Today’s Key Lime Pie Bars are our go to dessert when we want something easy, refreshing, and full of flavor. With a buttery graham cracker crust and tangy lime filling, they are a simple treat that feels special enough for any gathering.
We have tested this recipe many times and keep coming back to it because it is so reliable. The filling is smooth and rich with just the right amount of citrus, and the chilled bars slice beautifully for serving. This is one we make every year when warm weather hits, and it always disappears fast.
If you love citrus desserts like this, you should also try our Lemon Bars, Key Lime Pie, and Lemon Cream Cheese Bars. These are all family favorites we keep in rotation.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Refreshing citrus flavor. The tangy lime filling makes these bars perfect for warm days or lighter desserts after dinner.
- Simple to make. Basic ingredients and easy steps make this recipe great for busy bakers. Just 10 ingredients. And aside from the chilling, they take about 30 minutes to make!
- Great for sharing. The square pan makes neat slices that are ideal for parties and potlucks.
- Make ahead dessert. These bars need chilling time, which makes them perfect to prep before guests arrive.
Key Lime Pie Bars Ingredients
Crust
- Graham crackers (15 sheets): Forms the classic buttery crumb crust that adds texture and sweetness. Honey graham crackers are our favorite. About 1¾ cups of graham cracker crumbs. Classic graham crackers can be substituted for gluten free ones or try making vanilla wafers or Shortbread Cookie crust.
- Sugar (2 tablespoons): Lightly sweetens the crust and helps it bake up golden.
- Salt (pinch): Balances the sweetness and enhances the graham flavor. Omit if using salted butter.
- Unsalted butter, melted (6 tablespoons): Binds the crumbs together and creates a rich, sturdy base for the bars.
Filling
- Cream cheese, room temperature (6 ounces): Adds creaminess and a slight tang that makes the filling smooth and rich. Full fat cream cheese gives the best texture.
- Sweetened condensed milk (1 (14-ounce) can): Sweetens and thickens the filling while giving it that classic key lime pie flavor.
- Egg yolks (4): Helps the filling set properly and adds richness. See How to Separate Egg Whites from yolks.
- Lime zest (1 tablespoon): Boosts fresh citrus flavor and aroma. See How to Zest a Lemon or lime.
- Key lime juice or regular lime juice (½ cup): Provides the signature tangy taste that makes these bars bright and refreshing. Make key lime juice by combining 3 tablespoons of lime juice with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Vanilla extract (½ teaspoon): Softens the citrus notes and adds warm depth of flavor.
- Optional garnish: Add a slice of lime, sprinkle with lime zest, add a dollop of Whipped Cream, or top with toasted coconut.
How to Make Key Lime Pie Bars
PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and set aside.
CRUST. In a food processor or in a large Ziploc bag with a rolling pin, crush 15 sheets graham crackers until fine crumbs form.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, a pinch of salt, and melted butter, and mix to combine. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the lined baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
FILLING. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add sweetened condensed milk and mix until combined.
Add egg yolks one at a time to the mixture, mixing well after each addition, followed by lime zest, key lime juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
BAKE. Pour the key lime filling over the hot, baked crust. Return to the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until set. The top should not be brown.
CHILL. Remove from the oven and chill in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours before serving.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature cream cheese to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth filling.
- Fresh lime zest makes a big difference in flavor, so zest before juicing for best results.
- Line the pan with parchment and leave overhang for easy lifting and cleaner slices.
- Do not overbake, the center should be set but still slightly soft when removed.
- Chill bars fully before cutting and store covered in the fridge which makes this a perfect make ahead dessert.
Key Lime Pie Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 15 sheets graham crackers, (or 30 squares)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- ½ cup key lime juice, or regular lime juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a food processor or in a large Ziploc bag with a rolling pin, crush the graham crackers until fine crumbs form.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, salt, and butter. Mix to combine. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the lined pan. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the condensed milk and mix until combined.
- Then, add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition followed by the lime zest, juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
- Pour the filling over the hot, baked crust. Return to the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until set. The top should not be brown. Remove from the oven and chill in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours before serving.
- Cut and serve, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Use room temperature cream cheese to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth filling.
- Fresh lime zest makes a big difference in flavor, so zest before juicing for best results.
- Line the pan with parchment and leave overhang for easy lifting and cleaner slices.
- Do not overbake, the center should be set but still slightly soft when removed.
