Tangy Passion Fruit Bars Recipe with Shortbread Crust

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These Lilikoi Bars combine a buttery shortbread crust with a bright, luscious passion fruit filling. The tropical, tangy-sweet flavor of passion fruit (lilikoi) shines through, making these bars a refreshing dessert that brightens any gathering.

Key Ingredients Needed for This Recipe

• Passion fruit puree: The centerpiece of the filling, providing the tart-tropical flavor that defines these bars.
• Eggs: Help bind and set the filling for a smooth, custard-like texture.
• Sugar: Balances the tartness of the passion fruit and yields a sweet, dessert-style bar. See notes below if you prefer less sweetness.

See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities.

What Type of Fruit is Lilikoi (Passion Fruit)?

Passion fruit grows on a vine and produces an aromatic, seedy pulp inside a tough rind. Lilikoi is technically a berry and is prized for its intensely floral, tart flavor that works beautifully in desserts and sauces.

Where Can You Find Passion Fruit?

Fresh passion fruit is ideal, but if you don’t live in a tropical area you can often find passion fruit or passion fruit puree in larger grocery stores, specialty markets, or in the frozen section. Frozen puree works well for this recipe once thawed.

How to Make the Crust

Whisk together the flour, salt, and powdered sugar. Cut cold, cubed butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, then press into the bottom of a prepared baking pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to brown. Let the crust cool slightly while you prepare the filling.

How to Make Passion Fruit Puree

To make puree from fresh passion fruit, halve each fruit, scoop out the pulp, and pulse briefly in a blender or food processor to release juice from the seeds. Strain if you prefer a seed-free puree. If using frozen passion fruit, thaw it and blend briefly if there are large chunks.

How to Make the Filling for the Bars

Whisk eggs in a bowl, then gradually add sugar. Stir in the flour and baking powder, then fold in the passion fruit puree until the mixture is smooth. Let any large bubbles settle before pouring the filling over the hot crust.

Top Tip

After whisking the filling, allow it to rest a minute so surface bubbles dissipate. This helps create a smoother finish on the baked bars.

These Bars are Best Served Cold

Bake the filled pan for 30–35 minutes until the center is set and edges are lightly golden. Cool the pan until it can be chilled, then refrigerate for at least one hour. Cold bars are firmer, easier to slice, and won’t cause the powdered sugar topping to melt.

Recipe FAQs

These Dessert Bars are Sweeter than Lemon Bars

Readers sometimes find these bars quite sweet, depending on the brand of passion fruit puree and the sugar amount. To reduce sweetness, cut back on the sugar or add lemon juice to the filling for extra acidity.

My Favorite Pan for This Recipe

A standard 9×13-inch baking pan works well for these bars. Use a pan with even heat distribution for the best crust and filling texture.

More Tropical Recipes to Check Out

• Guava Passion Fruit Drink
• Mango Gelato
• Gin Tiki Cocktail
• Fresh Mango Galette

Easy Passion Fruit Bar Recipe

An easy recipe for Passion Fruit Bars that taste like a vacation. Sweet, tangy, and simple to prepare for family and friends.

Equipment

• 9×13-inch baking pan (or similar)
• 2 large mixing bowls
• Rubber spatula
• Pastry cutter or fork
• Food processor or blender (for homemade puree)
• Strainer (optional, to remove seeds)

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup powdered confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (if using unsalted butter)
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Passion Fruit Filling

• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup passion fruit puree (see notes)
• Powdered confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions

Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray or butter.
2. Whisk the flour, salt, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Cut the cold butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers until it forms coarse crumbs.
3. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, bringing it up the sides slightly if desired.
4. Bake the crust for about 15 minutes, until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling.

Passion Fruit Filling

1. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar a cup at a time, whisking until smooth. Add the flour and baking powder and whisk to combine.
2. Stir in the passion fruit puree until the filling is homogeneous and smooth.
3. Pour the filling onto the hot crust and return the pan to the oven. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the center is set and the edges are lightly golden.
4. Cool the pan on a wire rack until it can go into the refrigerator. Chill for at least 1 hour to fully set. Dust with powdered sugar before slicing and serving.

Notes

• These bars can be sweeter than lemon bars depending on the passion fruit puree and sugar. For a less sweet result, reduce the sugar in the filling or add a few tablespoons of lemon juice.
• To make fresh passion fruit puree: halve the fruit, scoop out the pulp, pulse briefly in a blender, and strain if you prefer a seedless puree.
• Frozen passion fruit puree works well; thaw and blend briefly if needed to smooth any chunks.

Nutrition (per bar)

Calories: 250 kcal | Carbohydrates: 41 g | Protein: 3.9 g | Fat: 8.3 g | Sugar: 27.7 g

Nutrition calculations are estimates. Verify with your own data if needed.