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    Home » Keto Brownies & Bars » Key Lime Bars – Low Carb

    Published: Jun 19, 2018 · Modified: Jun 20, 2018 by Carolyn

    Key Lime Bars – Low Carb

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    27.8K shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Keto key lime bars! Tangy, delicious, and creamy, these will remind you of the key lime pie of your childhood. Low carb and gluten-free, with an amazing almond flour shortbread crust. Less than 3g net carbs per serving! This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.

    Sugar-free key lime bars with limes behind.

    I consider these key lime bars as proof that the keto diet is not one of deprivation. Really, people, when you are able to make something this tangy, this flavourful, this creamy and delicious, and eat it as part of your healthy diet, life is good. I’ve been doing this for quite some time now and it can still take even me by surprise. Aren’t we the lucky ones, to have discovered this little secret?

    My dad was a serious key lime pie lover back in the day. When we would travel to Florida for Spring Break, he would order a slice at every opportunity. My birthday always fell during our all-to-brief stints in the Sarasota sunshine and I always picked the same place for my birthday dinner: Charlie’s Crab on St. Armand’s Circle. Even with birthday cake waiting at home for us, my dad would take a slice of key lime pie to go. I never thought much about it, as I was a chocolate lover and much preferred it to any sort of citrus-y dessert. I don’t think I ever tried the key lime pie while in Florida and I think that’s such a shame now. It was only later in life that I discovered the joy of the tangy light green pie.

    Keto Key Lime Bars close up with limes and whipped cream. Sugar-free.

    I once tried making a key lime pie while in grad school and it was not very good. I am not sure what I did wrong but the filling was lumpy and gritty, and it just wouldn’t smooth out. I was bringing it to some event or other and I believe I spent much of my time apologizing for my contributions.

    But believe me when I say that you won’t be apologizing to anyone for these keto key lime bars. They are divine! And even non keto dieters will agree. I pawned some off on my friend Emily and she declared them the best dessert I’ve ever made. Of course, she’s said that about a few of my other desserts so take it with a grain of salt. That doesn’t mean they aren’t as good as she says, it simply means that she loves dessert. She absolutely loved the almond flour shortbread crust and I have to agree, it’s pretty amazing. It’s made with Bob’s Red Mill almond flour, as always, and it truly tastes like a buttery, delicious shortbread cookie.

    Low Carb Key Lime Pie Bars in a row on a white plate with a green napkin underneath

    How To Make Low Carb Key Lime Bars

    A couple of things to keep in mind about these bars:

    1. You need to make the sugar-free condensed milk in advance, which takes 30 minutes. You can make that well in advance and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
    2. I used cream cheese to help thicken the filling and give it a little more substance. I am not sure that it was absolutely necessary but it sure did taste great that way and it gave the filling an extra creamy richness.
    3. You shouldn’t need to add any other sweetener to the filling besides the condensed milk. However, if you like things sweeter and less tangy, then feel free to add a tablespoon or two of powdered Swerve or some stevia extract.
    4. Key limes are teeny tiny things and it takes quite a few of them to get enough juice. They are a pain to squeeze! So if you can find it, get the bottled variety from concentrate. I found key lime juice at Cost Plus World Market but it’s also available on Amazon.
    5. You don’t really need key limes at all, if you don’t care about being authentic. Regular lime juice and lime zest will suffice. It’s still going to be utterly delicious.
    6. I know someone will ask so yes…you can make this into a pie. You will need to use my low carb almond flour pie crust, and you may need a little more filling to fill it up properly.

    A stack of key lime bars on a pewter plate with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

    Yes, it still hits me by surprise sometimes. The fact that we can so easily create sugar-free versions of beloved desserts like key lime bars, and have them taste so good and so much like the real thing, is just astonishing. Letting the memories of Florida vacations wash over me…

    Check out these other delicious keto lime recipes!

    Key Lime Pound Cake

    Key Lime Poke Cake

    Key Lime Fat Bombs

    Key Lime Popsicles

    Keto Key Lime Bars with limes and whipped cream. Sugar-free.

    Key Lime Bars

    Keto key lime bars! Tangy, delicious, and creamy, these will remind you of the key lime pie of your childhood. Low carb and gluten-free, with an amazing almond flour shortbread crust.
    4.91 from 44 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Key lime bars, key lime pie bars, low carb key lime pie
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    chill time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 16 bars
    Calories: 188kcal

    Ingredients

    Shortbread Crust:

    • 1 ¼ cups almond flour
    • ⅓ cup Swerve Sweetener
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup butter melted

    Key Lime Filling:

    • 3 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 2 teaspoon lime zest
    • 4 egg yolks room temperature
    • 1 cup sugar-free condensed milk
    • 6 tablespoon key lime juice

    Instructions

    Shortbread Crust:

    • Preheat the oven to 325F.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture begins to come together.
    • Turn out the mixture into an 8x8 baking pan and press firmly into the bottom. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until just golden brown around the edges.
    • Remove and let cool while preparing the filling.

    Key Lime Filling:

    • In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and lime zest until smooth. Beat in the egg yolks until well combined. Slowly beat in the condensed milk and lime juice until the mixture is smooth.
    • Spread the filling over the crust and bake 18 to 20 minutes, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t brown at all. Remove and let cool, then refrigerate at least one hour to firm up.
    • Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream and lime slices
    Nutrition Facts
    Key Lime Bars
    Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
    Calories 188 Calories from Fat 158
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 17.5g27%
    Carbohydrates 3.4g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Protein 3.4g7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Many thanks to Bob’s Red Mill for partnering with me to bring you this recipe.

