Indulge in a delightful culinary experience with our Lemony Cream Cheese Bars, a perfect treat for any occasion. These delectable bars combine a luscious cream cheese filling with a zesty lemon flavor, all nestled between a crisp graham cracker crust and a buttery streusel topping. Each bite offers a symphony of textures and flavors, from the smooth and creamy filling to the crunchy crust and crumbly topping. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, our detailed recipe guide will lead you through the process of creating these irresistible bars, along with variations to suit different dietary preferences and taste buds. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds and impress your loved ones with this delightful dessert.
Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!
LEMON CREAM CHEESE BARS
These are not your average lemon bars. Rather than a tart and delicate bar with a crumbly base, our Lemon Cream Cheese Bars are rich, creamy, and sweet with a thick and chewy bottom crust that makes up almost half of the bar. The bottom crust is made of a few pantry staples but it bakes into a buttery, hefty, and satisfying cookie base that's perfect for the fluffy and gooey layers on top. To make the cream cheese filling, beat softened creamed cheese and powdered sugar with eggs, vanilla, and a little flour to make an airy spreadable mixture. Pour this filling over the crust before adding jarred lemon curd. Use a butter knife to swirl the curd into the cream cheese filling before baking-as the bars bake, the cream cheese puffs dramatically, sets around the swirls of lemon curd, and browns beautifully to make a dramatic pattern of color on the top of the bars. While the cream cheese filling becomes a fluffy solid texture, the lemon curd maintains its loose and jammy consistency in ribbons running throughout the bars. Decadent, sturdy, and easy to throw together in less than 30 minutes, these dessert bars are perfect for entertaining or keeping on the counter for a sweet lemon treat!
Provided by Micah A Leal
Time 1h30m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Make Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a square 9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper. Combine butter, sugar, and egg in a bowl with a spoon until well incorporated. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir until no dry pockets remain. Sprinkle dough in prepared pan and press to make an even layer. Bake until lightly browned across surface, 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Make Filling: Lower oven temperature to 350°F. In a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl; add eggs, vanilla, and flour. Beat on low until combined. Increase speed and beat on medium-high until lightened and airy, about 3 minutes.
- Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over crust. Stir lemon curd to make sure it's loosened and dollop curd across surface of cream cheese mixture. Use a butter knife to make swirls in the lemon curd and cream cheese. Bake until evenly browned, rotating the baking pan halfway through baking, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing from pan and slicing.
LEMONY CREAM CHEESE BARS
Anytime I can take a recipe that has been handed down two generations and lighten it up while keeping the delicious flavor memories intact, I'm a happy girl. -Patti Lavell, Islamorada, Florida
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 40m
Yield 2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1/4 cup egg substitute and oil; mix until blended. Reserve 1/2 cup mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture onto bottom of a 13x9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 11-13 minutes or until edges are light brown., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add remaining egg substitute; beat on low speed just until blended. Spread over crust. Crumble reserved topping over filling., Bake 11-13 minutes longer or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 149 calories, Fat 7g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 7mg cholesterol, Sodium 190mg sodium, Carbohydrate 20g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
LEMON CREAM PIE BARS
Smooth and luscious, these bars are more like little bites of a lemon cream pie than anything else!
Provided by Lucca
Categories Desserts Pies Custard and Cream Pie Recipes Lemon Pie Recipes
Time 3h20m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Combine flour, oil, and sugar in a bowl. Pat into a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden around the edges, about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, beat sweetened condensed milk, eggs, lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest, and baking powder together until just blended. Pour over the cooled crust.
- Return to the oven and bake until the filling is set, 13 to 17 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into 24 bars.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 173.9 calories, Carbohydrate 21.4 g, Cholesterol 28.8 mg, Fat 9 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 2.8 g, SaturatedFat 1.6 g, Sodium 34.7 mg, Sugar 15.5 g
LEMON BARS WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
I won a baking contest at Purdue University with this recipe for lemon bars with cream cheese frosting. I think you'll love the dreamy topping. -Michael Hunter, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 40m
Yield 2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs and extract. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in lemon zest., Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until center is set and edges are golden brown. Cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and zest. Frost top and cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 243 calories, Fat 11g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 59mg cholesterol, Sodium 145mg sodium, Carbohydrate 34g carbohydrate (27g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 2g protein.
LEMON CREAM CHEESE BARS
I crave these! I have to have a reason to make these (ie ladies night) otherwise I will eat the whole pan and regret it later!
Provided by Goji Girl
Categories Bar Cookie
Time 40m
Yield 24 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Mix dry cake mix, 1 egg, and oil until crumbly.
- Reserving 1 cup, pat remainder in ungreased 9x13 pan, and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
- While that bakes, beat cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg, and lemon juice together until light and smooth.
