Visions and scents of tropical islands are right at your fingertips when you bake a batch of these delicious creamy mango lime bars. They are kind of like lemon bars, same baking process, just different fruit.
I think I have mentioned before that mangoes are one of my favorite fruits. I eat them every day. To think that as a child I completely shunned them. Go figure! Mangoes taste like something akin to a pineapple and a peach mixed together. I am always looking for ways to make mango desserts. You can check out my mango tart that I published a few weeks ago. If sweets aren't your thing, you might want to try a mango cocktail; it will take you to tropical lands where warm breezes blow. Need another mango idea? Why not mango habanero ribs, a perfect mix of sweet and spicy.
Mango lime bars are an anytime mango dessert. These lovely creamy mango bars are perfect to take to the department meeting, a picnic, or just to have at home. The latter can be dangerous, since they are so tempting. I try, unsuccessfully, to tell myself that they are healthy since they are made with fruit juice. Keeping a batch in your freezer is not a bad idea. I love the texture contrast of the crunchy cookie bottom with the creamy mango custard filling. Furthermore, the flavor contrast of sweet mango mixed with lime juice. The bright orange color is so appealing also. And yes, we have been over this before, I like pretty food.
Step by step photos
- Gather all your ingredients and have them measured and ready to go. Preheat your oven to 325°F.
- To make the crust place the flour, shredded coconut, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter that has been cut into small pieces and pulse until it looks like corn meal. Pro Tip: DO NOT over pulse this or you will end up with a ball. This needs to be a fine meal and the butter may look like small peas.
- Line a 9" x 13" baking dish with parchment paper. Lay the paper in and trim at the corners for a tight fit. If you have metal binder clips you can clip the paper to the sides of the dish if you like. Place the crust mixture in the pan and press down lightly. Bake for 15 minutes.
- While the crust is baking prepare the filling by combining the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat slowly until smooth. After the eggs and sugar are smooth, add the flour.
- Take the fresh mango chunks and pulse in a small food processor until smooth. Pro tip: Do not use canned mango or mango nectar. Fresh mango is best.
- The mango should look like a smooth liquid with very small chunks.
- Add the mango to the mixing bowl.
- Add the lime juice to the mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Pour the filling on the warm crust and bake for 20 minutes or until set. I like to give mine the jiggle test after 15 minutes. Jiggle the pan and if it has waves like water it is not set but if it jiggles like jello then it is set. Repeat this test every few minutes until set.
- You can use a cake tester to see it if comes out clean when set also. Sprinkle with coconut while warm or powdered sugar after chilled when serving.
Mango History
Mangoes, considered to be one of the world's oldest fruits are thought to have originated in Northeast India. They then spread west through both the whims of nature and human help. Mangoes spread to eastern Asia via Buddhist monks traveling to those territories. Later, Persian traders took mangoes to the Middle East and East Africa. Mangoes were brought to the western hemisphere by the Portuguese traders who at one point colonized the Indian subcontinent.
I really hope you make a batch of these creamy mango lime bars for your next gathering, or just for your family!
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Creamy Mango Lime Bars
Sweet, tart, creamy and crunchy! You'll love these creamy mango lime bars with sweet and tart flavors and a crunchy shortbread crust.
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp flour sifted
- 1 cup mango fresh purée
- 4 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp coconut shredded for decoration, unsweetened
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with parchment paper that goes all the way up the sides. Trim at the corners for a tight fit. Use metal binder clips on the sides to hold the paper if you like.
To make the crust place the flour, shredded coconut, salt and sugar in the food processor. Pulse to combine all the dry ingredients.
Add in the butter and pulse to combine all the ingredients until they come together. Do not over pulse. You want to stop when the mixture looks like corn meal and the butter is the size of small peas.
Place in the bottom of the baking pan and press down lightly.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
Prepare the filling while the crust bakes. Place the eggs and the sugar in the bowl of a stand up mixer and beat until smooth. Slowly add the flour, mango pulp, and lime juice. Continue to beat until all the ingredients have been combined.
