Magnolia Bakery’s Key Lime Ice Box Bars

Weirdly, as much as I love limes, I’m not the biggest fan of lime related desserts. BUT, my boyfriend is and if he wants something key limey, I will bake it for him! I remember getting a key lime cheesecake at Magnolia Bakery a few years ago and remembered that he liked it.

So thankfully, Magnolia Bakery posted their recipe for one of their sweet and tart lime treats: their key lime ice box bar. Obviously, I had to make it.

So, let’s get baking!

How to Make Magnolia Bakery Key Lime Ice Box Bars

INGREDIENTS FOR CRUST

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

INGREDIENTS FOR KEY LIME FILLING

42 ounces sweetened condensed milk

12 egg yolks

2 cups key lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime zest

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons fresh lime zest (for garnish)

MY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE KEY LIME ICE BOX BARS RECIPE

I cut the recipe in half for the key lime filling and instead of creating bars, I put the ingredients in baking cups.

However, I didn’t half the portion for the graham cracker crust because that’s Greg’s favorite part! I wanted to make sure he had a good amount of the crust with some tangy key lime filling.

Lastly, I added a few extra squeezes of lime juice and a few more gratings of lime zest to make the bars a bit more zesty and tart.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CRUST

STEP 1:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

STEP 2:

Mash the graham cracker so you get crumbs. Then in a small bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter. Mix to combine.

STEP 3:

Gently press the crust in an ungreased pan (or in my case, each baking cup).

STEP 4:

Bake for 15 minutes. Then, remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

While the crust was cooling, I started working on the key lime filling.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR KEY LIME FILLING

STEP 1:

Make sure the oven is still heated at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

STEP 2:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, and lime zest.

STEP 3:

Pour mixture into the cooled graham cracker crust. Then, bake for 25-30 minutes or until the middle has set, but still jiggles slightly if touched.

STEP 4:

Remove from the oven and place the bars on a wire rack to cool completely.

STEP 5:

Meanwhile, in a mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar. Whip just until medium soft peaks have formed.

STEP 6:

Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cooled key lime filling and sprinkle with lime zest as garnish.

STEP 7:

ENJOY!

Greg seemed to enjoy these bars and they were really easy to make! Let me know what you all think of these vibrant, zesty treats; they’re perfect for the hot, summer days!

With Beauty, Grace, and Love