Margarita Bars With Salted Ritz Cracker Crust Recipe
These Margarita Bars with a salted Ritz cracker crust combine a buttery, crispy base with a creamy, tangy margarita-flavored filling, offering a refreshing twist on a classic dessert perfect for parties or casual gatherings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours (including chilling time)
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 52 Ritz crackers (approx. 2 cups cracker crumbs)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (melted, slightly cooled)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Filling
- 2 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
- 2 large whole eggs (room temperature)
- 2 large egg yolks (room temperature)
- ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 Tbsp Cointreau (or orange liqueur; orange juice can also be subbed)
- ¼ cup tequila (use an alcohol removed tequila or more lime juice for alcohol free)
- 1–1½ Tbsp lime zest
- ½ cup sour cream (room temperature)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking both the crust and filling.
- Prepare Crust: Place the Ritz crackers into a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Then add melted butter, vanilla extract, sugar, and sea salt. Pulse the mixture until everything is fully combined and evenly mixed.
- Form and Bake Crust: Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Press the cracker crust mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan, pressing very well to ensure the crust holds together during baking. Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes until it achieves a golden brown color. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.
- Make Filling: In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, whole eggs, egg yolks, lime juice, Cointreau (or orange liqueur/juice), tequila (or substitute), lime zest, and sour cream. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for a smooth mixture. Whisk well until the filling is creamy and fully blended.
- Pour and Bake Filling: Pour the margarita filling over the slightly cooled crust in the pan. Bake at 350°F for approximately 17-20 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is just set but may still jiggle slightly.
- Cool and Chill: Transfer the baked bars to a cooling rack and cool for 30 minutes to an hour. Then refrigerate the bars for a minimum of 2 hours, ideally 4-6 hours, to allow the filling to fully set.
- Serve: Before slicing, sprinkle the bars with flaky sea salt and additional fresh lime zest to enhance flavor and presentation. Cut into squares and serve chilled.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs and sour cream to help the filling mix smoothly and bake evenly.
- If avoiding alcohol, substitute tequila with additional lime juice or an alcohol-removed tequila.
- Press the crust mixture very firmly into the pan to ensure it holds together well when sliced.
- For best flavor, chill bars for at least 4-6 hours to fully set the filling.
- Flaky sea salt adds a nice finish, balancing the sweet and tangy flavors.
Keywords: Margarita bars, Ritz cracker crust, lime dessert, baked custard bars, party dessert, margarita dessert bars