Pour the filling on top of the crust and bake for about 20 minutes until set. I like to give mine the jiggle test after 15 minutes. Jiggle the pan and if it has waves like water it is not set but if it jiggles like jello then it is set. Repeat this test every few minutes until set.
Remove from the oven, and place on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and refrigerate until ready to use. You can top with powdered sugar as an option when chilled also. Slice the bars when chilled.
Beth (OMG! Yummy)
What a fun recipe - I have a lime bar I made for hubby on my site but I've never thought of using up some of my limes with mango - so smart!
Analida
Thanks Beth! It is actually a nice combination of sweet and tart. Give it a try. 🙂 I will need to check out your recipe.
Coley | Coley Cooks
I love this tropical take on a traditional lemon bar! That filling sounds so delicious. Anything on a rich shortbread crust is right up my alley!
Analida
🙂 They are delicious. I took a batch to my office on Monday after I made them. My floor loved them! I also love anything on a shortbread crust.
April J Harris
Your Creamy Mango Lime Bars look delicious. What a wonderful twist on traditional Lemon Bars! I know I'd need to eat more than one that is for sure! Thank you for sharing with us at Hearth and Soul. Stumbled!
Analida
You are welcome April. They are really tasty; not too sweet, not too tart! I took a batch to my office the other day and they gobbled them up. Love sharing with you guys.
Miz Helen
Your Creamy Mango Lime Bars look wonderful and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you had a great week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Analida
Hi Miz Helen! Thanks!!! I'll be back 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Love citrus in baked goods! These look super creamy and I just love the mango lime combo - YUM!
Analida
Thanks Dawn! My family loves these!
Gloria
These look like a delicious treat for an afternoon coffee break, or dessert after a meal. Perfect to put on the dessert table at a party. The flavour combination sounds amazing.
Courtney
These sound delicious! The flavour combination of the mango and lime sounds incredible!
Anna Hettick
Lemon bars have long been a favorite treat of mine but I have to admit that mango and lime seem like a great twist!!
Shelley
These look just fantastic! Lemon bars are always so popular, but I love this yummy twist with lime and mango - what a great idea! It's especially wonderful that they freeze well. I always like knowing I can make a batch (or two!) and stash extras away for "emergencies. You totally look like the hostess with the mostess when unexpected guests drop by and you can pull something like this out! Interesting info on the history of mangos, too. Really enjoyed this post!
Michelle
These look so good! I love mango and lime, it's one of my favourite combinations. I'm definitely going to try these.
Marisa Franca
Love shortbread crusts -- they make the treat taste so much better and the mango-lime bars do remind me of the tropics. I think this would make a wonderful summer treat. I think of outdoor dining and picnics. Super yummy.
Shannon
I am not a fan of lemon bars at all but mango I could do! I LOVE mango and combining it withe the line sounds intriguing. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
I could have desserts eery day this time of year! I can't wait to try these lemon bars, they look so good! My hubby will love them
Vanessa Vickery
What a delicious looking recipe!! I need some of these in my life!
Sharon
I love mangos as well! This mango based dessert looks so good, I want a big slice right now.
Tammy
Oooh I love this twist! Mango lime bars sound fantastic! I just love citrus bars so I definitely need to try these soon 🙂
Julie
Wow! I've never baked with mango because I never really knew how to extract the juice - I had no idea you could just grind up all the pulp and use that. What a great trick!
Eileen Kelly
You have made me so hungry! These are delicious treats that are easy to make! I love the flavor combos -super flavorful! I am adding to my list of to make snacks!
Emily Leary
Mango and lime combo - delicious. These would definitely not last long in our house! I loved reading the history content too!
Sara
These squares are exquisite! I loved the subtle taste of coconut in the shortbread crust; it perfectly complimented the sweet-tangy mango-lime filling. (Since I wanted the lime flavour to shine through and was using ripe mangoes I only started with a little over a half a cuo of sugar when I began blending the filling. And in the end I think I only added about 3/4 cup of sugar.) Delicious squares!
Analida
Thank you so much Sara!