Here is a delicious recipe for Easy Passion Fruit Bars that taste like a vacation! This sweet and tart bar is so easy to make, and with only a few ingredients, anyone can whip these up for family and friends.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
You'll fall in love with this Lilikoi Bar recipe for its irresistible tropical flavor that bursts with the tangy sweetness of fresh passion fruit. The buttery shortbread crust perfectly complements the luscious passion fruit filling, creating a delightful and refreshing dessert that's sure to brighten up any occasion.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed to Make Easy Passion Fruit Bars
- What Type of Fruit is Lilikoi (Passion Fruit)?
- Where Can You Find Passion Fruit?
- How to Make Passion Fruit Bars
- How to Make the Crust
- How to Make Passion Fruit Puree
- How to Make the Filling for the Bars
- Plan for Cooling Time, These Bars are Best Served Cold
- Recipe FAQs
- These Dessert Bars are Sweeter than Lemon Bars
- My Favorite Pan for This Recipe
- Easy Passion Fruit Bar Recipe
- Did you Make This Recipe?
Ingredients Needed to Make Easy Passion Fruit Bars
Eggs: Eggs serve as a binding agent in the filling, helping to set and firm up the bars during baking. They also contribute to the overall structure and texture.
Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness to the filling and helps balance the tartness of the passion fruit puree. It does make these bars sweet, see below for tips on managing the sweetness level.
All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is used in the filling to provide thickness and structure. It helps create a smooth and creamy texture as it bakes.
Baking powder: Baking powder is a leavening agent that helps the filling rise slightly, giving it a light and airy consistency.
Passion fruit puree: Passion fruit puree is the star ingredient in the filling, providing a tangy and tropical flavor. It adds a refreshing and vibrant element to the bars, infusing them with its distinctive taste.
Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar, is finely ground sugar that dissolves quickly and evenly. With its fine texture and versatile nature, powdered sugar adds sweetness and visual appeal to this recipe.
What Type of Fruit is Lilikoi (Passion Fruit)?
Passion fruit grows on a vine and not only has some of the most beautiful and intricate flowers but some of the most delicious fruit as well. Lilikoi is technically a berry, which makes it even more unique in my opinion.
Where Can You Find Passion Fruit?
If you're not in Hawaii or somewhere tropical, sometimes you can find passion fruit in the grocery store or the frozen section. I've had the best luck at my local Mexican Grocery Store, but I've also heard they can be found at Asian specialty grocery stores as well.
Fresh is always best but frozen will work just as well for these special little bars. You can also find passion fruit puree online.
How to Make Passion Fruit Bars
First, you will make the crust. This is a simple bar crust with butter, powdered sugar, salt, and flour. Then you will mix up the passion fruit puree with the sugar, eggs, flour, and baking powder.
Everything bakes together for about 35 minutes and then cooled in the fridge for an hour. Once the bars are nice and cold, sprinkle with a little more powdered sugar and enjoy!
How to Make the Crust
This crust recipe is a simple bar crust that is as versatile as it is easy. You can use this crust recipe for lemon bars or any other bar you would like. First, you will whisk together the flour, salt, and powdered sugar.
Then you will cut in the cold butter and press the mixture into the bottom of a baking pan. Bake the crust at 350º for 15 minutes just as the edges are turning brown. Allow the crust to cool as you make the filling.
How to Make Passion Fruit Puree
If you are lucky enough to have fresh, ripe passion fruit you can make your own puree. Cut the fruit in half and dig out the middle with a spoon.
Add the fruit to a food processor or blender and give it a quick pulse to remove more of the pulp and juice from the seeds. Strain the mixture into a bowl and you have your puree. I have also been told a food mill works well to remove the seeds, although I have not tried it yet.
If you purchase frozen passion fruit, once it thaws, it will be in a puree form. If there are chunks of fruit, give it a quick zip in a food processor or blender.
How to Make the Filling for the Bars
Once you have your passion fruit puree, you are ready to make the filling. If you don't have fresh passion fruit, you can also use frozen puree.
Whisk all of the filling ingredients together in a large mixing bowl starting with the eggs first. TIP: After whisking, there will be some bubbles. Allow the mixture to settle before baking in the oven.
