🧡 My Favorite Passion Fruit Dessert

I’m a little obsessed with passion fruit. The flavor, the concept—even the name. (Adding “passion” basically means you’re required to love it, right?)

What is passion fruit?

Passion fruit is a tropical fruit that’s filled with a mixture of delicious, edible pulp and seeds. You strain the seeds from the pulp, and blam – you have passion fruit puree, which tastes like if mango and guava and lemon had a baby together. It’s tart, with a bit of sweetness, and a flavor that makes me want to book a beach vacation, immediately.

If you’re new to the passion fruit, don’t miss my full guide to passion fruit, including tips for picking the best, most ripe fruit, how to store them, and more. I also have a tutorial showing how to make your own passion fruit puree, with photos and videos to walk you through it.

Why You’ll Love These Bars

These bars are a twist on classic lemon bars. Since passion fruit is quite tart, it’s a good substitute for lemon in a lot of baking recipes. I swapped passion fruit puree for lemon juice in my favorite Lemon Bars recipe, and magic was made. ✨

The base is a super-crispy buttery crust that comes together in a minute and doesn’t require any chilling. The filling is tart and tropical, with a soft and creamy texture that melts in your mouth, but sets enough so you can easily and neatly cut and serve the bars.

What if I don’t have fresh passion fruit?

Never fear — you don’t have to have your own passion fruit vine to make these bars. (Yes, they grow on vines – told you they were cool!)

I typically use frozen passion fruit puree in this recipe. It’s easier for me to find, much cheaper than using fresh passion fruit, and I love that I can keep a supply in my freezer for whenever a craving strikes!

I usually buy Goya brand passion fruit puree from my local Mexican market. (I live in CA, availability and brands will vary based on location.) One 14-oz package of puree is the perfect amount for this recipe. All you have to do is defrost and you’re ready to go!

Ingredients

Now here’s the rest of what you’ll need to make these bars! Full ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card below. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

For the Crust

• Unsalted butter and salt: I like to use unsalted butter in baked goods so that I can adjust the salt to my exact tastes. However, if you only have salted butter, you can still use it, but make sure to omit the additional salt in the crust.
• Sugar: You’ll need regular granulated sugar to sweeten the crust.  
• Vanilla extract: To give the shortbread crust a little flavor.
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the base of the crust. If possible, use a scale to measure the flour so that you add the correct amount.

For the Filling

• Eggs: You’ll need 8 large eggs to make the filling. (Avoid other sizes, like medium or jumbo – using too much or too little egg might result in a gooey or gummy filling.) For the best results, have the eggs at room temperature.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar for the filling, and a bit of powdered sugar on top before serving!
• Passion fruit puree: This is the star of the show! I typically use Goya passion fruit puree, and you can read more about that above.
• Flour: A little all-purpose flour in the filling helps it to firm up and will make the bars easier to cut.

📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make Passion Fruit Bars

Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to make Passion Fruit Bars! Printable instructions are included in the recipe card above.

Make the Crust

1. Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper so that it extends up the sides, and spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Mix crust ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together 8 oz (1 cup) melted butter, 3.5 oz (1/2 cup) granulated sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp salt. Once mixed, add 8.5 oz (2 cups) purpose flour and stir with a spatula until no streaks of flour remain.

3. Press crust into pan. Scrape the dough into the pan and press it into an even layer. It might seem a little greasy—this is normal.
4. Bake crust. Bake the crust for about 25 minutes at 350° F, until it’s light golden on top. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling so it’s ready to go as soon as the crust is done.

Make the Filling

1. Mix eggs, sugar and puree. In a large bowl, whisk together 8 large eggs, 16.3 oz (2 1/3 cups) granulated sugar, and 14 oz (1 1/2 cups) passion fruit puree.

2. Sift flour in. Sift 2.12 oz (1/2 cup) flour on top of the egg mixture, and whisk it in well.

3. Pour filling over hot crust. When the crust is done baking, slide the rack part-way out of the oven. Pour the filling over the hot crust and slide it back into the oven.
4. Reduce temperature and bake till done. Reduce the temperature to 325°F and bake for 25-30 minutes. It’s done when the center barely jiggles when you tap the pan.
5. Cool. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool until it reaches room temperature. Then refrigerate until completely chilled.
6. Cut into squares. Cut bars into squares with a large sharp knife. Before serving, sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

💡Tips and FAQs

Here are my top tips for making these bars!

