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    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    A Taste of Aloha-Lilikoi Bars with Fresh Lilikoi Glaze

    Published: Dec 4, 2011 · Modified: Feb 1, 2023 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 48 Comments

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    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
     
    This is possibly one of the best deserts that I have ever made.
     
    I've made lemon bars before, but a taste of the islands takes this to an entirely different flavor profile that I have not experienced since I moved from Hawaii.
     
    Mom still lives there, and I shared with many of you on Facebook and Twitter that I arrived home one day last week to a HUGE box of fresh lilikoi (Hawaiian for passion fruit).
    Now when I mean fresh, I mean fresh from HER tree!
     
    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
     
    Can you believe it? The fruity smell was permeating out of the box even before I opened it!

    A Few Tips on Working with Fresh Passion Fruit

    So let me tell you about this beautiful tropical fruit, lilikoi.
    • The wrinklier it looks, the better and sweeter it is! So all that brown/wrinkle, that's good stuff!
    • There are seeds inside that are practically impossible to break, so best way to remove the pulp and juice is a quick swish in the food processor or blender. (Will explain.)
    • Enjoy-lilikoi is AMAZING!
    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
     

    Lilikoi Bars, like Lemon Bars, but with a Hawaiian Twist

    I had to pick the best desert possible to showcase this amazing and exotic fruit. I was thinking about lemon bars-how prefect are they. Tangy and sweet, a thick coating of fruit-this would fit perfectly for the
     lilikoi-And there we have it-Lilikoi Bars were born.
     
    I wish blogs had some type of taste-sensory mechanism; there is nothing quite like the flavor of passion fruit. This unique flavor is romantic and tart. The aroma and scent alone bring me right back to Hawaiian waters and fresh citrus trees. Tasting its juice is exotic and floral, you know that it is passion fruit and nothing else. A strong citrus bite, but one that puckers well with added sweetness.
     
    Note* I made this using fresh lilikoi, if you can not find fresh lilikoi, I have used Goya brand that has passion fruit pulp and works just as well! You can find it at most Asian or Latin American stores.
     

    To Make the Lilikoi Juice

     
    1) First, let's make the lilikoi juice. Cut eat fruit in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds and place in food processor or blender.
    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
     
    2) Pulse a few short times for no more than 30 seconds. This will pull the pulp away from the seeds and get more juice out.
    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
     
    3) Pour pulp into a sieve with a bowl underneath (½ c at a time) and use the back of spoon to push down on the pulp and juice. Reserve 1 cup of juice and discard seeds.
     
    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
     
     

    Now onto the Bars

    1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
     
    2) For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
     
    3) Combine the flour and salt and with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed.

    4) Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 baking sheet, building up a ½-inch edge on all sides. (It will feel crumbly, but will come together the more you press into it.)

    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.

    5) Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes (or speed it up in the freezer for 15 minutes).

    6) Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the crust is pale and the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool for another 15 minutes (sometimes I even place it in the fridge to help it cool down).

    For the Filling

    Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lilikoi juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool.

     For the Lilikoi Glaze

     
    1) Boil water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.
     
    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.

    2) Add passion fruit and lemon juice and boil for a further 3 minutes. It will boil rapidly and looks like it expanded.

    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
     
    3) Remove from heat and allow to cool. It will turn into a thick and sugary passion fruit syrup!
     
    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
     
    4) Allow to cool and drizzle over lilikoi bars!

    More hawaiian style recipes

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    • Sticky Hawaiian shoyu chicken thighs with rice and mac salad.
      Hawaiian Style Shoyu Chicken
    • Asian cucumber salad seasoned with gochugaru, sesame seeds and soy sauce.
      Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad
    • Hawaiian Style Chicken Katsu with Furikake
     

    A Taste of Aloha-Lilikoi Bars with Fresh Lilikoi Glaze

    Samantha Ferraro

    LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    Lilikoi Bars aka Passion Fruit Bars is a Hawaiian play on the classic lemon bars recipe, made with tart and floral passion fruit juice.
    4.67 from 83 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Cooling 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Hawaiian
    Servings 12 bars
    Calories 490 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    Crust

    • ½ lb unsalted butter room temperature
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 2 cup all purpose flour sifted
    • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

    Filling

    • 6 large eggs at room temperature
    • 2 cup sugar
    • 1 cup lilikoi juice about 10 lilikoi
    • 1 cup flour
    • 1 lemon zested and juiced