    27.8K shares

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    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

    Reader Interactions

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jessica says

      April 23, 2022 at 11:51 am

      5 stars
      We’ve recently started doing low carb for my kiddo, to help with something he had going on, health-wise, and the absolutely LOVED these! Thank you so much!

      Reply
    2. April says

      March 15, 2022 at 3:07 pm

      5 stars
      These were divine! That shortbread crust was to die for.

      Reply
    3. katerina @ diethood.com says

      March 15, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      These are amazing! I am so excited to give them a try! YUM!

      Reply
    4. Agnes says

      March 15, 2022 at 1:31 pm

      Oooh I love tangy and zesty desserts- I feel like the citrus is such a good balance to the sweetness. Thanks for sharing this!

      Reply
    5. El says

      February 27, 2022 at 8:39 am

      5 stars
      It is GREAT to follow a recipe exactly as written and not feel like you should have tweaked something because it turned out perfectly! I feel like all the “work” to create the best product has really been done and my tastebuds agree! This is absolutely divine!!!

      Reply
    6. Wendy says

      December 31, 2021 at 3:19 pm

      5 stars
      These are delicious! I highly recommend them.

      Reply
    7. Joyce says

      November 20, 2021 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      These are fabulous! Used the larger Persian limes and they were tangy enough for my palate. Another winner. Now I will get busy with some holiday cookies. Thanks

      Reply
    8. kim says

      September 04, 2021 at 5:41 pm

      5 stars
      so good! a new favorite

      Reply
    9. Cathy says

      August 29, 2021 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      I am dying to make these, they look wonderful, especially in our super hot environment. But, I’m on a tiny island in the Caribbean, and there is no sugar free condensed milk here. No one would ever understand why I might want that, Lol. Is there anything that could be substituted for that?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 29, 2021 at 3:13 pm

        You don’t purchase it… you make it! 🙂 The recipe is linked right in there.

        Reply
    10. Susan says

      August 26, 2021 at 5:25 pm

      5 stars
      Carolyn, these are wonderful. I made them yesterday, tried them today, and my husband and I both enjoyed them. I used regular limes because that’s what I had. I wasn’t sure about keto baking after the last recipe I made (not from your blog), but now I understand that I have to choose recipes from the right blog… 🙂

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 27, 2021 at 9:50 am

        Glad to hear it, Susan!

        Reply
    11. Cheryl Popoutsis says

      August 21, 2021 at 3:07 pm

      Can I use vegan cream cheese as my husband is lactose intolerant?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 21, 2021 at 4:07 pm

        Probably but I didn’t test them that way so I can’t guarantee it.

        Reply
    12. Lisa says

      January 08, 2021 at 11:02 am

      Those look amazing!

      Reply
    13. Barbara Benson says

      December 18, 2020 at 3:20 pm

      5 stars
      These bars were absolutely great! I have already dropped off six bars (socially distanced -curbside) to three friends and three of my children as a pre Xmas treat! It may be my favorite dessert of yours!

      Reply
    14. Casey Forlong says

      August 19, 2020 at 7:45 am

      I’d love to give this recipe a go, but I have a nut allergy. Is there another option I could use instead of the almond flour? Or a recipe for another base that would work, perhaps?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 19, 2020 at 2:48 pm

        Sunflower seed flour.

        Reply
    15. Avneet B. says

      July 27, 2020 at 6:03 pm

      Thanks for your quick reply! I’m new to Keto and I’ve tried many of your recipes! Next time I will use Boca Sweet. I was actually just eating a bar right now and they’re soooo good.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 27, 2020 at 8:29 pm

        Glad you still like them!

        Reply
    16. Avneet B says

      July 27, 2020 at 12:19 pm

      4 stars
      This was wonderful bar but mine came out a bit grainy. I used powdered swerve in my condensed milk. My cream cheese wasn’t softened long enough, could that have been the issue? The flavour is amazing and overall they look great. Is the filling meant to be luscious and creamy? I will try again, these ones taste amazing though!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        July 27, 2020 at 3:33 pm

        So since you used only Swerve in your condensed milk, that will happen. Without another sweetener like BochaSweet, allulose, or xylitol, the erythritol will re-crystallize a bit.

        Reply
        • Avneet B. says

          July 27, 2020 at 5:54 pm

          5 stars
          Thanks for your quick reply! I’m knew you Keto and I’ve tried many of your recipients! Next time I will use Boca Sweet. I was actually just eating a bar right now and they’re soooo good.

          Reply
    17. Beth says

      June 16, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      5 stars
      THE BEST KETO DESSERT I’ve made (and I’ve made a lot!) The only change I made was that I used regular limes for the key limes. I also used allulose for the sweetener. These were wonderful. I ended up packaging the individual bars (the 4 or 5 I didn’t eat from the recipe a couple days after baking it) in plastic and storing in the freezer. They’ll be wonderful frozen. The crust is on point and the lime filling is incredible. My husband isn’t a fan of a lot of the keto desserts I make but he loved these and couldn’t tell they were sugar free. Thank you for this amazing recipe!!! Your site is a gold mine!

      Reply
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