I created this holiday Gingerbread Lime Bar recipe a couple of years ago because I wanted something a little more festive than plain old lemon squares.
This was an experiment in combining gingerbread and lime flavours that ended with amazing results! This has definitely become a family favourite and a Christmas baking staple in my house.
Gingerbread Squares
Actually, these gingerbread squares are addictive is what they are! I was never even that big a big fan of gingerbread and perhaps it’s just the Skor toffee bits talking, but I can’t get enough of this one!
I added some green food colouring to make this lime bar a little more Christmasy and the green sparkling sugar to make it, well, a little more sparkly! But the sparkling sugar garnish is completely optional. These gingerbread cookie bars are already sweet and the sugar obviously adds to that. I really only add it for look. I also like to add a little powdered/icing sugar for a wintery feel.
Lime Bars
These gingerbread lime bars will add a unique and festive flair to your holiday baking tray. So if you are looking for lime bar recipes, especially ones that use fresh lime, you will love this festive take on the lime bar! When I created this holiday recipe a few years back, I was simply trying to develop a recipe that was a little more festive-looking than lemon squares to add to my baking tray. But they were such a huge success that they have now joined the ranks of Christmas baking tradition at my house.
This recipe is also the ultimate in festive flexibility. It can be served plain or with a green and white coconut topping or sprinkled with green sparkling sugar.
Lime Gingerbread Bars
These Holiday Lime Gingerbread Bars may have become part of our family’s holiday food traditions, but being added to a baking tray is one thing, being Santa-worthy is another. However, I think their proud placement on the Christmas Eve Santa Plate is evidence enough that these squares are completely Santa -worthy!
Happy Holidays and Enjoy!
Gingerbread Lime Bars
Ingredients
Base:
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup sifted powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 ½  tsp ground ginger
- ⅓ cup toffee bits I use Skor
Filling:
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
- 2 tsp grated lime zest
- ½ cup fresh lime juice the juice of about 2 limes
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½  tsp baking powder
- ¼ - ¾ tsp green food colouring, depending on how dark you want the green to be I use Wilton Kelly green icing color which I usually buy at Michael's Arts & Crafts
Garnish:
- Green Sparkling sugar sprinkled
- powdered sugar, sprinkled
Instructions
Base:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Put base ingredients into food processor and mix until butter is evenly distributed and mixture clings together.
- Press dough into the bottom of baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15- 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
Filling:
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together eggs, white granulated sugar and lime juice. In another bowl mix flour and baking powder, then stir into lime mixture, along with the lime zest and green food colouring.
- Immediately pour over baked crust and bake in preheated oven for 20 -25 minutes until filling is set. Cool in pan on wire rack.
Topping : sprinkle on as much green sparkling sugar as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More Holiday Baking Recipes!
4 ingredient Whipped Shortbread
Best Ever Butter Tarts- Quintessentially Canadian
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti- Christmas Biscotti
Festive Red Velvet Brownie Bites: Keeping it real
This recipe is part of The Country Cook’s Weekend Potluck link up!
These are really cute. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Melissa!
I must admit, lime and gingerbread is not a combination that’s ever occurred to me. But as I love them both separately, it’s something that I’m definitely going to have to try!
I know- I felt the same, Starr! I’m not even a huge gingerbread fan, but I cannot get enough of these! 🙂
I would never have thought of putting these two things together but of course it would work! Very creative, thanks for sharing.
Hi Heather:thanks! Yes, it is really a match made in heaven!