Super Easy Lime Bars. Using only 5 simple ingredients and a very quick preparation time, these refreshing lime bars are based on easiest and best lemon bar recipe I’ve ever tried in almost 40 years of baking.
Super Easy Lime Bars
I make the lemon version of these lime bars all the time but with some leftover limes in the fridge needing to be used, this recipe was the easiest and quickest way to turn them into something delicious.
I was so happy to find the lemon version of this cookie bar because with only 5 simple ingredients and a quick preparation time, it quickly became a household standard. In our part of the world, it is so much less expensive to buy lemons or limes by the bag than by buying them individually.
We often pick up a 3 or 4 pound bag. If we are slow to use them in drinks or in simple salad dressings, they most often will now be turned into these yummy cookie bars.
(If you like this recipe you may also want to check out our Frozen Key Lime Pie.)
Frozen Key Lime Pie
These Lime Bars are great for the freezer too, so we often have them on hand to pull out at the last minute if someone drops by for coffee.
If you only have lemons on hand don’t hesitate to try these as Lemon Bars… It’s one of our most popular cookie bar recipes of the last 10 years.
Super Easy Lemon Bars using only 5 simple ingredients
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You might also like our recipe for Summer Fruit Galette
- 1 cup cold butter cut in small pieces
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 eggs
- zest of two limes very finely chopped
- juice of 4 to 5 small limes around 2/3 to 3/4 cup juice
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Using a pastry cutter or in a food processor blend together the butter sugar and flour.
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Press evenly into the bottom of a greased and parchment paper lined 9×13 inch baking pan.
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Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees F ( 325 degrees F if you are using glass bake-ware)
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Simply whisk together the sugar flour, eggs, zest and lime juice until the sugar is dissolved.
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Allow the topping to sit for about 10 minutes before whisking together well again and pouring over the baked shortbread base.
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Bake at 350 degrees F for about another 20- 25 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and the custard appears to be set. The bottom should just be beginning to brown slightly at the top edges. Cool completely. Sprinkle with icing sugar when cool or try adding a meringue topping.
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Joy Noseworthy
July 16, 2014 at 11:58 pmI live in Jeju, South Korea. I cannot get limes here. Can I increase the lime juice( bottled ) or would it work? Any suggestions?
Keep on cookin’
Joy
Barry C. Parsons
July 17, 2014 at 6:28 amI would not add over 3/4 of a cup (6 ounces of lime juice) They should still have plenty of flavor without the lime zest. I’m surprised there are no limes there though. My work buddy Amber is teaching in South Korea. It sure looks lovely there.
dina
July 17, 2014 at 12:37 pmi love lime. they look delicious!
Candee
September 23, 2014 at 9:37 pmIf you freeze these , do you put the icing sugar on top before they are frozen or when you take them out to use?
Barry C. Parsons
September 29, 2014 at 11:59 amDefinitely when you serve them.
Avril
November 10, 2014 at 3:12 pmHi There, step 4 does not say if you have to mix IT on THE stove but you do Mention browning. Wat should i do.
Kind Regards avril
Barry C. Parsons
November 18, 2014 at 3:27 pmSorry, one line was misplaced in the recipe. Thanks for catching it. It has been fixed now.
Wendy Sewell
March 7, 2017 at 12:09 amThese are FABULOUS! Thank you so much for the amazing recipe. I made them for the first one today and I am sure it won’t be the last. They’re ridiculously good! I left the zest out because my limes had gone all hard but it was still FANTASTIC!
SHEILA
April 12, 2017 at 4:59 pmI love lemon bars…thanks for an easy recipe
Kyoko Saki
June 2, 2017 at 7:42 pmCan u use salted butter?
Barry C. Parsons
June 14, 2017 at 11:05 amI mostly se salted butter in recipes and omit any salt if its in there. I mostly use unsalted butter for frostings.
Ashy
July 16, 2017 at 4:38 pmthese are amazing, and i get requests for these lime bars! Turn out perfect every time, make sure to follow recipe to a T and it will be perfect.
Thank you!
Sherwn
October 24, 2017 at 3:46 amHi , do I have to flip over once done? I noticed the top is the crust and the bottom is the lemon filling
Barry C. Parsons
October 25, 2017 at 11:46 amNever had that happen!
