An easy recipe for Creamy Lemon Bars with a crisp Graham Cracker Crust. Made with just a few simple ingredients, these indulgent zesty lemon bars are always a favorite!
Jump to:
Lemon bars are a classic dessert full of bright citrus flavor. A delicious thick layer of creamy lemon curd tops a crunchy and flavorful graham cracker crust. I like to then top my lemon bars with a dusting of powdered sugar. Delicious!
Why you'll love this lemon bar recipe
- Fresh lemon flavor. This recipe uses the zest and the juice from fresh lemons to fill these bars with lots of zesty, citrus flavor.
- Creamy and crunchy. The combination of creamy lemon curd filling and sweet crunchy crust is beyond delicious.
- Easy graham cracker crust. Traditionally, lemon bars are made with a sweet shortbread crust, but this recipe uses graham crackers to make a quick and easy crust that is flavorful and crisp.
Love lemons? Check out my Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake recipe or Lemon & Blueberry Pie!
Ingredients you'll need
CREAMY LEMON FILLING:
- Lemons. You will need both the zest and juice of lemons for the best, zesty lemon flavor.
- Granulated sugar. Adds the perfect balance of sweetness.
- All-purpose flour. This is what thickens and sets the lemon bar filling.
- Eggs. Makes the lemon filling deliciously rich and thick.
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:
- Graham crackers. Finely crush your crackers using a food processor. For this recipe, you want a tight crust so crush your graham crackers as finely as you can.
- Butter. Helps to set the crust and keep it crisp.
- Light brown sugar. A touch of rich sweetness to balance the tart, creamy filling.
A printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post.
Step By Step Instructions
FOR THE CRUST:
- Preheat your oven to 375F / 180C and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and butter the paper and dish.
- Crush the graham crackers in a food processor until fine. Add the melted butter and light brown sugar and pulse until all the crumbs are well moistened. See below for what to do if you don't have a food processor*
- Pour the crumbs into your prepared baking dish. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to firmly press the crumbs into the dish evenly.
- Bake for 15 - 20 minutes - it should be lightly golden brown on top.
- Once golden, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.
*If you don't have a food processor, you can place the graham crackers in a large lipzock bag and use a rolling pin to crush the biscuits. Then combine the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter and sugar using a spoon until well combined.
FOR THE FILLING:
- While your crust bakes, start making the lemon filling by combining the sugar, flour and lemon zest in a mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs and lemon juice and whisk until well combined.
- Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the filling is firm and set.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge to set for 3-4 hours.
- Cut into squares and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- It is best to use room temperature ingredients when baking so before I start making the recipe I put out all of the ingredients about an hour or two beforehand.
- Squeeze the lemon over a fine meshed sieve so that you catch any lemon bits or seeds from going into your filling.
- Make sure to pack down the fine graham cracker crumbs as firmly as possible. This will help to keep the crust together and not crumble when serving.
- Don't skip out on the refrigeration time. The bars need a lot of chill time to completely set and firm up for serving.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes they do. Lemon bars need to set in the fridge before serving and then they should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
The sides of the baked lemon bars should be firm and set, but the middle should still have a slight jiggle before taking them out of the oven.
I find it best to cut lemon bars with a hot, wet sharp knife. Dip a sharp knife into hot water before cutting the lemon bars so that it doesn't stick to the knife.
This is usually an indication that your oven was too hot for the lemon bars. If you see that your lemon bars are turning brown you can cover them with foil and lower the temperature of the oven.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS
You can store any leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. The squares can be stored in an airtight container or you can stretch some plastic wrap over the dish you baked them in.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Lotus Biscoff Blondies with White Chocolate
- Creamy Panna Cotta Tart
- Mini Pavlova Nests with Blueberries & Cream
- Berry Yogurt Tart with Almond Crust
Creamy Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
An easy recipe for Creamy Lemon Bars with a crisp Graham Cracker Crust. Made with just a few simple ingredients, these indulgent zesty lemon bars are always a favorite!
Ingredients
- GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST:
- 150 grams graham crackers
- 80 grams butter, melted
- 40 grams light brown sugar
- LEMON FILLING:
- 200ml lemon juice
- Zest from 1 lemon
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 5 eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
Instructions
FOR THE CRUST:
- Preheat your oven to 375F / 180C and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and butter the paper and dish.
- Crush the graham crackers in a food processor until fine. Add the melted butter and light brown sugar and pulse until all the crumbs are well moistened. See below for what to do if you don't have a food processor*
- Pour the crumbs into your prepared baking dish. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to firmly press the crumbs into the dish evenly.
- Bake for 15 - 20 minutes - it should be lightly golden brown on top.
- Once golden, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.
*If you don't have a food processor, you can place the graham crackers in a large lipzock bag and use a rolling pin to crush the biscuits. Then combine the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter and sugar using a spoon until well combined.
FOR THE FILLING:
- While your crust bakes, start making the lemon filling by combining the sugar, flour and lemon zest in a mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs and lemon juice and whisk until well combined.
- Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the filling is firm and set.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge to set for 3-4 hours.
- Cut into squares and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS
You can store any leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. The squares can be stored in an airtight container or you can stretch some plastic wrap over the dish you baked them in.
I hope you love this recipe for Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust as much as I do! And if you want to see more of my food adventures, follow me on Instagram or Facebook.
This post was made in collaboration with Le Creuset.
Leave a Comment