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Coconut Key Lime Bars

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These easy bars have all the flavors of key lime pie!

This simple bar recipe starts with a cake mix and ends with graham cracker crumbs and coconut!

Coconut Key lime pie bars are sure to be a new summer favorite!

Coconut Key Lime Bars

These tropical-tasting bars are a wonderful blend of buttery, sweet, creamy, and crunchy. Every bite is packed with your favorite key lime and coconut flavor blends but made so much better with the addition of everything else. These aren’t your standard lime bars and once you try them you’re sure to be hooked. They’re always a huge hit when served at parties and get togethers, or the holidays and it’s not hard to see why. With so much packed into every bite, they have a little taste of something for everyone.

Coconut Key Lime Bars

Most people think of pie when they think of key limes and while I do love a good key lime pie, I also like discovering other ways to bake with this zesty little fruit. These bars are so easy to make, especially since the base is your favorite yellow cake mix. The hardest part of baking these bars was juicing those slippery little key limes. But if that’s the hardest part, then you’re in for a good time with these tropical bars.
Side note: I recently learned you can juice a lot of these key limes at once and keep the juice stored in the freezer for future recipes so you can make this dessert bars recipe again later and have an even easier time!

Coconut Key Lime Bars

Ingredients

  • Box yellow cake mix
  • Egg
  • Melted butter
  • Egg yolks
  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Fresh key lime juice
  • Graham cracker crumbs
  • Shredded coconut

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

How to Make Coconut Key Lime Bars

  1. In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and the coconut. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, egg, and melted butter.
  3. Press this mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish.
  4. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 18 minutes or until the edges have browned.
  5. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling by mixing together the egg yolks, condensed milk, and key lime juice. Whisk until combined.
  6. Pour the mixture over the crust and sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs and coconut mixture over the top.
  7. Return the baking dish to the oven and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the topping has lightly browned and the milk mixture has just begun to set.
  8. Slice your dessert into bars and serve.
  9. Enjoy!
Coconut Key Lime Bars

Recipe Tips

If you don’t have fresh key limes handy, you can opt for a bottle of key lime juice. That said, I really don’t recommend it if you want the best flavors you’ll need to use fresher juice. Bottled key lime juice and bottle lime juice are two different things.

FAQs

Are limes and key limes the same thing?

No, limes and key limes are not the same things. Key limes are slightly more subtle with their citrus flavors and are therefore are easier on the digestive tract. They are also much smaller in size compared to a standard sized lime so more are needed to get the same amount of juice you’d get from one regular lime.

How long are key lime bars good for?

Keep these key lime squares sliced and ready to serve in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results eat within a day or so as the crust and topping will soften more as the bars age.

Can I freeze lime bars?

You can cover these bars well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and keep them stored in the freezer for up to 3 months if desired. If you want to be able to pull a single slice out here and there (like for a lunchbox) simply wrap each piece well in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. Then pull it out of the freezer the morning of, place it into your lunch box and it’s thawed by lunch.

For larger portions, thaw them overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours before serving.

More delicious key lime and coconut recipes you’re sure to enjoy!

Yield: 24 bars

Coconut Key Lime Bars

Coconut Key Lime Bars

This simple bar recipe starts with a cake mix and ends with graham cracker crumbs and coconut!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 18.5oz box yellow cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 can 14oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. Combine graham cracker crumbs and coconut in a bowl, set aside.
  2. In a bowl, combine cake mix, egg and melted butter. Press crust onto a 9x13 greased baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18 minutes or until edges have browned.
  3. While crust is baking, combine egg yolks, condensed milk and key lime juice. Stir with a whisk until combined. Pour over crust. Sprinkle graham crackers and coconut over milk mixture. Return to oven and bake for about 20 -25 minutes or until topping has lightly browned and milk mixture has just begun to set.
  4. Cut into bars.

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

1 bar
Amount Per Serving Calories 229Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 49mgSodium 248mgCarbohydrates 35gFiber 1gSugar 24gProtein 4g

How much do you LOVE this recipe?

