These Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust have a creamy lemon filling made with sweetened condensed milk layered over a crisp graham cracker base. The filling uses just four ingredients and whisks together in minutes, so you can have a pan of bright, creamy lemon bars baking in almost no time.
Note from Erin
I adore traditional lemon bars, but I wanted a recipe that was a little different from what everyone expected.
When I was testing this recipe, I took them to an event, and they were eaten almost immediately! Before the event was over, several people had already asked for the recipe. That's when I knew I had landed on the version I was looking for.
What Makes These Lemon Bars Different
The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
- Graham cracker crust instead of shortbread. Traditional lemon bars use a shortbread crust, but I prefer graham crackers because the crust comes together faster and bakes into a crisp base that holds up well under the creamy filling.
- Sweetened condensed milk filling. Instead of a traditional lemon custard, I've found that sweetened condensed milk produces a smoother, creamier texture that sets firmly. If you want a denser, richer dessert bar instead, my key lime cheesecake bars take a different approach and skip the condensed milk entirely.
- A simple four-ingredient filling. The filling is just sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, and zest. Everything is whisked together in one bowl, so there’s no need to temper eggs or cook a custard on the stove.
Helpful Tips for Perfectly Creamy Lemon Bars
Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust
- Let the crust cool completely before adding the filling. I tested pouring the filling onto a warm crust, and it ended up soggy.
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Mix the Filling Gently
- Mix the lemon mixture with a whisk or using a hand mixer on low speed. Mixing too aggressively can introduce air bubbles that rise to the surface while the bars bake.
Watch for the Jiggle
- The edges should look firm while the center still jiggles a little when you shake the pan. For a precise test, the center should reach 145°F (63°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Cool Completely
- 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 slicing.
Top Tip!
Because the filling has only four ingredients, the lemon flavor is really important. I've found it is worth squeezing fresh lemons for a brighter flavor, as bottled juice can taste dull and bitter in a simple filling like this.
Recipe
Baked Lemon Bars That Bring the Zing (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 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 or 9x9 square pan with parchment paper.
- Separate the eggs when they are still cold, then let them sit at room temperature while you prepare the crust.
- 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
Storage:
Refrigerator: Once the bars have cooled to room temperature, store them in the refrigerator. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the bars to an airtight container before placing them in the fridge. They will keep for up to 5 days. Freezer: They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving. To double the recipe, 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.WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
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Equipment
Nutrition
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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.
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!
Angel Daigle says
These lemon bars are always a hit, I have made these for so many occasions. So good. Thank you for sharing!
Erin Gierhart says
Thank you, Angel. I’m so glad you love them. It makes my day to hear they’re always a hit for you!
Irma Galvan says
Recipe was easy to make and tasted good. The condensed sweet milk makes it a little too sweet, however.
Erin Gierhart says
Thanks for sharing this, Irma. Sweetened condensed milk does bring a richer, sweeter profile than classic lemon bars, so that makes sense. A simple way to dial it back next time is to add a little zest to sharpen the citrus. I’m glad the process worked well for you, and I appreciate you taking the time to leave a note.
Lupe Martinez-Nucci says
First time making this, It tastes WONDERFUL! Thank you!
Erin Gierhart says
Lupe, that makes me so happy to hear. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Karen Mitchell says
Your recipe is delicious and thank you for sharing. When I made it though the graham cracker crust was very dry and did not stay together. Any thoughts on what I need to do next time? Thanks!
Erin Gierhart says
Hi Karen! So glad you loved the bars! Different brands can absorb the moisture of the butter differently. Next time, after mixing in the butter, press the crumb mixture between your fingers. If it holds together then it is perfect, but if it seems crumbly add a little more butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until it holds.
Karen Mitchell says
Thank you! I have shared these with a few friends and all agree they are the perfect summer dessert!