    Glaze- adapted from here

    • ¼ cup water
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup lilikoi fruit juice about 6 lilikoi
    • Juice of ½ lemon
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • First, make the lilikoi juice. Cut eat fruit in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds and place in food processor or blender.
    • Pulse a few short times for no more than 30 seconds. This will pull the pulp away from the seeds and get more juice out.
    • Pour pulp into a sieve? with a bowl underneath (½ c at a time) and use the back of spoon to push down on the pulp and juice. Reserve 1 cup of juice and discard seeds.
    • Now onto the Bars. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
    • Combine the flour and salt and with the mixer on low and mix until just combined.
    • Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 baking pan building up a ½-inch edge on all sides.
    • Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes (or speed it up in the freezer for 15 minutes).
    • Then bake crust for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. The crust should be light tan and the edges a lightly brown color. Remove from oven and let cool for another 15 minutes. (sometimes I'll stick it in the fridge to help cool down).
    • For the filling, Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lilikoi juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour.
    • Pour over the crust and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool.
    • For the Lilikoi Glaze, boil water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.
    • Add passion fruit and lemon juice and boil for a further 3 minutes. It will boil rapidly and looks like it expanded.
    • Remove from heat and allow to cool. It will turn into a thick and sugary passion fruit syrup.
    • Allow to cool and drizzle over lilikoi bars.

    Notes

    I made this using fresh lilikoi, if you can not find fresh lilikoi, I have used Goya brand that has passion fruit pulp and works just as well! You can find it at most Asian or Latin American stores.
    Passion Fruit Bars Recipe adapted from Ina Garten Lemon Bars
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 490kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 6gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 61mgPotassium: 152mgFiber: 1gSugar: 54gVitamin A: 776IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

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    Comments

    1. Ann says

      January 16, 2020 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      I am sorry my dear but this recipe is a disaster. It’s been 45 min and the filling is not set up at all and the crust is completely white. I have precooked crust always for lemon bars but thought you must know a better way! This will take at least an hour.
      Yes in the picture you show powdered sugar topped with glaze. Well I am indeed sad as it took some work for the lilikoi juice etc and I am suspecting this is not a success! Will update if I am wrong. I am a good experienced cook and this is just too much liquid among other things. I enjoy reading your blog but you must be doing a few other things automatically and forgetting to tell us!

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        February 12, 2020 at 4:17 pm

        Hi Ann and thank you for your comment. I just retested the recipe and have updated the post adn recipe as well. I pre-baked the crust for 25 minutes, let cool, added filling and cooked for 35-40 minutes. Bars are perfect..filling is set adn crust is golden brown on the bottom. I hope you will try the recipe again..it really is wonderful.

        Reply
    2. Carolyn says

      September 30, 2019 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      I just made these for a pool party and they were a huge hit. Thank you so much for this recipe.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        September 30, 2019 at 10:08 am

        5 stars
        By the way, I should mention, I made it with Gluten Free Flour (Cup 4 Cup) and I did cook the crust first as I'm used to doing that for lemon bars.

        Reply
      • Samantha says

        September 30, 2019 at 10:41 am

        Thank you so much for sharing your comment!

        Reply
    3. Lily says

      February 26, 2019 at 10:30 am

      5 stars
      I have made these a handful of times and each time I do the filling is rubbery and separates from the undercooked crust. I followed your receipe to the letter

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        March 03, 2019 at 8:21 am

        Hi Lily! I have never had that problem of rubberiness or the filling pulling apart. I use the same base for other "bars" on my site too. However, I plan on re-testing these and will follow up! Thank you for commenting.

        Reply
    4. Lyn says

      October 01, 2018 at 9:43 am

      5 stars
      I made these bars last night - the flavor is wonderful but the crust was nearly raw. I did what another commenter here did and scraped off the topping and baked the crust for another 30 minutes. That made it much better but of course the top was a scrambled mess to put back on since it had already been cooked. I went back and looked up Ina Garten's lemon bars recipe from which this one said it is derived, and sure enough, Ina has you bake the crust separately for 30 minutes before putting the topping on and cooking that.

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        October 01, 2018 at 10:22 am

        Hi Lyn! Thank you for commenting...I will definitely retest the recipe and make sure it is not raw. Though, so odd since I have made them a number of times with success. I'll definitely retest and will notate it in my blog post and recipe. Thank you again and I am glad they turned out well in the end!

        Reply
    5. TRB says

      February 05, 2018 at 10:54 pm

      5 stars
      If you are looking for a lilikoi puree - DaVine Foods in Hawaii has an awesome one - no additives! https://www.davinehawaii.com/product/passion-fruit-puree/

      Reply
    6. marilyn "Ohana Mama" wallace says

      September 17, 2017 at 1:16 pm

      5 stars
      aloha mai ka mokupuni nuiʻo Hawaiʻi. He nui nā lilikoi a puni iaʻu. ʻO kaʻala mai ko lākou pua nani e hoʻopiha i ka ea. ʻO Hawaiʻi kekahi wahi kūikawā loa no kaʻuhane e noho ai. . . makeʻoe i ka'āina. Ke hoʻouna aku nei au i nā manaʻo maikaʻi iāʻoe.