🍑 No-Bake Peach Tart

Every year during peach season, I swear I’m going to buy a totally reasonable amount of fruit. And every year, I walk up to the farm stand, look them square in the eye, and ask for every peach they’ve got.

🥧 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Why will this be your new summer dessert obsession? Let me count the ways:

• Starts with a buttery shortbread crust
• Toasted pecans give the crust a nutty flavor and delicious crunchy texture
• Overflowing with both peach puree AND fresh peaches
• Amazing with whipped cream, ice cream, or just eaten right out of the pan

💡Tips for Success

Avoid common mistakes so that your Fresh Peach Tart turns out perfectly!

• Whisk often: While making the gelled peach sauce, it’s important to whisk often so the bottom doesn’t scorch. Make sure to continue cooking and whisking it long enough for the starch to thicken the sauce, otherwise the filling will not set.
• Use an egg white wash: To prevent the crust from getting too soggy once it is filled with peaches, beat the egg white and brush it on the bottom and sides of the crust just before you begin baking the crust uncovered.
• Watch the shell carefully: The shell could get over-browned during the second half of the baking process while it’s uncovered. Watch it carefully and cover the sides with foil to prevent them from getting too dark if needed.

How to Toast Pecans in the Oven

Toasting makes nuts crunchier, more flavorful, and (in my opinion) 67.4% more delicious! Here’s a super-simple way to toast pecans, or any nuts. I usually toast a large quantity, then save what I’m not using right away in the freezer, so they’re good to go for the next recipe.

1. Turn your oven to 350ºF. Spread the pecans (or other nuts) in a single layer across the top of a light-colored baking sheet and place them in the oven.
2. Use a spatula to flip and gently stir the nuts every 2-3 minutes. The total toasting time will probably be around 6-10 minutes, but it depends on your oven and the thickness of your baking sheet, so keep a close eye on them.
3. The nuts are done when they have a strong toasty fragrance and have darkened in color.
4. Cool the nuts completely before using.

💭 FAQs

🍓 Fresh Strawberry Topping for Cheesecake & More

Bold claim time: you can improve almost any dessert with three ingredients and 20 minutes. For instance:

• Ice cream? Check.
• Cheesecake? Got ya covered.
• Tarts? You better believe it.

All of these things can be improved at least 37.45%* by adding an easy homemade strawberry sauce on top.

*Figures have not and will not be scientifically checked

Ingredients

Any recipe that just has three ingredients is a recipe I can get on board with! Here’s what you’ll need for this homemade Strawberry Sauce. Check the recipe card for full ingredient amouts.

• Strawberries: You’ll need one pound of strawberries to make 2 cups chopped berries. The recipe makes 1 1/2 cups of sauce, but if you need more sauce than that, you can easily double or even triple this recipe in a larger pot. The flavor is better when using fresh berries, but you can also use frozen berries–check the FAQ section below for information on how to use frozen berries in this recipe!
• Sugar: The recipe calls for 1/3 cup granulated sugar, but you can add more or less depending on how sweet your berries are, and your personal preference.
• Lemon Juice:Just a little lemon juice brightens the sauce and deepens the sweet berry flavor. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if you have it, but bottled juice will work as well.

Equipment

All you need are a few basic kitchen tools to make this sauce!

• Saucepan: I use a 4-quart saucepan which is the perfect size for this amount of sauce. If you’re doubling or tripling the recipe, I recommend using a larger size.
• Juicer: You can squeeze the lemon juice by hand, but I recommend using a juicer. This makes it easier to get more juice out of the lemon!
• Spatula: You’ll want to use a spatula to regularly stir the strawberry sauce as it cooks so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan.
• Jars: You can store any leftover sauce in mason jars in the fridge.

📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make Strawberry Sauce

This homemade Strawberry Sauce comes together in less than 30 minutes! Here’s a quick overview of how to make it, and for full printable instructions, visit the recipe card above.

💭 Variations

This Strawberry Sauce is very customizable and forgiving. Here are a couple of things you can do to switch things up!

