PUCKER UP. Creamy lemon squares have been on repeat for the last two weeks at our house. They’re citrusy, tangy, sweet, and so addicting. These lemon bars are a spin-off of the key lime pie bars I shared a few years ago, which happens to be the #1 dessert recipe on the blog. All this to say, that if you loved those, you’ll want to give these a try too. It’s the kind of dessert you crave on a warm summer day to cool you off and brighten your tastebuds all at the same time. In my opinion, what makes these creamy lemon squares so irresistible is the crust. I use a few unusual ingredients that make the crust so much more delicious than just your basic graham, sugar, and butter crust.
Ingredients for Creamy Lemon Squares:
Graham cracker: I like to use precrushed graham cracker crumbs for this recipe. In years past, I’ve bought sheets and run them through a food processor, but now it’s so easy to find crumbs, that I usually just buy those!Ground pecans: I keep a large bag of pecans frozen in the freezer so it’s easy to quickly make ground pecans! All you need to do is crush them while frozen with a mortar and pestle and they break down so easily!Sugar: just a little bit of sugar is used to sweeten the crustSpices: my secret to an addicting crust is just a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. I use these ingredients in my lemon pound cake too and they pair beautifully with lemon.Butter: my choice is to use salted butter to help balance the sweetness from the sugar we’re adding.Egg yolks: yolks are used to help thicken the lemon bar fillingVanilla: a dash of vanilla helps round out the flavors in the lemon barsSour cream: sour cream adds a nice unexpected creamy tang to the lemon fillingCondensed milk: this recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk which helps provide the sweetness for the lemon bar fillingLemon juice + zest: fresh is always best when you’re making citrus bars. I use a zester to get the zest off the lemons before juicing them. You could also use meyer lemons if you want a sweeter flavor and less of a lemon zing.
How to make the crust for creamy lemon bars:
Preheat the oven. Get the oven going right away so that it heats up before you’re done making the crust. It’s good to have an oven thermometer so you can make sure the oven reaches the proper temperature when it says it does. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray and place a piece of parchment paper inside so it’s easy to lift out the bars.Make the crumb mixture: Melt the butter in a medium bowl. Then, add the graham crumbs, ground pecans, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the bowl. Stir to combine until all the ingredients are all coated in the butter.Make the crust. Press crumb mixture into the prepared dish. My trick is to use the back of a measuring cup to help flatten out the crust. Bake the crust for 10 minutes then, remove from the oven and allow it to rest while you prepare the filling.
What if I have graham cracker sheets, can I use those?
Graham cracker sheets will also work for the crust. Just be sure to pulse them in a food processor until they breakdown into a coarse crumb. You will need 1 ¾ cups of broken graham cracker crumb for these bars.
How to make the filling for creamy lemon bars:
How do you get nice clean cuts?
There are a few different things you can do to ensure you get nice clean cuts from these creamy lemon squares:
This is the best creamy lemon squares recipe because:
they’re addicting and delicious Ideal to make ahead of timeSweet but balanced with a nice tangCool and refreshing so it’s going to become a go-to dessert in the summertime!
If you like these bars, you might also like:
Pecan pie cheesecake barsCinnamon roll blondiesEasiest TiramisuPan banging fudge browniesOld fashioned sour cream coffee cakeEasy Texas blueberry cobblerFlourless chocolate cakeApple crumble barsEasiest Nutella pieNew York-style Instant Pot Cheesecake
