Rich and flavorful, these gluten-free lime bars are made with real ingredients (no dyes!) and have a bright lime flavor. Once you try this dessert made with lime curd and traditional oat shortbread, it’ll become your go-to spring and summer treat!
Quick Look at the Recipe
- 🍋🟩 Flavor: Rich and creamy lime
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 30 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 🕒 Ready In: 7 hours, 40 minutes (including 6 hours chill time)
- 👥 Servings: 16
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Limes, oat flour, butter, eggs, coconut sugar
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, paleo
- ❄️ Freezer Friendly: Yes, just wait to top with whipped cream until you’re ready to serve.
- 👩🍳 Tip: Coconut sugar replaces white sugar in these bars and gives them a rich, real-food flavor.
Finally a Lime Bar with Real Ingredients
I love lime bars, but some of the main ingredients in most recipes – artificial food dye, white flour, and powdered sugar – are just not gonna be in my kitchen these days.
I believe there’s a delicious, clean version of every recipe just waiting to be created (if you don’t believe me, you’ve not had my healthy homemade ice cream or oat flour chocolate chip cookies). When I came home with a giant bag of limes from Costco the other day, these bars were calling my name, and I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen!
What Makes these Lime Bars Special?
- Simple, healthy ingredients, no white sugar or food dyes needed!
- Real lime flavor subtly sweetened with coconut sugar.
- Classic method without any processed shortcuts.
Ingredients
Tools Needed
Step-By-Step Instructions
Shortbread Crust
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 inch glass baking dish with parchment paper.
Then in a mixing bowl, stir together the crust ingredients: oat flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt.
Step 2: Next, using your hands, press the crust into lined baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.
Lime Curd Filling
Step 1: While the crust is baking, we’ll get started on the curd filling. In a saucepan, combine the lime zest and sugar and rub the mixture together using your fingers. This helps extract the flavor from the zest.
Step 2: Then whisk in the lime juice, eggs, and salt.
Step 3: Slowly heat the mixture over low-medium heat, whisking almost constantly. Cook until the curd is thick enough to stick to the back of a spatula or spoon. (If you want to use a thermometer, this will be at about 165-170 degrees.)
Be patient! This process typically takes 10-15 minutes, but I have seen it take up to 45 minutes depending on the temperature of the stove. Go by consistency, not time.
Step 4: Next strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer, stirring it to help it go through. You’ll see the zest and bits of egg white stay in the strainer.
Step 5: Now stir in the butter.
Step 6: Finally, pour the curd on top of the crust in the baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until it’s mostly set.
Let it cool at room temperature and then chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
Step 7: Immediately before serving, spread the whipped cream on top.
Step 8: Then slice the bars, garnish with lime slices, and enjoy!
If you’re looking for more clean summer desserts, check out my easy blueberry crisp and frozen yogurt bark!
Tips for Success
Don’t rush the lime curd – Some recipes say it only takes a few minutes for it to thicken, but I’ve found it often takes a whole lot longer. It’s much better to cook it low and slow and go by the texture rather than the time.
Allow plenty of time to chill – In order to be cut into pretty, neat bars, the curd has to be 100% set.
Slice bars with a hot, sharp knife – For the neatest sliced bars, use a sharp knife and dip in hot water before each cut. I found a Santoku knife worked best for me.
Violet’s Tips for Serving
Since these lime bars are naturally not as vividly-colored as the food dye version, I like to top them with small lime slices to add a fun pop of natural green color.
FAQs
Lime bars keep best for 3-5 days in the fridge. For the best results, store before topping with whipped cream, and add the whipped cream immediately before serving.
Lime bars freeze wonderfully for 2-3 months without whipped cream. To freeze, leave off the whipped cream and top with it after thawing, immediately before serving.
Lime bars are naturally more of a yellowish color, however, green food dye is typically added to make them green. Since this recipe uses coconut sugar as a natural sweetener, this darkens them further making them a yellowish-tan color.
If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments! Tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome
Gluten-Free Lime Bars with Real Lime Curd
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free oat flour
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Lime Curd Filling
- 1 cup fresh lime juice + zest about 5-6 limes
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 1 cup whipped cream
- thin lime slices for garnish optional
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 inch glass baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the crust ingredients.1 1/2 cups gluten-free oat flour, 2/3 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup coconut sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Using your hands, press the crust into lined baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.
Lime Curd Filling
- In a medium saucepan, combine the lime zest and sugar and rub the mixture together using your fingers.1 cup coconut sugar
- Whisk in the lime juice, eggs, and salt.1 cup fresh lime juice + zest, 5 eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Slowly heat the mixture over low-medium heat, whisking almost constantly. Cook until the curd is thick enough to stick to the back of a spatula or spoon. (If you want to use a thermometer, this will be at about 165-170 degrees.) This process typically takes 10-15 minutes, but I have seen it take up to 45 minutes depending on the temperature of the stove. Go by consistency, not time.
- Strain the curd through a fine mesh strainer, stirring it to help it go through, and then stir in the butter.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Pour the curd on top of the crust in the baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until it's mostly set.
- Let it cool at room temperature and then chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
- Immediately before serving, spread the whipped cream on top, cut into slices, and garnish with lime slices.1 cup whipped cream, thin lime slices for garnish
Notes
Nutrition
If you tried these lime bars, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Please make sure to come back and leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.
These lime bars taste just like springtime! I love the rich, real lime flavor, and I think you will too. Let me know if you have any questions on how to make them, and I’ll reply to you quickly!