Maxine
April 21, 2018 at 1:24 amWe have a tree full of limes Can I make these and freeze them and for how long Thank you
Barry C. Parsons
May 2, 2018 at 1:00 pmI have frozen them for a few weeks.
Jennifer
May 4, 2018 at 7:52 pmDo these need to be stored in the fridge? Thanks!
Barry C. Parsons
May 17, 2018 at 4:47 pmI sore them in an airtight plastic container in the fridge.
Anne
June 23, 2018 at 12:16 amI too got an upside down slice. Don’t know what I did wrong but trying again to see if it was a one off fail. Regardless the taste was great and the slice upside down or not was DELICIOUS and went “like hot cakes in our house.
Barry C. Parsons
July 2, 2018 at 10:49 amNo idea how that would happen. Did you use real dairy butter in the crust?
Kaitlin Messmer
July 4, 2018 at 11:04 pmI did not get the upside down slice, but I did have the lime layer leak into the crust. After extensive google-ing, I’ve learned that you must bake crust to golden brown color before adding liquid. Better to overbake than underbake for these types of bars (lemon, lime, etc.). My crust was definitely too pale so the crust and liquid combined when it baked. Funny enough I was worried about overdoing it since it was going to bake another 20-25 mins – rookie mistake. I have not tasted it yet (still cooling), but it looks funky. I’ll totally eat it if it tastes good and plan to make it prettier (and cooked correctly) next time.
Chanin
July 16, 2018 at 2:04 pmMake sure you’re baking the crust before adding the liquid layer!!
Janine May
July 26, 2018 at 7:55 pmI couldn’t quite get the shortbread right, it always ended up coming out too crummy, is there anything that can help this?
Barry C. Parsons
August 23, 2018 at 12:27 pmIt’s either overmeasuring flour or your brand of butter. Adding a little more butter is the likely fix.
Rosanne Malpage
July 30, 2018 at 10:50 pmHi Barry! I love lime anything!!! I have a question though… do you let the pastry cool completely before you add the lime custard or does it matter if it is still a little warm?
AJ Schau
September 15, 2018 at 2:27 pmFor glass pans, should custard also bake at 325? Or should temp be increased to 350? Thanks!
Barry C. Parsons
September 17, 2018 at 10:32 amYes, the intent is not to over brown the bottom.
Clarice
October 6, 2018 at 5:41 pmHow long can they be stored in the refrigerator?
Barry C. Parsons
October 12, 2018 at 1:01 pmUp to a week.
Karin Maas
March 3, 2019 at 8:05 pmCan I use Splenda instead of sugar?
Barry C. Parsons
March 5, 2019 at 11:41 amI don’t bake with artificial sweeteners so I can’t offer any advice.
Kerry
March 16, 2019 at 1:07 amFlour ??? Plain or self raising thankyou
Barry C. Parsons
March 25, 2019 at 12:45 pmSelf raising flour is not commonly used here. If you see flour in one of our recipes it always means all purpose flour unless stated otherwise.
Alex
March 19, 2019 at 7:29 pmI was extremely dubious about this recipe as I am not a skilled baker and have never made custard or zested/juiced any citrus in my life. Nevertheless, it came highly recommended and I decided to try it. I used part bottled juice and definitely went conservative on baking the crust based on the comments – probably gave it 10ish extra minutes, and my slices were right side up. My custard needed a bit more mixing so the bars were not the most attractive, but were they ever delicious! The crust is just sumptuous. I’m making these again next week. Highly recommend this recipe.
Barry C. Parsons
March 25, 2019 at 11:21 amSo glad they were such a success. Keep on baking!
Ally
March 23, 2019 at 8:44 pmDelicious!
Just wondering what the best way is to freeze & defrost these? I’m assuming just bring them to room temp? How long do they take to defrost?
Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
Barry C. Parsons
March 25, 2019 at 10:59 amAn hour or two should do it. I often freeze a whole batch and add the powdered sugar when they thaw, then cut them.
Annette Allen
April 7, 2019 at 3:49 amHi Barry, What an amazing recipe! Thank you so much for these real easy to make and delicious lime bars. I have a lime tree almost loaded to the ground with limes. So I went on the internet in search of recipes and found yours. I’ve made the lime bars twice now. The first time I found 3/4 cup of lime juice was too strong (although my husband liked it) and the second time I used 2/3 of a cup and it was perfect. Thanks!!! Annette