- Spread over baked layer and sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over the top.
- Bake 15 minutes more.
- Cool and cut into bars.
LEMON CREAM CHEESE BARS
Dessert ready in less than an hour! Enjoy this lemon bar recipe made using Bisquick Heart Smart® mix.
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Dessert
Time 50m
Yield 30
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish. In large bowl, stir Bisquick mix, graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Cut in butter using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until crumbly. Set aside.
- In small bowl, mix lemon curd and cream cheese until blended.
- In pan, press 2/3 of crumb mixture. Spread cream cheese mixture over crumbs to within 1/4 inch of edge. Top with remaining crumb mixture, pressing gently into filling.
- Bake 23 to 27 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool completely. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 5 rows. Store in refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 100, Carbohydrate 13 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Fat 1, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, ServingSize 1 Bar, Sodium 125 mg, Sugar 8 g, TransFat 0 g
LEMON CHEESE BARS
Cake mix speeds along the crust and topping for these special squares shared by Janie Dennis of Evansville, Indiana. With just a handful of ingredients, the bars are so easy to assemble. Priced at 11 cents each, they're economical, too.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 55m
Yield 2-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, one egg and oil until crumbly. Set aside 1 cup for topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden brown., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in the sugar, extract and remaining egg until smooth. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. , Bake for 25-30 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 134 calories, Fat 7g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 22mg cholesterol, Sodium 135mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 2g protein.
LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS
Homemade lemon bars from a mix? Incredibly good!
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Dessert
Time 4h45m
Yield 48
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In large bowl, beat dry cake mix, butter and 1 of the eggs with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
- In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup; refrigerate. Beat remaining 2 eggs into remaining cream cheese mixture on medium speed until blended. Spread over cake mixture.
- Bake bars 23 to 28 minutes or until set. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Spread with reserved cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate about 3 hours or until firm. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 70, Carbohydrate 10 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Fat 1/2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, ServingSize 1 Bar, Sodium 95 mg, Sugar 7 g, TransFat 0 g
CREAM CHEESE LEMON BARS
For a change of pace from the standard Southern-style lemon bars, you need to look no further! This cream cheese lemon bar recipe is easy and the taste is divine.
Provided by Cindy Hanguyen
Categories Desserts Cookies Bar Cookie Recipes Lemon Bar Recipes
Time 2h10m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch dish with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Mix 3 tablespoons sugar with 1/4 of the lemon zest; set aside.
- Unroll one piece of crescent dough and press in the bottom of the prepared dish, stretching dough to the edges.
- Mix lemon juice and remaining lemon zest in a large bowl. Add cream cheese and 1/2 cup white sugar; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread over the crescent dough in the pan.
- Unroll the second piece of crescent dough and layer over the cream cheese mixture, gently stretching dough to the edges. Brush melted butter on top and sprinkle with reserved sugar-lemon zest mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Lift lemon bars from the baking dish using the foil; transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares, leaving bars on the foil. Lift the foil and transfer the bars back into the baking dish. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 170.8 calories, Carbohydrate 14.5 g, Cholesterol 23.1 mg, Fat 11.5 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 2.9 g, SaturatedFat 5.7 g, Sodium 202.3 mg, Sugar 7.1 g
LEMON CREAM CHEESE BARS
This comes from a South Carolina cookbook called Feeding the Faithful. On my list of need to makes as they sound divine !
Provided by PrimQuilter
Categories Dessert
Time 55m
Yield 20 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Mix first layer by hand and press in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan.
- For second layer, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, eggs and vanilla together.
- Add nuts (optional).
- Spread over first layer.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
- Sprinkle additional powdered sugar over top when taken from oven.
- Cool and cut into squares.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 161.8, Fat 9.3, SaturatedFat 3.5, Cholesterol 44.2, Sodium 97.5, Carbohydrate 18.4, Sugar 17.7, Protein 1.9
Tips:
- Mise en Place: Before you start baking, make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment you need. This will help you stay organized and avoid scrambling later on.
- Use Room Temperature Cream Cheese: For a smooth and creamy filling, make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you start mixing it.
- Chill the Dough Before Baking: This will help the dough set and prevent it from spreading too much in the oven.
- Don't Overmix the Batter: Overmixing can make the batter tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the Bars Until They Are Just Set: Overbaking can dry out the bars. Bake them until the edges are golden brown and the center is just set.
Conclusion:
These lemony cream cheese bars are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that are perfect for any occasion. With their creamy filling, tangy lemon flavor, and buttery crust, they're sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. So next time you're looking for a sweet and satisfying snack, give these bars a try!
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