dessert this weekend. Wow, these are delicious, refreshing, and such a great summer option! Your recipes haven’t failed me yet!
Delicious! I made these for a friends cookout. They were a hit. I used lime zest and 1/3 cup lime juice, otherwise to recipe. They were perfect.
Freaking awesome. Karli, never stop! I just did the zest on top and it’s the perfect amount of key lime layer because I put tons of lime because it’s the best.
Hey, these look amazing! Should I just double the recipe if I want to make them in a larger size pan (11×17)?
Hi! You can double this recipe and bake it in a 11×17, however, the dough will be thicker and need to bake a little longer. I would actually recommend making 1.5 times the recipe for an 11×17 pan to keep the bake time and finished texture the same.