You Have to Try This Key Lime Pie Yogurt Bark!
Okay, true story—my absolute favorite memory about this recipe involves my niece sneaking pieces of the bark straight from the freezer. You know that sound when the freezer door’s left open just a little too long? Yep, that’s the soundtrack of my kitchen every time I make this! I started making yogurt bark on a whim, honestly, just because my kitchen was too hot for proper baking one afternoon and, if I’m honest, because I’d already made three batches of banana bread that week (don’t judge; corona times were weird for all of us). But then, after mixing in those tart little key limes and a whole lot of protein-yogurt goodness, I somehow found myself eating half of it in one go. Oops.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Bark
I make this when the weather gets real steamy—and when dinner alone won’t cut it because I’ve got that 8pm snack itch. My family goes nuts for it since it’s super zesty and feels way fancier than the 10 minutes it takes to throw together. (My brother, who’s suspicious of “health food,” will raid the fridge for this stuff.) It’s honestly saved me from making late-night trips for ice cream more times than I’d admit. Plus, cleaning up is actually tolerable for once. There was a time I tried using regular lime juice, though, and it felt a bit bland. Now, I’m a bit of a key lime loyalist, but—well, more on that below.
Here’s What You Need (Tweaks Welcome)
- 2 cups (about 450g) plain Greek yogurt (Full fat, low fat, even vanilla yogurt in a pinch—I’ve used all sorts, though my gran insisted only the thick stuff counts. Honestly, any will work.)
- 3–4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (depends how sweet you actually like things; agave’s nice too if that’s what you’ve got)
- Zest and juice of 2 key limes (or regular limes if you only have those—no biggie. Bottled is fine, but squeeze it if you’re feeling posh)
- 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder (unflavored is OK, but I’ve found the vanilla kind of makes it sing… or at least hum pleasantly)
- 2–3 graham crackers, crumbled (I’ve totally used digestive biscuits or even Biscoff cookies once—wild, but worked!)
- Toppings: sliced almonds, more lime zest, or fresh berries (optional, but boy does it look fancy. I skip the nuts when my nephew’s around – allergy stuff)
How I Make It (Try Not to Eat It Midway!)
- Line a baking tray (anything that fits in your freezer is fine—I’ve used everything from cookie sheets to the inside of a Tupperware lid) with parchment paper. Pro tip: the paper always tries to curl up—little bits of yogurt on each corner helps it stay put.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, honey, protein powder, lime zest, and juice. (This is the kind of step where my arm gets tired, but it’s totally worth it.) Taste it. Seriously! If it’s too tangy, add another spoonful of honey—or just own the zingy-ness.
- Spread the yogurt mix evenly over your lined tray. Don’t fuss about making it perfect—about half an inch thick or so works best, but if it’s wobbly and uneven it’s all good. (Actually, those thicker bits kind of taste best the next day.)
- Sprinkle the crumbled graham crackers all over. Add nuts, more zest, or berries if you’re feeling extra.
- Here’s the hard bit—freeze the tray for about 4 hours, or honestly, overnight is easier if you can be patient. (I rarely am, so my pieces sometimes look more like messy pebbles than squares. Still yummy though.)
- Once it’s nice and solid, break or cut into satisfyingly rugged pieces. If it gives you a little trouble getting out the pan, let it sit out for a couple minutes. Not too long—melty yogurt bark gets messy in a hurry!
Notes I Wrote to My Future Self
- Don’t skimp on the lining—once, I skipped it and spent ages chiseling frozen yogurt from the tray. Major regret.
- If the protein powder clumps up on you, try blending everything together instead of stirring. Though honestly, I’m often too lazy and just squash the lumps with my spoon.
- I’ve found it tastes even better after a day for some reason. Maybe it just gives the flavors a minute to hang out?
If You Want to Mix It Up…
- Tried swapping maple syrup for honey—came out way earthier and my husband loved it (I kinda missed the honey, myself).
- Added shredded coconut on a whim. That worked! But white chocolate chips… eh, a bit too sweet and seemed to melt weirdly after freezing.
- Tried strawberry yogurt (because we ran out of plain); makes for a hybrid dessert that’s weirdly tasty but not exactly “key lime pie.” Fun once, probably won’t repeat.
Needed Tools… Or Not?
Technically, I use a mixing bowl, silicone spatula, and a baking tray. But the time my tray vanished (long story, kitchen chaos), I made mini-barks right inside muffin cups. Kinda fell apart but still tasted great—so, improvise freely!
Keeping It Fresh (Well, I Try…)
Supposedly, this keeps in an airtight container in the freezer for a week or so, but frankly, it’s never survived that long around here. My tip is to put a piece of parchment between layers if you stack, or else you wind up with a giant frozen yogurt monolith (not as fun to break apart as you’d think).
How I Love to Serve It
I just toss a few pieces in a bowl with fresh berries; looks so cheerful and colorful, my family thinks I’m some sort of culinary genius. Sometimes I’ll add a tiny dollop of whipped cream if we’re feeling decadent. On Fridays, it always seems to vanish before dinner’s even started. (Oops.)
A Few Real-World Pro Tips
- Don’t rush the freezing—once, I tried serving it half-frozen and it was more like oddly cold yogurt soup. Not a vibe.
- Resist the urge to make it super thick; over an inch and it gets too icy in the middle. Under half an inch, it’s a pain to peel of the paper (which, yes, I ate once by mistake—would not recommend).
Questions You Might Have (’Cause I Did Too)
- Can I use non-dairy yogurt?
- Absolutely! I’ve used coconut yogurt once, and while it’s a bit less creamy, it still works. Just check that your protein powder is compatible; I once used pea protein and, well—it was a bit gritty. Maybe that’s just me?
- How do you get clean squares?
- Honestly, I usually just break uneven pieces by hand—rustic vibes! If you want neat lines, warm a sharp knife under hot water. Or accept chaos (faster, less cleaning).
- What if I don’t like lime?
- First—what?! Kidding. Just swap in lemon, or even orange zest in a pinch, and it’ll still be bright and fresh. Not exactly “key lime pie,” but really tasty anyway.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to check if there’s any bark left in the freezer. Spoiler: there probably isn’t.
Ingredients
- 2 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder
- 2 teaspoons key lime zest (plus extra for topping)
- 2 tablespoons key lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 graham crackers, crushed
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
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1Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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2In a bowl, mix Greek yogurt, honey, protein powder, key lime zest, key lime juice, and vanilla extract until well combined.
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3Spread the yogurt mixture evenly over the prepared baking sheet into a 1/2-inch thick layer.
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4Sprinkle crushed graham crackers, extra lime zest, and white chocolate chips (if using) evenly over the top.
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5Freeze for 2 hours or until firm. Break into pieces and enjoy.
CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO
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Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size:
1 serving
Calories:
110cal
Protein:
10gg
Fat:
2gg
Saturated Fat:
0g
Trans Fat:
0g
Cholesterol:
0mg
Sodium:
0mg
Potassium:
0mg
Total Carbs:
15gg
Fiber:
0g
Sugar:
0g
Net Carbs:
0g
Vitamin A:
0
Vitamin C:
0mg
Calcium:
0mg
Iron:
0mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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