Lemon Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust are the best summer dessert! The creamy lemon filling is made with just 4 ingredients poured over a crisp graham crust. It's so fast to prepare that you can have it baking in your oven in just 10 minutes!
When I was testing this recipe I took them to an event and almost immediately I was bombarded with people coming to me saying,
"These are the best lemon bars I have ever had! Where did you get the recipe?"
Nothing is sweeter to my ears! I know your friends are going to love this recipe just as much as mine do!
There are a few reasons why this is the very best lemon bar recipe!
- It has a graham cracker base instead of the traditional shortbread crust. Not only is it way easier to make than shortbread, but it has a delicious buttery flavor and crisp texture.
- The addition of sweetened condensed milk adds richness and makes the creamiest filling. Plus it has extra lemon juice so the sweet and tangy components are perfectly balanced.
- It's one of the easiest desserts to make! You don't even need a mixer.
My family loves lemon desserts! This one is probably our favorite, but lemon butter cookies are a close second! And all lemon lovers need to try blender lemon pie made with whole lemons!
Key Ingredients
Looking for the full recipe? The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Graham Cracker Crumbs - Purchase store-bought graham cracker crumbs for the easiest assembly, or make your own by pulsing the crackers in a food processor.
Lemon Juice - Select 4-5 large lemons that are brightly colored with smooth skin. Fresh lemon juice has much more flavor than bottled.
Lemon Zest - Lemon zest is the yellow part of the peel. It houses flavorful lemon oils that aren't as acidic as the juice. Grate or finely chop the zest of 2-3 fresh lemons.
Egg Yolks - It's important that the eggs are at room temperature so that they incorporate smoothly with the other ingredients. Room-temperature eggs also hold the structure better, resulting in a smooth yet firm filling.
Sweetened Condensed Milk - Sweetened condensed milk balances the tartness of the lemon and also gives the bars a creamy texture.
How to Make Creamy Lemon Bars
1) Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust
- If you are using store-bought crumbs go ahead and place them in a medium mixing bowl.
- For whole graham crackers, crush them into fine crumbs using a food processor or in a resealable bag using a rolling pin.
- Add the melted butter and granulated sugar and mix until it looks like fine sand.
- Line a square baking pan with parchment paper. I like this method, cutting the corners so it fits neatly in the pan.
- Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan (do not go up the sides).
- Bake the crust at 350°F (177°C) for 8-10 minutes, then cool completely.
2) Mix the Filling
- Once the crust has cooled, place the lemon juice, zest, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk into a large mixing bowl.
- Use a whisk to mix everything until it is smooth.
- You can also use a hand mixer on low speed, but be careful not to incorporate too much air into the batter or you'll end up with air bubbles.
3) Bake and Cool
- Pour the lemon filling on top of the graham cracker crust.
- Place them in the oven for 20-24 minutes.
- Look for the edges to be firm and the center to still jiggle.
- Just like with cheesecake, it's best to let these dessert bars cool for an hour at room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator.
- Just before serving, sift powdered sugar over the top.
Expert Lemon Bar Tips
- Line the baking sheet with parchment paper so you can pull up on the sides to lift the bars out of the pan. This makes it easy to cut them into squares.
- Eggs are easiest to separate when they are cold, so go ahead and do that as soon as you take them out of the fridge, then place the yolks on the counter while you prepare the crust.
- Mix the lemon mixture with a whisk or using a hand mixer on low speed. You want a smooth, fully incorporated batter without adding too much air to the batter.
- Use an instant thermometer to check the temperature of the baked bars. They are fully baked once the center reaches 145°F (63°C).
- The bars must be chilled completely to set. The lemon flavor also builds as they cool, so be sure to refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting and serving.
These creamy lemon squares pair beautifully with a Lavender Collins or Early Grey Tea!
Make Ahead and Storage
Do lemon bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes, because this recipe contains eggs it must be stored in the refrigerator.
Once they have cooled to room temperature, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the bars to an airtight container before placing them in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze lemon bars?
Yes, store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag.
When you're ready to enjoy them, let the bars thaw in the fridge overnight.
Recipe FAQs
The outside edges will be firm while the center is still jiggly. The internal temperature of the bars should reach 145°F (63°) when tested with an internal thermometer.
Make sure that the bars are fully set by refrigerating them for at least 4 hours. Then use a clean sharp knife to cut the lemon squares. Wipe the knife with a warm wet towel after each slice.
Sure! Simply follow the directions of my 9x13 graham cracker crust recipe, then double the filling ingredients. They may need a slightly longer baking time than the normal recipe.
Yes, if you do not have an 8x8 square pan than a 9-inch is fine. The filling will just won't be as thick.
Traditional lemon bars have a shortbread crust with a lemon curd filling. This recipe highlights fresh lemon flavor in a creamy filling balanced by a crisp, buttery graham cracker crust.
More Easy Desserts
Let me know how you like this recipe by leaving a review! And follow along on Instagram @stateofdinner for behind-the-scenes and to be among the first to know when new recipes post!
Recipe
Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Recipe by:Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 ½ cups (190 grams) graham cracker crumbs about 13 full graham cracker sheets
- ⅓ cup (76 grams) butter melted
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
Lemon Filling
- 2 cans (792 grams) sweetened condensed milk (14 ounce each)
- 4 (4) large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 tablespoons (6 grams) lemon zest
- ¾ cup (178 ml) lemon juice about 4 large lemons
- powdered sugar optional, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar until well combined.1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ⅓ cup butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared pan and press it evenly across the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Cool completely.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon zest and juice until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.2 cans sweetened condensed milk, 4 large egg yolks, 1 tablespoons lemon zest, ¾ cup lemon juice
- Pour the mixture over the cooled crust, then bake for 20-24 minutes, or until the outer edges of the filling are set and the inside is slightly jiggly. The temperature of the center of the bars should be 145°F (63°C).
- Let cool for an hour at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator and continue cooling for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Pull up on the edges of the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and place them on a cutting board. Cut with a sharp knife. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.powdered sugar
Notes
- Cover with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and store for up to 5 days.
- The bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Equipment
Nutrition
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Mary Ann Nichols says
I can't wait to try these recipes. They look so delicious.
Erin says
I hope you enjoy them! Come back and share your thoughts!
Latrish says
I appreciate you sharing your recipe! If possible, can you change the amount of graham cracker sheets in the instructions if you're doubling or tripling the ingredients? It says 13 sheets of graham crackers on each, but if the ingredients are increased, it would be more, right? I followed the instructions for tripling the ingredients, but my crust ended up soggy because I didn't add enough graham crackers.
Thank you again for the recipe.
Erin says
Hi Latrish! I am so sorry that your recipe did not turn out well because of the conversion error. The plugin that I use for my recipe card does not have the ability to multiply anything in the notes section but I definitely will share that feedback with them. I do recommend weighing the ingredients for best results.
Latrish says
Hi Erin, thank you for your message! Oh, okay. That makes sense. Hopefully they’re able to update their software. I agree about weighing the ingredients, that was definitely an error on my part. I did start over using 18 graham cracker sheets and it came out perfect!
Thank you again for responding.