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creamy lemon bars stacked on each otehr on white towel

Creamy Lemon Bars

These creamy lemons bars have a shortbread crust and are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust:

  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup flour

Filling

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 egg white
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice (I like a good amount of lemon juice in mine)
  • powdered sugar, for dusting on top

Instructions

For the Shortbread Crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper (or line pan with foil and spray with cooking spray), set aside.

  2. Blend butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl with pastry blender until well combined.

  3. Gradually mix in 3/4 cup flour until dough is crumbly.

  4. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. It will be slightly dry, but you should be able to press and form it into a crust.

  5. Bake 10-12 min. Remove from oven and set aside.

For the Lemon Filling:

  1. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar in medium bowl with mixer until well blended.

  2. Add egg and egg white, beating well.

  3. Add the 2 tablespoons flour, lemon zest and juice; mix well.

  4. Pour cream cheese mixture over baked crust.

  5. Bake 22-25 minutes or until center is set.

  6. Cool completely.

  7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Keep refrigerated. (I think this tastes best chilled for a bit)

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Kraft Food Magazine.