With just 7 ingredients, these gluten free key lime bars are simply delicious! Creamy lime curd sits atop a buttery shortbread crust. Perfect for spring and summer get togethers!
Gluten Free Key Lime Bars:
These sweet-tart lime bars are perfection! A gluten free shortbread crust combined with a zingy lime curd. These bars are easy to make, sliceable, and downright crave-able.
When spring arrives, I shift my attention to bright citrusy desserts. I'm confident you will love these gluten free key lime bars as much as I do!
Whenever I bring them to parties, nobody seems to care they're gluten free.
(Or try the lemon version!)
Key Ingredients:
- Gluten-free flour: I created this recipe with my favorite gluten-free flour blend - Bob's Red Mill's 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. It tastes similar to regular flour without any weird texture or flavor issues.
- Unsalted butter: An essential part of the shortbread crust. I always use unsalted butter so I control the amount & quality of salt in my baked goods.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar creates a melt-in-your-mouth consistency for the shortbread.
- Key lime juice: I highly recommend Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Juice. It's the brand we used when I worked as a pastry chef at a high-end seafood restaurant. It's bright and limey!
- Eggs: The filling is essentially a baked curd. The eggs give the filling structure and richness.
- Sugar: Key lime juice is VERY tart! Two cups sounds like a lot of sugar, but it's necessary for the right sweet-tart flavor.
How to Make GF Lime Bars:
Gluten-free key lime bars are simple - one of the many reasons I love them so much!
Be sure to preheat your oven to 350 degrees before you start.
I like to line my baking dish with parchment paper so I can easily pull the bars out of the baking dish. Let the excess hang over the sides to give you "handles".
1. Make the crust
- In a large bowl, combine the crust ingredients.
- Mix until combined, but try not to overmix the dough.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish.
- Flatten it out with your hands.
- Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Set it aside to cool while you make the filling.
2. Add the filling and bake
- In a large bowl, stir the sugar and 2 tablespoons of gluten-free flour.
- Add the eggs and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the lime juice and whisk to incorporate.
- Pour the filling into the warm crust.
- Carefully place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven, tent the top with aluminum foil, and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Immediately dust the top with powdered sugar.
3. Cool and cut the bars
- You MUST let lime (or lemon) bars cool before you cut them! Do NOT rush the process!
- Let the bars cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the lemon bars to the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Use the handles to remove the lime bars from the baking dish and cut into squares.
A Note on Gluten Free Flour:
Gluten-free all-purpose flour is a blend of multiple flours, starches, and sometimes xanthan gum. Each brand has a different blend of alternative flours and a different ratio of each.
Some brands are thirstier than others, meaning they absorb more liquid. Some you can swap in recipes and others you can't!
For this reason, I recommend using Bob's Red Mill's 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. It's the brand I used to create this recipe.
Storage & Freezing:
Gluten free lime bars are freezer-friendly! It's how I prefer to store them for a longer shelf life.
To store:
- Store the key lime bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- You can cover the baking dish you baked them in or transfer to an airtight container.
To freeze:
- Line a sheet pan or large plate with parchment paper.
- Place the cut bars onto the sheet pan without stacking them.
- Place the pan in the freezer until the bars are frozen solid.
- Transfer the frozen bars to an airtight container or zip-top bag.
Must-Try Gluten Free Recipes:
- Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten Free Lemon Muffins
- Irresistible Gluten Free Easter Desserts
- Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits
Gluten Free Key Lime Bars
Equipment
- 9x13-inch glass baking dish
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill's 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour spooned and leveled, see note
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (7 ounces)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill's 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- 5 large eggs, whisked
- ½ cup key lime juice
Instructions
For the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper that fits inside the dish but let the excess hang off the sides.
- In a large bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, powdered sugar, kosher salt, and melted butter. Use a large spoon to stir until combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and use your hands to press evenly into the dish. Bake for 20 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
For the filling:
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and flour to combine. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth and incorporated.
- Add the lime juice to the mixture while whisking to incorporate.
- Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully tent the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and dust the top with powdered sugar. Let the bars cool for 30 minutes, then transfer the baking dish to the fridge to set up for at least another 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Use the parchment paper "handles" to remove the bars from the baking dish. Cut into squares and serve.
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