Orange Creamsicle Bars

with salted honey and lots of orange

Greetings from Florida, where I’m currently swimming in citrus. Oranges make me a little sentimental this time of year. Regardless of where we’re living—whether I’m soaking up that mild January-in-Florida “sun”, or buried under three feet of snow in Minnesota—bright, sunny citrus fruits begin to pop up at grocery stores or markets. I just think it’s so apt that at the darkest point of the year, when the temperatures are frigid and the sun sets early and it can feel like winter is never-ending, the earth delivers to us the most vibrant fruit. Sunny lemons and vibrant limes and oranges the color of the summer sunset fill our produce baskets and I’m reminded that darkness is fleeting and that spring is just around the corner.

If you remember, this winter, the boys and I are snowbird-ing in Orlando while Martin bops around the country for work. This means two things: 1) that we get to be outside for long walks without any bundling up and 2) that the fruit basket on the counter is filled with all of the oranges, mandarins, tangerines, sumos, and grapefruits a girl could want. If I’m swimming in citrus, you’re going to be swimming in citrus recipes.

salty orange creamsicle bars

This recipe was born from the Atlantic Beach Pie. If you’re not familiar, the Atlantic Beach Pie (or ABP) was created by Bill Smith at the (now closed, but maybe re-opening?) Crook’s Corner Restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC. It’s somewhat of a lemon cream pie, made with a saltine cracker crust and filled with a tangy lemon-lime curd.

It’s made the Food52 Genius Recipes List and has made its rounds on the internet for a few years now and I knew I wanted to start with it as my base. But I’m in Florida so I want all oranges all of the time.

I stuck with the classic saltine cracker crust, bound together with softened butter and an egg white, and pressed it into a 8” glass baking dish instead of a pie plate. The filling couldn’t be easier—egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, the freshest orange juice you can find—and I skipped the meringue and opted for a thick, swoopy whipped cream filled with orange zest and honey. These bars are super simple, can be made ahead, and bring a little bite of summer to an otherwise gloomy winter.