• Make another berry sauce. This recipe can be easily adapted to accommodate different berries. Try it with raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries. You can also use cherries, pitted and halved, to make a homemade cherry sauce!
• Adjust the sugar. You can adjust the amount of sugar you use depending on the ripeness of the berries. Very ripe berries will need less sugar. Under-ripe berries will need more.
• Add another flavor. Some of my favorite additions are 1 tsp vanilla extract, a shake of ground cinnamon, or adding lemon zest in addition to the lemon juice. Almond extract is another fun flavor you can try if you think it will work with the other components of your dessert.

🍋 Easy Lemon Quick Bread: A Versatile Treat

Lemon lovers, this one’s for you! My lemon loaf recipe uses fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, for the strongest, most authentic lemon flavor. It also has THREE different lemon components for a triple hit of tangy citrus flavor:

1. lemon cake batter
2. lemon soaking syrup
3. drizzled lemon glaze

Few baked goods can match the bright, sunny flavor and all-around versatility of lemon bread. Whether you’re looking for a sweet breakfast treat, an afternoon pick-me-up, or a delicious dessert, this lemon bread delivers.

Enjoy it in the morning sliced and served warm next to a cup of coffee as a cozy way to start your day. For picnics, potlucks, or casual get-togethers, lemon bread is a crowd-pleasing option that’s easy to transport and share.

And if you want to fancy it up, serve it with a dollop of softly whipped cream and some juicy sliced berries for a dessert to rival the fanciest cake. No matter how you serve it, you’re sure to love this lemon bread.

🧾 What You’ll Need

The most important part of this bread recipe is using fresh lemons. While you can technically use bottled juice and dried lemon zest, I would never recommend that, and would sooner have you not make it at all! If you’re going to go to the trouble of baking lemon cake from scratch, please go all the way and use fresh fruit. I promise, it’s worth the effort.

For this recipe, you’ll need about 4 large, heavy lemons, or 7-8 medium lemons. Because the juice content of fresh fruit can vary so widely, I recommend buying a few extra just in case, so you’re not caught short in the middle of baking.

Other Ingredients

The other ingredients are pantry staples you probably already have on hand. A few tips as you assemble ingredients: (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• Lemon juice and zest: as mentioned above, only fresh juice and zest should be used.
• All-purpose flour: standard, non-rising flour.
• Baking powder and baking soda: both leaveners are used for an ultra-fluffy and light texture.
• Granulated sugar and powdered sugar:granulated sugar is used in the loaf and soaking syrup, and powdered sugar is used in the glaze.
• Unsalted butter: make sure the butter is at room temperature. If you have salted butter, you can swap that in and omit the added salt.
• Large Eggs: your eggs should be at room temperature. To quickly warm them up, put them in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes before using them.
• Buttermilk: if you don’t have buttermilk, whisk together equal amounts of milk and sour cream, or milk and plain yogurt, to make the required 3/4 cup.

🍞 Make-ahead and storage information

Because it is so moist, this lemon bread is an excellent make-ahead option. Bake the loaf a day in advance, allow it to cool completely, and store it tightly wrapped in plastic at room temperature for 4-5 days. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, simply unwrap and dig in – the flavors will have had time to meld and intensify.

For longer storage, lemon bread freezes beautifully. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic and foil, and it will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before serving.

💡 Tips and Variations for Perfect Lemon Bread

Here are a few key tips to keep in mind when baking lemon bread:

• Use fresh lemon juice and zest for maximum flavor impact. No bottled stuff please!
• Be careful not to overmix the batter, as this can lead to a tough, dense texture.
• Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the center – it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
• This bread is even better if allowed to sit overnight after baking. The flavors have time to really meld and the texture is a tight, soft crumb.
• Consider adding a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter for a burst of fruity flavor that complements the lemon perfectly. For a nutty crunch, fold in some chopped walnuts or pecans.
• Lemon and poppyseed are a match made in heaven, so don’t hesitate to sprinkle in some poppyseeds for an extra burst of flavor and texture.

💚 Traditional Key Lime Pie: This is the Real Deal

Key lime pie is the quintessential citrus dessert. It has a smooth and creamy lime filling that’s bracingly tart but not too sour – the perfect blend of sweet and tangy.

If you’re looking for the real deal, this key lime pie is it! It’s set atop a crisp, buttery graham cracker pie crust, and garnished with sweetened whipped cream. The refreshing tart taste makes it a perfect summer dessert, but you can enjoy it any time of year! 

What’s in Key Lime Pie?

An authentic key lime pie filling has 3 main components:

• egg yolks
• sweetened condensed milk
• key lime juice

This may seem like an unusual combination, until you understand the origins of this classic American dessert.

Key lime pie originated in Key West, Florida in the late 1800s where key limes are plentiful. Since fresh milk and access to refrigeration weren’t readily available, people utilized canned milk, hence the sweetened condensed milk in this recipe.

(Wondering what the heck key limes are, and how they differ from “regular” limes? Check out our article about key limes vs regular limes here!)

💭 Variations

Wanting to switch things up? Here are a couple suggestions:

• Use store-bought crust. If you want to save a little bit of time, you can use a store-bought graham cracker crust. However, store-bought crusts might be shallower than homemade crust, so you may end up with a little extra key lime filling.
• Try a different crust flavor. Instead of graham crackers, try using shortbread cookies, gingersnaps, or crunchy coconut cookie crumbs.
• Go for meringue. Try toasted meringue instead of whipped cream for the topping.
• Switch up the citrus. Most sour citrus fruit will work in this recipe, and produce a delicious creamy sweet-tart filling. Lemon is a natural choice, but grapefruit is delicious too! If you want to make this with orange, I suggest using half orange and half lemon juice, since oranges are much sweeter and the pie needs some of lemon’s sourness to balance it out.

💡 Tips and FAQs

Here are a few of my tips to make the best Key Lime Pie!

• Use freshly squeezed juice. Bottled juice contains preservatives that can make the juice taste “off” or slightly stale. I recommend freshly squeezing the lime juice for the best flavor!
• Pre-bake the crust. While graham cracker crusts can sometimes be used without baking, this pie is best with a pre-baked crust. The extra baking time ensures the graham crust doesn’t get soggy.
• Let the crust cool. After you pre-bake the crust, let it cool completely before you add the filling so it has time to firm up.
• Use a 2-inch deep pie pan. This recipe makes enough filling to fill a deep dish crust, so I recommend using a 2-inch deep pan.
• Chill the pie. After the pie is prepped and baked, chill it in the fridge overnight (or for at least 6 hours) before you cut into it so it can set.

📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make No-Churn Circus Animal Ice Cream

Here’s an overview of how to make Circus Animal No-Churn Ice Cream! Full instructions are included in the recipe card above.

1. Prepare whipped cream: Whip the cream to firm peaks. Set aside.
2. Make milk mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Stir well.

7. Swirl: Once all the ice cream is layered in the container, swirl a knife through the cream until the colors are mixed up in pretty swirls.

8. Embellish: Sprinkle the top of the ice cream with the reserved sprinkles and cookie pieces.
9. Freeze: Freeze the container for at least 4-6 hours, until very firm.

💡 Tips for Success

• Check the milk. It’s so easy to grab evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk. It’s the key to getting creamy, scoopable ice cream!
• Chill the bowl and whisk. Using colder equipment to whip the cream will produce a lighter whipped cream which will create a lighter ice cream. Chill it for 15 minutes for best results.
• Whip to firm peaks: Cream goes through a few general stages of development as it incorporates air and thickens. The ideal stage for making the ice cream base is called firm peaks. You can identify this stage by how the cream reacts when you lift the whisk out of the mixing bowl. If the cream flops over and does not hold a pointy shape on the whisk, it’s at the soft peak stage and needs to be whipped longer. Continue mixing and test the cream again by pulling up the whisk. You’ll know it’s at the firm peak stage when the cream points upward with hardly any flopping and retains its shape well.
• Don’t over mix. As you combine all the ice cream ingredients be careful to fold them gently until just combined. Over-mixing will deflate the cream and ruin the texture of the ice cream.
• Store in the back of the freezer. Temperature regulation fluctuates at the front of the freezer where the door opens and closes. If the ice cream temperature fluctuates too much, ice crystals can form. Your ice cream will stay fresher if it’s stored toward the back at a constant temperature.

💭 FAQs