When I created this Holiday Lime & Gingerbread Square 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.
These Holiday Lime and Gingerbread Squares 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!
Holiday Lime & Gingerbread Squares Recipe
Gingerbread and lime are a perfect pairing in these delicious Holiday Lime and Gingerbread Squares. Serve them plain or with green sparkling sugar or green and white coconut.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: North American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 16 squares
Ingredients
Base:
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1/3 cup toffee bits I use Skor
Filling:
• 4 eggs beaten
• 1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
• 2 tsp grated lime zest
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice the juice of about 2 limes
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp green food coloring * I use Wilton Kelly Green icing coloring
Optional Toppings:
• green sparkling sugar
• unsweetened coconut
• green food coloring * I just use the grocery store food coloring for this
Instructions
Base:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Step 2: Put base ingredients into food processor and mix until butter is evenly distributed and mixture clings together.
Step 3: Press dough into the bottom of baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15- 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
Filling:
Step 1: 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 coloring.
Step 2: Immediately pour over baked crust and bake in preheated oven for 20 -25 minutes until filling is set. Cool in pan on wire rack.
Optional Toppings :
Step 1: Sparkling sugar: sprinkle on as much green sparkling sugar as desired.
Step 2: Green colored coconut: add the desired amount of coconut in a ziplock baggie put a few drops of green food coloring in and shake. Keep adding food coloring until you achieve desired look/shade of green.
Recipe Notes
Note: *if you cut each bar in half, you can get 32 triangles
Note: **To store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months
Note: FOR THE CHRISTMAS TREE: I used a mini chocolate bar (coffee crisp) and I used a maraschino cherry on top
Terri is a competitive home cook & baker, recipe developer, food blogger and busy working Mom that is trying to eat healthily and fit everything into not enough hours in a day. Terri is the creator and owner of Foodmeanderings.com , a recipe site, where she shares her easy and (mostly) healthy and award-winning recipes, love of baking, stories and food ramblings. Foodmeanderings.com launched in May 2016 as an avenue for Terri to share her love of creating recipes with food writing. Currently, Terri lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with her husband and 2 children. You can follow her culinary meanderings on Instagram and Pinterest.