Description
Lemon crumb bars bring zesty sunshine to your dessert table with a perfect balance of tangy citrus and sweet, buttery crumble. Crumbly shortbread base topped with bright lemon filling creates a refreshing treat that disappears faster than you can slice them.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Supporting Ingredients:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 2 large egg yolks
Finishing Ingredients:
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper, creating side overhangs for easy removal.
- Combine 1 cup oats, 1½ cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon baking powder in a mixing bowl.
- Pour ¾ cup melted butter into the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture forms crumbly clusters.
- Set aside half the crumb mixture for topping, pressing the remaining half firmly into the prepared pan.
- Bake the crust at 350°F for 12-15 minutes until it turns a light golden color, then remove and let cool slightly.
- Whisk 1 can of condensed milk, ½ cup lemon juice, 2 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a separate bowl until completely smooth.
- Pour the lemon filling evenly over the pre-baked crust.
- Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture across the top of the filling.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until the filling sets and the topping becomes lightly golden.
- Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into square bars.
Notes
- Lemon zest is key to creating vibrant citrus flavor, so grate fresh lemon zest directly from whole lemons for the most intense taste.
- Chilling the bars completely helps them set and makes clean, precise cuts when slicing into squares.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with almond flour or a certified gluten-free blend to maintain the crumbly texture.
- Press the crust mixture firmly into the pan to create a solid base that won’t crumble when cutting the bars.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 37-45 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 288 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 58 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg