Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

I saw a bag of Key Limes at the store the other day.  Curious about these tart little fruits, I bought the bag.  Not sure how to go about making Key Lime bars I looked a few recipes and then came back to the Apple Pecan Cheesecake Bars I made last fall and tweaked the recipe a little bit.  A little sweet, a little tart. They are perfect little bites of yummy!

If you don't have Key Limes where you are or don't want to take the time to squeeze those little guys you can use regular limes or lime juice from the bottle.

Key Lime Cheesecake Bars                                                             Printable Recipe

Crust:

1 cup flour

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

6 Tablespoons butter

Filling:

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 Tablespoon Key Lime zest

1/3 cup Key Lime juice

8 ounce package light cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

Crumb Topping:

6 Tablespoons all purpose flour

2 Tablespoons cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons old fashioned oats

2 Tablespoons quick oats

3 Tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour and brown sugar, cut in butter.  You can use a pastry blender or a food processor.  Butter pieces should be pea sized when you are done.  Press into a greased 8 x 8” baking dish.   

Bake for 15-16 minutes or until just starting to turn golden brown.  Remove from oven ready for next step.

Zest your limes, careful not to get the white part which is very bitter.

Cut your limes in half and squeeze out the juice.  It took me 15! of them to get the 1/3 cup of juice needed. 

In small bowl mix together eggs, sugar, flour, zest, and lime juice.

In another bowl mix together cream cheese, sugar, and egg.

Pour lime mixture onto crust.

Pour cream cheese mixture onto the lime mixture.

It's OK that is is heavier.  It all works out in the baking process.

Mix together flour, brown sugar, and oats.  Cut in butter using a pastry blender or food processor. If you use a food processor don’t blend too much or you lose the texture of the old fashioned oats. Sprinkle on top of cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 25-28 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Allow to cool before slicing.  Keep leftovers in fridge.