Key Lime Pie Bars

To me, lime just screams summer. Limeade, lime popsicles, lime ice cream. Lime in water, lime in a summer drink too. I really could go on. It’s like a permanent vacation. And it’s summer which is exactly what that is. Except when you are a real grown up and there is no such thing as summer break. But I’m totally not a real adult yet, so summer is still totally a thing in my mind.

see those specs? Yeah, that’s lime zest.

Along with my island obsessions key limes just make me want to put my feet up and be swept away by an ocean breeze. Well, that’s a little hard to come by in Washington DC where the swampy humidity is in full swing. So once again, I resort to a chilly snack to satiate my summer cravings.

summer = lime. Obviously.

When I picked up a bag of key limes at the store I was so excited to finally make a Key Lime Pie in my new pie dish. But my mini family of 2 couldn’t consume a whole pie in the time that it really should be eaten by. My solution? Key Lime Pie in bar form. Bite sized key lime snacks. Oh I’m loving this. I used the same basic recipe for the key lime base and it was perfect. Storing them in the fridge is key to having the perfect citrus snack whenever the craving hits. If your kitchen is also plagued wi 900 percent humidity the freezer might even be a cool place for these little friends to hang out. I imagine an island fiesta in there right now. The freezer needs some loving too. Summer’s almost over. Better get to these ASAP.

Key Lime Pie Bars

Ingredients
For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (about 2/3 of a sleeve)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Zest of one lime
For the Filling:
One can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
2 oz. cream cheese
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest

Directions
For the Crust:
1. In a small bowl, combine the crumbs, coconut and sugar; add butter and blend well. Press onto the bottom of an 8″ pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes; cool on wire rack.
For the Filling:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
1. In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, cream cheese, egg yolk, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.
2. Bake in preheated oven for 20ish minutes. DO NOT BROWN! Should be firm but not hard. Cool for 1 1/2 hours on wire rack. Chill overnight before cutting into squares.