- Chill bars fully before cutting and store covered in the fridge which makes this a perfect make ahead dessert.
- 15 sheets graham crackers is about 1¾ cups of crumbs.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Keep the key lime squares in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Place bars on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze. After a few hours, wrap each bar with plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
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This recipe was originally published May 2017.
Can I sub using lemons instead? It’s now lemon harvest time in Florida.
Lemon juice works great in place of lime juice. The bars will have a brighter, slightly sweeter flavor, perfect for your Florida lemon harvest!
Delicious every time, a must try
Awesome! It’s one of my favorites too, so I’m thrilled you enjoyed it.
These were so so good! Making again this weekend!
these key lime pie bars are everything that I wanted them to be and more! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
I had fun making these bars! So easy and turned out soooo great!
These are so delicious!
These sounds delicious and I’d like to try making these. Can they be made one day before an event? I wasn’t sure if the crust would get soggy sitting in the refrigerator overnight.
The balance of flavor (not too sweet), and textures (crust:cream ratio) makes this a top key lime dessert for me.
A great summer dessert! So refreshing and easy to make. You’ll love the taste.
These key lime pie bars were so easy to make and were so worth making.
These key lime pie bars are one of our go-to summer dessert recipes! They are sp refreshing and brimming with flavors.
I love a good lemon bar, and this key lime one is 1000 times better! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Do you literally go from oven to frig to chill or let them cool on the counter a bit? Thanks!
You can do it either way! Both work just fine to cool the bars down.
PERFECT!!!!
I followed directions word for word … YUMMY! Can’t wait to make it again!!!!!
Can you substitute anything for the egg yolks?
I have never tried subbing anything for the egg yolks. I’m sure you could search/google some egg yolk substitutions and see if any of them sound like a good fit with the recipe. I personally probably wouldn’t, but we’d love to hear if you do and what you used/how the bars turned out! 🙂
If you are using graham cracker crumbs then how much cup wise do you need? I’m making them gluten free and I bought gluten free graham cracker crumbs so I need to know how much to use?
It would be about 1 1/2 cups.
I doubled the recipe to bake in 13×9 pan and it was pure perfection!
Yay!! So glad that you loved it!
Just excellent! Easy to make. Instructions are clear. And the finished product has the right balance of sweet and tart!
Thanks for sharing! I’m so happy you liked them so much!
Have made these many times and absolutely love them. I did make just a couple of minor changes. I used the full 8 ounce block of cream cheese and omitted the vanilla extract. Adding the extra two ounces of cream cheese was actually a mistake the second time I made them, as I failed to read the recipe correctly. However, it didn’t at all affect the final product, and had the added benefit of eliminating 2 ounces of cream cheese sitting in my fridge with no future need. The vanilla would only have muted the tartness of the lime juice, and I don’t believe vanilla should come anywhere near citrus. These are delicious and very easy to make. No adjustment in cooking time with the added cream cheese.
Sounds great!! Thank you for sharing all that!
YUMMY!?i’ve Looked at A lot of key liMe pie/bar recipes Then landed on this one & decided to give it a try…and i’m loving it! Love the crust & the filling was on target-i used reg. Limes and added (1) Lemon to offset Some of the sharp-tartness (keyliMes are milder) and i’m thrilled to say they turned out awesome! My husband complimented them (me) several times while eating/enjoying his first piece-can’t wait to share with family/friends! DEFINITELY will make again? Thanks for sHaring This “deliciousness” with so many! *i used a glass 7-in.x 11-in. Baking dish & bars were perfect thickness
You are so welcome! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂 Glad it was a hit!
I made this Today. Excellent recipe! Everyone loved it!
So, glad! Thank you for letting me know!
I’ve made this several times and it is amazing. It would be helpful, however, if you would list SWEETENED condensed milk in the ingredients list. You have confirmed in the comments that this is the ingredient required but you have listed it as condensed milk in the recipe. I WOULD BET THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE MADE IT INCORRECTLY BECAUSE OF THIS AND THIS IS THE REASON THAT SOME COMMENTERS DOUBT THAT IT WILL BE SWEET ENOUGH. CONDENSED MILK HAS NO SUGAR OR SWEETNESS ADDED.
I have changed it. Thank you! I am glad you like these!
There is no sugar in the filling recipe. How is it sweet enough to set tart lime juice?
It really is sweet without it, with the condensed milk & vanilla. I hope you will try them!
Love this recipe
I am glad you do 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
These are dElicious. they took longer than 5 minutes prep but they were worth it
Glad you think so 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know that!
Do you roughly know how much crushed graham crackers comes out to? i want to use the precrushed stuff instead of crushing them myself.
Oh, man..I wish I knew for sure. This recipe is from a contributor, but I would think maybe a couple of cups?
I can’t wait to make these! I am making for a larger crowd. Do you think I could double the recipe and bake this in a 9×13 pan? Any idea what the cook time would be like?
I personally haven’t tried, but I am sure you could 🙂 Usually, when recipes are in a larger pan, the time is lessened, but since it is doubled, it may take longer. I would just check it at the normal time, then you can always add a couple min at a time.
Do you know if these bars would stack well? I would like to make these for a party, but I would need to be able to stack them in tupperware to get them there. Thanks!
I haven’t tried stacking them, but they are soft on the top. The crumb bottom, might stick to the top.
I have been searching for the perfect key lime bar recipe and this is it!! ThE search is finally over ?. This tastes just like the key liMe pie from California Pizza Kitchen!
Yay!! I am glad it does 🙂 Thank you for trying it!
Made this for dessert last night. Delicious!! Everyone loved these.
I am glad everyone liked it! Thank you for trying it!
Fabulous! my book club loved them. I used 3 egg yolks instead of 4.
I am happy to hear that!! Thank you for sharing that recipe 🙂
Hi there! I was curious if this requires sugar in the pie filling? Seems unusual to not have any sugar
It does not. It has the right amount of sweet, I promise 🙂
Can anyone tell me if it’s condensed milk OR sweetened condensed milk? With all the comments that it was not too sweet, I’m assuming it’s regular, but I’ve usually used sweetened with a recipe like this.
I have the same question. Is this recipe calling for condensed milk or sweetenEd condensed milk? Thanks!
Sweetened condensed milk 🙂
These came out amazing!! I’ve tried a number of key lime recipes over the years, but they were always too sweet or too tart or had the wrong crust to filling ratio. These were perfect! And so simple to make. I made them for a party and my husband and I ended up eating a few while I was cutting them and then decided to be greedy and save a few in the fridge for us for later. This will definitely be my go to recipe in the future. Thank you!!
Love that you saved some! They are that good! Thank you so much for letting me know!
So easy and so tasty. Have made them 3 times, had to double recipe and they came out great. Especially good on a hot summer day, so refreshing. My family now requests these.
I love hearing that! Thank you for giving them a try! I am glad your family likes them!
This recipe is great!
The only thing I changed was the crust because of necessity I ended up using vanilla cookies and honey teddy grahams. Processed about a cup of each. An 8 x 8 pan. Left out the vanilla in the mix because of the vanilla cookies.
Everything else was the same. I knew it was going to be good when it called for that much lime juice and zest. Also enjoyed that it was half cream cheese half condensed milk. Came out tangy and creamy not overly sweet. It was great w a little lime wedge on top.
Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome!! Those changes sound great! Thank you for trying it!
I made these tonight and they came out fabulous! I tried a different one before and it didnt work out very well.. but this one is perfect, that just right flavor, not to sweet not to tart. Will definitely keep in my recipe book, thank you so much for sharing.. hats off to the baker
So, glad you liked it!! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Alright, so I hate those recipe reviewers who don’t follow the recipe (like substituting healthier ingredients) and write bad reviews. But I did do a couple things differently.
First, I don’t actually own a 9×9 pan, so I made this in an 8×8 pan and I didn’t have to adjust the cook time very much to get the same result (the crust cooked for the same amount of time, but I did leave the whole thing in there for 20 minutes after I poured in the filling).
I only had 25 graham cracker squares and I can’t drive (I had already walked two miles just to get the condensed milk), so I figured with the smaller pan it wouldn’t make much difference. But I did have to use 8 tablespoons of butter just to get the crust close to the right consistency, and I would still add a couple more tablespoons next time to get the crust the way I usually like it.
That, however, is my only complaint about the recipe. These Key Lime Pie Bars are delicious and a great snack or an end to any meal.
Thanks so much Phoebe for letting me know. I’m glad you liked them!
Do you know if these bars would freeze well? Thank you!!
I haven’t personally tried, so I don’t want to say yes or no. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t be ok. You can freeze cheesecake & other desserts.