Coconut Key Lime Pie Bars

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Key West is known for a few things, but most famously it is know for its Key Lime Pie. Last year I took a cruise that made a stop in Key West. I had never been there before, and we only got a few hours to spend there. Obviously I dedicated a large part of the day to finding the best key lime desserts in Key West. My favorite thing ended up being the chocolate covered key lime pie bars at Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe. I highly recommend going there if you ever end up in Key West.

After my trip I ended up with a love for key lime pie, and the desire to use the flavors in my own desserts. And there isn't a more summerly flavor than coconut, so that had to be a part of my bars as well. That is why I came up with the recipe for these Coconut Key Lime Pie Bars.

I love turning everything into bar desserts. Bar desserts are easier to make, share, and transport than some other desserts. These Coconut Key Lime Pie Bars are simple to make and not too tart. The filling is so fluffy that biting into one of these is like biting into a key lime flavored cloud.

I wasn't able to get fresh Key Limes, so I used Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice for these bars, which is a really great substitute if fresh key limes aren't available. I use this same lime juice in my No Churn Coconut Key Lime Ice Cream. You can also use the zest from regular limes as a substitute for the grated key lime zest in these bars.

Top these bars with whipped cream and a piece of lime before serving to make them even more impressive looking!

Coconut Key Lime Pie Bars

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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 9 bars 1x
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

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1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 package graham crackers (about 9 sheets)
2 tbps granulated sugar
6 tbsp butter (melted)
3 egg yolks
1.5 tsp grated key lime zest
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup key lime juice

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Instructions

Preheat over to 350°F. Line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
To toast the coconut, pour coconut onto a sheet pan in an even layer. Place the baking sheet in the oven for about 8 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until the coconut is golden brown. Remove it from the oven and let it cool. Leave the oven on.
Put the graham crackers into a food processor and pulse until the crackers become fine crumbs. Add the toasted coconut, sugar and butter and continue pulsing until the mixture is wet (about 15 seconds). Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan creating an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Leave the oven on.
In the bowl of an electric mixer add the egg yolks and lime zest. Beat on high for 5 minutes using the whisk attachment. Mixture will be very thick. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add in the sweetened condensed milk in a slow steady stream. Increase the speed to high and mix for another 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the key lime juice, mix until the juice is combined.
Spread the filling evenly over the crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting and serving. Garnish with whipped cream and a slice of lime if desired.