      Reply
    7. Janis L Nelson says

      May 06, 2017 at 11:50 am

      5 stars
      I am sorry to say that I made these and it was a complete disaster. When I checked after 30 minutes, the bars were nowhere near done. It took almost an hour to set. Also, the crust crumbled into crumbs and was under-cooked, and separated from the filling. Also, the filling was like rubber, and tasteless. I followed your directions to the letter. I keep thinking I missed something. Are you sure it would be better to bake the crust first or cook the filling before putting it into the pan.

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        May 09, 2017 at 4:31 pm

        Janis, I am so sorry it didn't work out for you. I am honest when I say I have never dealt with the issues that you just mentioned...ever and I have made the lilikoi bars no less than a dozen times. I would not recommend baking the filling beforehand because it seems like that would overcook the eggs. As far as the crust, after making the dough initially it is a bit crumbly, but with all the butter added and as you work it into the pan, it forms a cohesive crust. If you would like to email me, I'll be happy to talk over the recipe with you and maybe find a solution togetehr? It really is one of my favs!

        Reply
      • Theresa says

        May 19, 2017 at 8:10 am

        5 stars
        I had the same problem and took off the filling, pressed the crust down again and baked it for 25 mins until golden brown, then made another filling and poured it over the cooled crust. It's in the oven now, looking much better than the pale white crust the first time around

        Reply
    8. Haley says

      March 01, 2017 at 7:23 am

      5 stars
      Made these last night for book club...so glad we tasted them before we left- they were totally inedible! The crust was fine but the filling tasted like gummy raw flour. What a waste of wonderful homegrown Lilikoi.

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        March 01, 2017 at 8:00 am

        So sorry that happened Haley 🙁 Do you have any questions about the recipe I can help figure out? I can assure you, I've made this exact recipe no less than dozens of times without failure.

        Reply
      • Samantha says

        February 12, 2020 at 4:19 pm

        Hi Haley! This is an incredibly late reply but I wanted to let you know that I retested the recipe and have updated the post and recipe as well. I pre-baked the crust for 25 minutes, let cool, added filling and cooked for 35-40 minutes. Bars are perfect..filling is set and crust is golden brown on the bottom. I hope you will try the recipe again..it really is wonderful.

        Reply
    9. Beverly M Welch says

      December 30, 2016 at 11:32 pm

      5 stars
      Good evening. I just wanted to share with you. My recipe is very similar to yours, with a few 'quirks'!
      In the crust, I add a scant handful of crushed toasted raw macadamia nuts. For the flour, I substitute 3/4 organic coconut flour for standard. I bake the crust first.
      In the filling, I leave in the seeds for both nutritional and as the tickets contact.
      Just wanted to share...

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        December 31, 2016 at 9:07 am

        Thanks you for sharing! I love the addition of mac nuts!! Happy New Years!

        Reply
    10. Barbara says

      August 17, 2016 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      Can these bars be frozen?

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        August 17, 2016 at 6:40 pm

        Hi Barbara! I haven't frozen them before but had refrigerated them for 2-3 days and they were great. I think freezing would be ok, but as they thaw there may be some condensation but taste shouldn't be altered.

        Reply
    11. Roxanna says

      January 30, 2016 at 7:36 pm

      5 stars
      Aloha!
      I am making lilikoi bars for a friends birthday on Monday. I picked the lilikoi off my neighbors vine so I will be making her a lilikoi cheesecake after I make the bars.
      Mahalo from the Big Island of Hawaii
      Roxanna Lopez

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        February 04, 2016 at 7:59 am

        Aloha Roxanna!! I miss lilikoi so much!! Have fun baking 🙂

        Reply
    12. Samantha says

      January 17, 2016 at 8:50 am

      Thanks for the tip!! Yes, I know! That post was made a few years ago!

      Reply
      • Jodi says

        January 30, 2017 at 4:20 pm

        5 stars
        I was wondering if someone was going to say that. Haha! Just made these last night with lilikoi from a friend's vine. So good! Hope your travels bring you back to Hawaii! It's a place that stays with you forever.

        Reply
    13. Evie Malea says

      January 13, 2016 at 3:03 am

      5 stars
      I love Lilikoi. It has been my passion the last 2 years since the grow ony yard( the red ones$) and my neighbors yellow ones. I pick th everyday on my walk! Would love a cookbook. Mahalo for sharing da Aloha.

      Reply
    14. Lynne de Bie says

      January 12, 2016 at 2:02 pm

      5 stars
      My brother and sister-in-law (who live in Hawaii) gave me the original "A Taste of Aloha" cookbook in the mid-80's--love the recipes! We can get passion fruit juice in California--so I am going to try your recipe--it looks yummy.

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        January 12, 2016 at 10:29 pm

        Hi Lynne! I'm in Cali too and found Goya brand passion fruit! it doesn't taste the same but does the trick! I also strained it after it defrosted! Have fun!

        Reply
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