DIY Key Lime Bars

These key lime bars are amazing.

I could just leave it at that, but really these are ridiculously good. As in they rival chocolate desserts good. And given how much I like chocolate, that is really saying something.

I combined these two recipes to make this Key Lime Bar Recipe.

Use freshly squeezed key lime juice for this recipe. The bars will be yellow in color, unless you add green food coloring, but delicious either way.

In the photos I made the wedge shaped bars in a round pan, no food coloring, and using oil for the crust. The square bars were baked in a square pan (imagine that), with green food coloring, and butter for the crust. Both were amazing, but I said that already, so here is the recipe.

Homemade Key Lime Bar Recipe

Crust

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter (you can use oil if you want, but butter is definitely better)
• 1/4 cup sugar

1. Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut together with a pastry cutter, unless corse crumbs are formed.
2. Press crumbs into a greased 8x8 or 8-9 inch round cake pan. (You may want to line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil to remove more easily if not using a silicone pan.)
3. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes, until golden.
4. Let cool at least slightly.

Filling

• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1-3 tsp key lime zest (extra zest for garnishing if desired)
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• Green food coloring (optional)
• Powdered sugar for dusting right before serving (optional)

1. Zest and juice limes. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl combine sugar and flour.
3. Beat in eggs until well combined.
4. Add lime juice and zest (and green food coloring if desired). Beat until well combined again.
5. Pour over cooled crust and return to oven to bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes or until set.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on counter to room temperature. Then chill for at least hour to overnight in the refrigerator. (If you can wait that long.)
7. Dust with powdered sugar, garnish with extra zest if desired, and serve.

Makes one 8x8 or 8-9 round cake pan of bars.