Key Lime Pie Bars
Key Lime Pie is all about the layers. A layer of crust, a layer of lime curd, and a heaping layer of whipped cream. What more could you want? These tasty key lime pie bars are the perfect summer treat.
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups crushed vanilla wafer cookies
- 1 cup crush graham cracker
- 5 tablespoon melted butter
Lime Curd
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 large egg yolks
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- zest of lime
- ½ cup lime juice
Whipped Cream
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 4- 6 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8x8 baking dish with parchment and set aside.
- In a food processor, blend the vanilla wafers and graham crackers until they resembled a sandy texture. Once combined slowly add the melted butter. The cookies should come together, but still be sandy.
- Add the cookie mixture to the pan and press firmly to form an even crust. You can do this using the bottom of your palms, or with an additional piece of parchment. You want the crust to be flat and even. If the crust looks a little too sandy, you can add in more melted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Place the pan with the crust in the oven while you make the filling. The crust should cook about 10-12 minutes and should start to turn a golden brown.
- Make the filling. In a medium-sized bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cream cheese until it is fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg yolks and beat until combined. Next, add in the sweetened condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Beat all ingredients together until combined. Pour the mixture over the crust and place back in the oven. Bake the bars for about 16-18 minutes, or until the edges of the bars start to turn a golden brown.
- While the bars are cooling, make the whipped cream. In a medium-sized bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the heavy whipping cream. Beat on low until bubbles start to form, then increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high. Beat the mixture until stiff peaks start to form. Once the peaks are formed, add in the vanilla and half of the powdered sugar. Beat for about another minute, or until your desired texture is formed. Gradually fold in the remaining powdered sugar until the desired sweetness is reached. Place whipped cream in the refrigerator to chill until needed.
- Once the bars are cooled, let them cool completely, for about 30 minutes. Once they are completely cool, place the bars in the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours. You can also chill the bars overnight.
- Once the chilling process is complete, add the whipped cream. You may have to mix the whipped cream for a minute or so if it fell during the chilling process. Top bars with a heaping spoonful of whipped cream and smooth until flat. Place the bars back in the fridge to chill for an hour.
- Once the chilling is complete, take the bars out and cut into small squares. Store the bars in an air-tight container in the fridge. They should last for about 1 week.