Plan for Cooling Time, These Bars are Best Served Cold
Once you have the lilikoi filling added to the crust, you are ready to bake! Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center is firm.
Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool enough to be able to put the dish in the refrigerator. The bars need to be in the fridge for a MINIMUM of an hour.
Make sure they are cold all the way through. Not only does that mean they are done they are easier to cut and the sprinkle of confectioners sugar will not melt. Finally, you can enjoy these tropical treats!
Recipe FAQs
Although this recipe is similar to lemon bars, it does tend to be a bit sweeter.
If you want a less sweet version, add a few tablespoons of lemon juice to the filling and/or omit some of the sugar.
The passion fruit bars are done baking when the edges turn golden brown and the filling is set with a slight jiggle in the center. It's essential not to overbake them to maintain a soft and gooey texture.
Yes, you can freeze the cooled passion fruit bars in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.
The passion fruit bars can stay fresh for about 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer shelf life, keep them refrigerated.
These Dessert Bars are Sweeter than Lemon Bars
I've been told by a few readers that they found these bars to be very sweet. This is because passion fruit puree is pretty sweet on its own. If you want a less sweet version, add a few tablespoons of lemon juice to the filling and/or omit some of the sugar.
My Favorite Pan for This Recipe
I was given the opportunity to try the bakeware pans from Caraway and I have to say, they are now my new favorite. Not only do they look great and come in beautiful colors, but they are also toxin free and have the most non-stick surface I have used.
Easy Passion Fruit Bar Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup powdered confectioners sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (if using unsalted butter)
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Passion Fruit Filling
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅔ cup passion fruit puree (see notes)
- powdered confectioners sugar for dusting
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Place the flour, salt, and powdered sugar for the crust into a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your hands.
- Put the crust mixture into the baking pan. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and up the sides as much as you can.
- Bake the crust in the oven for 15 minutes, until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from the oven when done.
Passion Fruit Filling
- While the crust is baking, whisk the eggs together in another mixing bowl. Add the sugar, one cup at a time, and fully combine. Add the flour and baking powder and continue to whisk. Finally, add the passion fruit puree and ensure everything is well combined.
- By now the crust should be done and out of the oven. Once the crust is ready, carefully pour the passion fruit mixture onto the hot crust and place the pan back into the oven for another 30-35 minutes. The bars are done when the center is firm.
- Remove the bars from the oven and allow the pan to cool on a wire rack until it can be placed in the fridge to cool and set. Allow the bars to chill for a minimum of 1 hour. Dust with powdered sugar right before serving and enjoy!
Notes
- I've been told by a few readers that they found these bars to be very sweet. This is because most passion fruit puree can be sweet depending on the brand and you also add 2 cups of sugar. If you want a less sweet version, add a few tablespoons of lemon juice to the filling and/or omit some of the sugar.
- If you are lucky enough to have fresh, ripe passion fruit you can make your own puree. Cut the fruit in half and dig out the middle with a spoon. Add the fruit to a food processor or blender and give it a quick pulse to remove more of the pulp and juice from the seeds. Strain the mixture into a bowl and you have your puree.
- If you purchase frozen passion fruit, once it thaws, it will be puree. If there are chunks of fruit, give it a quick zip in a food processor or blender.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Did you Make This Recipe?
If you get a chance to make these Lilikoi Bars, don't forget to leave a comment below. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest and tag me in your photo if you try these or any of my other recipes!
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Passion fruit photo by Marcello Aquino on Unsplash.
Ivory MacCracken says
I liked the crust and the flavor was tasty but as others said filling was veryyy gummy unfortunately
Karyn says
Just made these 2ways…one with regular all-purpose flour & a gluten free option with almond flour. Used only 1 1/2 cup sugar which was perfect. They were a delicious huge hit by both the adults & kids. The GF option came out amazing…the crust was perfect & I used a tad more purée. And the food mill suggestion for separating the seeds was brilliant! So proud of myself because I don’t typically bake!
Emily says
Amazing work, Karyn!! Thanks for the update and the gluten free idea!
Sue says
Absolutely delicious and so easy! I would give this recipe 10 stars if I could!
Emily says
Thank you, Sue!! 😁