📋 Lime Christmas Squares Recipe

lime squares with powdered sugar on a cutting board with powdered sugar and space where one has been removed

5 from 1 vote

📋 Lime Christmas Squares Recipe

Gingerbread and lime are a perfect pairing in these delicious Lime Christmas Squares. A gingerbread toffee base and green sparking sugar makes these lime bars extra festive for your holiday baking tray!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine North American

Keyword bar, christmas, gingerbread, lime, squares

Special Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings bars

Calories 276kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

Ingredients

Crust:

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 large eggs beaten with a fork
1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
2 teaspoon grated lime zest (zest from about 4 limes)
½ cup fresh lime juice (the juice of about 4-5 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 or on Amazon

Garnish:

Green Sparkling sugar sprinkled
powdered sugar, sprinkled

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Crust:

Preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Spray a 9 X 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Put crust ingredients into food processor and mix until butter is evenly distributed and mixture clings together.
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
Press dough into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15- 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
⅓ cup toffee bits

Filling:

Meanwhile, make the filling: MIx flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.
¼ cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, white granulated sugar and lime juice.
4 large eggs, 1 ½ cups white granulated sugar, ½ cup fresh lime juice
In another medium bowl mix flour and baking powder, then stir flour mixture into lime mixture, along with the lime zest and green food coloring.
2 teaspoon grated lime zest, ¼ - ¾ teaspoon green food colouring, depending on how dark you want the green to be
Immediately pour over hot crust and bake in preheated oven on middle oven rack for 20 -25 minutes until filling is set.
Cool in pan on wire rack for at least 15 minutes, then refrigerate for 20- 30 minute before cutting
Do NOT try to cut these squares while they are warm.
Cut into 16 squares with a sharp knife, then cut those squares in half diagonally.

Topping:

Sprinkle on green sparkling sugar, powdered sugar or coconut flakes.
Green Sparkling sugar, powdered sugar,

Notes

🌡️Storing

Fridge: Keep these Christmas lime squares, in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Freezer: If you want to keep them longer, then freeze them for up to 3 months in a sealed container.

Tip: If you are stacking these dessert bars, put parchment paper between the layers and don't add the green sparkles and/or powdered sugar (or coconut) until just prior to serving.

Tips for Success

Make sure your eggs and butter are at room temperature. Room temperature ingredients are able to bond and blend together more easily, resulting in a smooth filling and dough.
Do not overmix. Overmixing can cause cracks. The crack won't affect taste or texture, but they won't look quite as nice. You can cover them up for the most part with powdered sugar or sparkling sugar. *I had a small crack in mine because my oven mitt accidentally pushed into the bars, not because I overmixed.
Generously grease your pan. When you’re preparing your pan, grease it very generously with non-stick spray (or better yet, Wilton Cake Release), making sure you cover the sides and get in the corners of the pan. These lime squares can easily stick to the pan. Greasing it well will help you remove the bars without casualties. *If they do stick, use a butter knife to loosen them from the edge. And if the edges look messy, trim them!
Small bubbles might form on top. It’s a totally normal lime bar occurrence! It happens when air from the egg mixture rises to the surface of the squares as they bake. It won’t affect the taste or texture of the bars (and you can easily hide it with powdered or sparkling sugar). But to minimize it, try not to overmix the filling, as whisking adds air to the mixture.
Immediately after pouring the filling over the crust, put the squares in the oven. The acidity of the lime juice reacts with the baking powder to help the filling rise and once wet, baking powder starts reacting. Delaying baking can lead to a loss of some of its leavening potency, so they won't rise properly.
Let them cool and chill in the fridge. Do NOT cut these squares while they are still warm. I know it's hard to wait, but you'll be rewarded with firm bars that won't ooze and create a mess when you try to eat them!

Nutrition