Margarita Bars Recipe

wood board with sliced margarita bars topped with lime slices

Margarita bars have a creamy and tart lime filling complete with a splash of tequila that sits on a salty pretzel shortbread crust with a sugared top!

4.51 from 115 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 1

Servings: bars

Author: Jennifer Stewart

Ingredients

Margarita Filling

6 extra large eggs room temperature
3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lime zest roughly 2 limes
½ cup lime juice Juice of 2 limes, roughly 1/2-2/3 cup
½ cup blanco tequila *see notes below
1 cup all purpose flour

For the Pretzel Shortbread Crust

2 sticks butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose Flour
1 cup pretzels crushed, leave some small pieces
powdered sugar and lime zest for garnish

Instructions

Pretzel Crust

Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix the ingredients for the crust and spread in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan (glass or metal).
Make sure you get an even layer and bring up a little on the sides to hold the filling in.
If your hands get sticky from the butter, dust them in flour and then press down on the crust.
Bake the crust at 350F for 15 minutes or until it is a light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool a bit while you make the filling. Leave the oven on.

Margarita Bars

For the filling, zest, and juice your limes.
In a large bowl combine the eggs, sugar, lime zest, lime juice, tequila*, and flour.
Stir with a whisk to combine completely.
Pour onto the slightly cooled crust.
Put the pan back in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center doesn't jiggle when you give it a gentle shake.
Remove from oven and let cool completely.
I let my margarita bars cool for about 15 minutes and then put them in the refrigerator to cool them quicker. I couldn't wait.
Garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar and lime zest!
Slice into 24 bars or triangles.
Enjoy with a margarita on Cinco de Mayo!

Notes

The total amount of liquid is 1 cup so pour your fresh lime juice in a measuring cup. Make up the difference with tequila to use a total of 1 cup of lime juice and tequila combined. If you don't want to use tequila (just use 1 cup total lime juice or substitute water.)

Zest the limes and then juice them. This way nothing is wasted.

Nutrition