Follow me on Pinterest for more tasty ideas and use the pin button at the top of the recipe card!

© Tanya Schroeder
Cuisine: American / Category: Sweets
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Tanya Schroeder

About Tanya Schroeder

Tanya is a full time wife and mom, a part time chef/baker, and a wanna be photographer! Tanya believes every once in a while, dessert should be eaten first! Hope you like what you see!

Comments

  1. marcie@flavorthemoments says

    I’m one of THE biggest key lime fans on the planet! I never use bottled — I buy them whenever I see them, juice them, and freeze it to use whenever a craving strikes! Coconut and lime is a favorite flavor combo — I just posted a coconut-lime baked donut this week! Love the sound of these bars!

    Reply

  3. Rachel @ I Love My Disorganized Life says

    I love lemon bars, so I’m thinking these are a delightful twist on those! And I totally agree, lime and coconut go together perfectly well. Hence the song, “Put the lime in the co-co-nut”! LOL

    Reply

  4. Debbie says

    Hi… I also think this recipe is the bomb… however – am I the only one who can’t find the recipe anywhere? Thanks…

    Reply

  6. thisgalcooks@gmail.com says

    These look fabulous, Tanya! Such a fantastic tropical treat. Pinned and shared on my Facebook page! 🙂

    Reply

  7. crazyforcrust says

    I loved the muppets too!! And your story reminds me of a story I wanted to tell about one of their songs. 🙂 Love these bars!

    Reply

  8. A Sweet Baker says

    Love how easy this recipe is Tanya! The flavor combo is the best too! Have a wonderful weekend 🙂

    Reply

  9. Tina @ Tina's Chic says

    This looks delicious! I’ve never made anything key lime related but seeing these pictures makes me want to try it right away. 🙂

    Reply

  11. Gloria Phillips (@simplygloria1) says

    Love how easy this recipe is! And btw, I remember watching the Muppet Show all the time…good times!

    Reply

  12. Meg Robins (@SweetTwist_Meg) says

    I always liked the Muppet Cartoon.

    These bars are the perfect summer treat!

    Reply

  13. ChgoJohn says

    Oh, yum! These sound delicious, Tanya. I really enjoy citrus-y treats when the weather warms up and these would do nicely! Thanks for sharing another great recipe.
    I hope you have a great Mothers Day!

    Reply

  14. Holly Waterfall says

    i also love LOVE that song and always have, but they totally lied.. coconut + lime = AMAZINGNESS (not a tummy ache at all!). YUM!

    Reply

  15. April @ The 21st Century Housewife says

    Your Coconut Key Lime bars look delicious, and I love how easy they are to make! I’ve pinned them to my Squares Board on Pinterest 🙂

    Reply

  16. Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen says

    These look great Tanya! Lime and coconut are BFF’s. I actually haven’t had the classic key lime pie, so I probably need to put that one on my bucket list!

    Reply

  17. Nina says

    I got so excited to try these that I purchased the ingredients at the store tonight…but what temperature do you bake them at???

    Reply

  20. The Domestic Rebel says

    Ooooh, I’d love a bar in one hand and a marg in the other. These are perrrrrfection, Tanya!

    Reply

  22. Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling says

    Yummmm! Key lime pie is one of my faves – we sampled about a million different versions on our honeymoon way back when. These look amazing!!

    Reply

  23. Jeanne says

    These little coconut and lime treats look delicious! I will have to try to make! Congratulations for being featured over at Six Sisters Stuff! I saw the large and beautiful photo of these and knew I had to hop over! I have printed the recipe and will make for my family this weekend! Thanks for the food inspiration!

    If would like a DIY basket inspiration this week, please check out my French Laundry basket tutorial:
    https://www.idreamofjeannedesigns.com/2013/05/french-laundry-baskethow-to.html
    Have a great weekend!!

    Reply

    • Lemonsforlulu says

      Thank you so much Jeanne! I hope you try them! I would love to know how they turn out for you.

      Reply

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