Our Key Lime Pie Bars have a graham cracker crust under a creamy key lime filling and topped with whipped cream. They're easy to make and perfect for parties, potlucks, or anytime!
Want more pie recipes? Try Lemon Cream Pie, Coconut Cream Pie, Banana Cream Pie, or No-Bake Cheesecake!
Key Lime Pie Bars mean working smarter, not harder.
Key Lime Pie Bars mean working smarter, not harder.There are a few reasons I transformed my favorite Key Lime Pie , into bars. Mainly, they are really easy to cut and serve this way, as a simple finger food–no fork (or even plate) needed. They're also easier transport in a baking dish with a lid, to stack in the fridge, etc. You can also double the recipe in a 9×13” pan to feed more guests, very easily. And the best part is they're just as delicious as “pie” with a creamy, tart lime filling.
How to make Key Lime Pie Bars:
Make Graham Cracker Crust: Mix sugar, melted butter, and graham crackers together then press into an 8″ square baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350°F then let cool.
Make Filling: Beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth, then add sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest, mixing until smooth. Pour over graham cracker crust and bake for 10 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The bars can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, stored in the fridge. The graham cracker pie crust could be made several days ahead, stored at room temperature or in the fridge.
To Freeze: Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
More Bar Recipes:
- Lemon Bars
- Pecan Pie Bars
- Scotcheroos
- Magic Bars
- S'mores Bars
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Homemade Twix Bars
- Chocolate Brownies
- Peppermint Brownies
- Butterscotch Blondies
- Peanut Butter Bars
- Butterfinger Bars
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Recipe
Key Lime Pie Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheets, crushed)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons butter , melted
Key lime filling:
- 2 14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 3/4 cup key lime juice*
- zest of 2 regular limes , or 4 key limes
- fresh whipped cream , for topping, optional
Instructions
- Make Crust: For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter and press into an 8'' square baking pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before adding filling.
- Filling: Add cream cheese to a mixing bowl then beat well with electric beaters until smooth. Add both cans of sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest then mix again until smooth.
- Bake: Pour over prepared graham cracker crust and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, before serving.
- Serve: Top with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe June 2015. Updated November 2020 and November 2024.
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I don’t usually comment on recipes I find online but I had to say something about this one.
It’s amazing!!! The recipe is so simple to follow and put together. I only tweaked it a tiny bit to fit my preferences by adding less sugar to the crust and the zest of only 1 lime to the filling, but otherwise used the exact ingredients. As someone who usually uses lime juice because it’s cheaper and I didn’t think it made a big difference I highly recommend you splurge and buy the key lime juice because I realize now that it makes a HUGE difference in the flavor.
Due to some reviews saying their bars were still soupy I ended up cooking for the suggested 10 mins but then turning off the oven and propping the door open for about an hour before removing the bars and letting them cool on the counter.
The texture was absolutely perfect, very smooth and creamy. Not quite as thick as cheesecake but thick enough to hold its shape. I also added sugar free cool whip on top and it mellowed out the sweet/sourness just the right amount. I’ve added this recipe to my collection and will definitely be making it again!
I’ll say it was very easy to make and minimum baking time which is plus for summertime desserts. But I didn’t care for the taste. It was too sour for me. Sort of makes sense with all that lime juice you use to counterbalance the sweetness of the condensed milk. I decided to make whipped cream to top it up thinking it will bring more balance to the pie but didn’t help much.
10 minutes is not nearly enough. It was still soupy. It went 20-25 minutes and was still wiggly.
Brought this to a dinner party for 25. I doubled the recipe to make in a 9X13 pan (cooked it for 15 minutes). It was a big hit! A friend texted to say they were even better the next day!
This is our new summer favorite. Easy to make and delicious! Could I substitute orange zest and fresh orange juice for the lime to make this more of a dreamsicle flavored pie? And if so in what proportions? Thanks!
Has anyone used sweetened, condensed coconut milk and df cream cheese for this recipe?
I made these yesterday and they were PERFECT! I used a GF cookie as the crust base but everything else was exactly as the recipe said and my family loved them! Thanks for this recipe!
The Key Lime Bar dessert has become a favorite go to recipe!