Description
Zesty, creamy Key Lime Crack bars with a buttery graham cracker crust, silky lime-sweetened filling, and pillowy whipped cream topping. Bright, tangy, and utterly addictive, perfect chilled for summer gatherings or a sunny dessert fix.
Ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs — 2 cups
- Unsalted butter, melted — 1/2 cup (113 g)
- Granulated sugar — 1/4 cup (50 g)
- Sweetened condensed milk — 2 cans (14 oz each, 396 g each)
- Key lime juice, freshly squeezed — 3/4 cup (180 ml)
- Lime zest — 1 tablespoon (from about 2 limes)
- Cream cheese, softened — 4 oz (113 g)
- Whipped cream — 1 cup (240 ml)
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy lifting.
- Combine Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form a compact crust.
- Assemble the Dish: In a separate bowl, beat the sweetened condensed milk, fresh key lime juice, lime zest, and softened cream cheese until smooth and fully combined. Pour the filling evenly over the prepared crust.
- Cook to Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the filling is just set and not browned. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
- Finishing Touches: Once cooled, spread the whipped cream evenly over the top and sprinkle additional lime zest for fragrance and color.
- Serve and Enjoy: Chill the bars in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Use the parchment overhang to lift the slab from the pan, slice into 16 bars, and serve chilled.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed key lime juice and fresh zest for the brightest citrus flavor.
- Chill overnight for the best texture and easiest, cleanest slices.
- Line the pan with parchment that extends over the edges to lift the entire slab out for neat cutting.
- Adjust lime juice to taste if you prefer a tangier or milder profile.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/16 of recipe)
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg