I created this holiday Gingerbread Lime Christmas Squares recipe a couple of years ago because I wanted something a little more festive than plain old lemon squares. Gingerbread and lime are a perfect pairing in these delicious gingerbread lime bars. Green sparking sugar makes these lime squares extra festive for your holiday baking tray!
These Christmas squares were an experiment in combining gingerbread and lime flavors that ended with amazing results! This lime bar has definitely become a favorite of the whole family and a Christmas baking staple in my house. This recipe is very popular during the holiday season, but they are a delicious treat any time of year! They are a nice change from the usual Christmas cookies and great for cookie swaps!
Jump to:
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 coloring 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.
🥘 Ingredients
For this lime square recipe, you'll need:
- brown sugar
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- powdered sugar (also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar)
- molasses
- unsalted butter
- cinnamon
- ground ginger
- eggs
- toffee bits * I use Skor or Heath toffee baking bits (affiliate link)
- fresh limes
- white granulated sugar
- baking powder
- green food coloring * I use Wilton Kelly Green gel food coloring (affiliate link)
- green sparkling sugar (optional) (affiliate link)
*See recipe card for quantities
🌡️Storing
Keep these Christmas lime squares, in a airtight container, refrigerated for up to 4 days. If you want to keep them longer, then freeze them for up to 3 months in a sealed container.
If you are stacking them, put parchment paper between the layers. Sprinkle them with the green sparkles and/or powdered sugar just prior to serving.
👪 Serving Size
This Christmas square recipe makes 16 lime squares, but I cut them in half diagonally to get 32 triangles (as shown in photos). However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. If you half the recipe, make it in an 8X8 square pan.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Butter - you can substitute salted butter, but just skip the salt in the recipe
- Toppings: can be served plain or with a green and white coconut topping or sprinkled with green sparkling sugar.
- Christmas Tree (shown below): I used a mini chocolate bar (coffee crisp) and I used a maraschino cherry on top
🍽Equipment
You will need a food processor and an electric mixer . You will also need a 9X13 baking dish (affiliate links) and mixing spoons and mixing bowls.
These gingerbread lime bars are sweet treats that will add a unique and festive flair to your holiday baking tray. They also make great edible holiday gifts. So if you are looking for Christmas Squares recipes or holiday 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.
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!
⭐ Reviews
Did you make this Christmas lime square recipe? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!
📋 Gingerbread Lime Christmas Squares Recipe
Ingredients
Base:
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup sifted powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅓ cup toffee bits I use Skor or Heath
Filling:
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon grated lime zest
- ½ cup fresh lime juice the juice of about 2 limes
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ - ¾ teaspoon 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 F. 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 dish. Bake in preheated oven for 15- 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
Filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, white granulated sugar and lime juice.
- In another bowl mix flour and baking powder, then stir dry ingredients into lime mixture, along with the lime zest and green food coloring.
- Immediately pour over baked crust and bake in preheated oven for 20 -25 minutes until filling is set. Cool in pan on wire rack.
- Cut into squares, then cut those squares in half diagonally.
mdivadomestica
These are really cute. Thanks for sharing!
Food Meanderings
Thanks, Melissa!
Starr @ The Misfit Baker
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!
Food Meanderings
I know- I felt the same, Starr! I'm not even a huge gingerbread fan, but I cannot get enough of these! 🙂
Heathers EATS
I would never have thought of putting these two things together but of course it would work! Very creative, thanks for sharing.
Food Meanderings
Hi Heather:thanks! Yes, it is really a match made in heaven!