Creamy Lemon Crumb Bars with a quick oatmeal crumb base and a sweet, tart filling that is a cross between lemon curd and lemon cheesecake.
Spring is the perfect time for fruity treats like these lemon bars. They are right at home with other popular crumbly Dessert Bars like my Blackberry Crumb Bars and Apricot Shortbread Bars.
Sabrina’s Creamy Lemon Crumb Bars Recipe
My Creamy Lemon Crumb Bars taste like a lemon cheesecake bar sandwiched between the softest oatmeal cookies you’ve ever made. While they look like beautiful bakery treats, they aren’t that complicated to make. The creamy filling may taste like cheesecake but it’s actually super simple, the only thing easier is the buttery crumbly crust. Taking into account how easy they are to make and how bright the lemon flavor is, these bars will make you feel like Spring has arrived.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 large egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8×8 baking pan with baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl add flour, oats, salt and baking soda.
- Mix in the sugar and light brown sugar.
- Add the vanilla and melted butter together and mix it into the dry ingredients.
- Press half the mixture into the bottom of your baking pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, mix together the condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and egg yolks.
- Add it to the baking pan once it is done baking and dot the top of the filling with the remaining crumble evenly.
- Bake for an additional 20-22 minutes.
- Let cool completely, then refrigerate.
- The bars slice better cold. If you want to slice perfectly you can also freeze it so the filling doesn’t ooze at all while cutting.
- Put the bars onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet and keep refrigerated.
Video
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
Baker’s notes
Something that I love about baking is that once you have the basics down, you can dream all of your favorite flavors! A great twist for these bars is to add lime. Use half lemon and half lime, with the zest too… or even ALL lime if you want to transform these into lime bars! For adding more sweetness and less sour, add some orange instead!
Table of contents
About this Recipe
Lemon Bars have long been a favorite dessert to make, and this crumb bar version is sure to be another crowd-pleasing recipe. The rich filling is both easy and impressive and even though these bars aren’t going to win any sort of a beauty contest, you will think the flavor is out of this world.
If you have time, try them frozen! It is almost like a lemon sorbet bar and is sure to be your new favorite summer treat. Another tasty and beautiful option is to dust the top with coarse sanding sugar before baking for an extra crunch and to make them sparkle.
How to Store
- Serve: Do not leave these crumb bars at room temperature longer than 2 hours.
- Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freeze: These bars will freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Layer slices with parchment paper so they won’t stick, and store in a sealed freezer bag or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Frequent Questions
Try using dried cherries or dried blueberries in the bars. You can make them even better by soaking them in more lemon juice or water. Add sliced freeze dried strawberries on top of the filling and before the crumble for strawberry lemon bars.
Any type of lemon will work for these bars, but if you use Meyer Lemons, they are AMAZING. Meyer Lemons are slightly sweeter and very juicy, making them perfect for baking recipes.
Dip the bottoms of these bars in melted white chocolate for an even more over the top experience.
Related Recipes
Fruit Bar Recipes
Photos used in a previous version of this post.
These squares are delicious! I just made them for the fifth time since discovering this recipe. I baked as directed and turned out perfectly! I used two heaping Tbsp’s of lemon rind. Please make sure you press the base down firmly to the edge before baking to ensure the filling does not leak through.
Thank you for the great feedback and for the five star review!
These look great and were easy- currently making them, however when I went to pour the lemon topping on the crust it went right through the crust center and to the bottom of the pan. Super disappointed. Am I supposed to cool the crust before putting the lemon topping on?
So sorry this happened. I’m wondering how “hard packed” and tight to the edge of the pan the dough was pressed before baking? Also, as an additional step; yes you are correct, cooling the crust first would help this not to happen even though the lemon topping is not hot when added. Sounds strange, but could there have inadvertently been a “hole or holes” in the crust when it was pressed into the pan? Hope you’ll try this recipe again one day with better results.
The same thing happened to me. Next time, I’m going to let the crust rest for 5 minutes when I take it out of the oven and before adding the lemon mixture to it. They still came out delicious, though!
I have been begged to make this recipe at home and at work again and again. Excellent!
These are AMAZING! I followed the recipe exactly as presented and while I was seriously tempted to have one last night, I did end up freezing them and slicing them perfectly 24 hours later. Thank you.
Great recipe. Only thing I did was add about 4 oz cream cheese (I put it in everything I can). Very good recipe.
This is a favorite every time I make it. Thank you!
I made these for the first time the other day. Just to give you an idea of how good they are…after I tried the first one, I just wanted to take the entire pan, sit myself on the couch and finish them off. I’m a seasoned cook and baker, and I can tell you these are “to die for”. Even my boyfriend, who is not a fan of lemon-flavored desserts, enjoyed them immensely.
Can these be frozen for a later date to save time.
Thanks
I am making my fiancé a nice dinner tonight and wanted to include these. They are still in the oven but this is one of the only times I am confident this is going to be amazing. I can’t wait to try them
These are SO GOOD! My best friend just had her first baby and I made a few freezer dinners to take to her and thought I’d throw in a sweet treat, too. She loves lemon desserts and I stumbled across this recipe. After cutting them up, I snuck one (you know, for quality control) and I am amazed! The filling has so much lemon flavor and is perfectly tart without being too tart. The oatmeal crust and crumb topping are a perfect balance for the creamy lemon filling. It was hard not to eat a second one, and I will have to make another batch to stay home, since this one is going to my friend!
Making these…again…EXCELLENT squares! LOTS of lemon flavour, which we love. And very easy to make. Definitely recommend to anyone who loves lemon!
These lemon bars are so delicious. I made them twice in one week.
I have been trying to eat more gluten free things, as well I have friends who are gluten free so I tried to make them using the gluten free oats and flour. A delicious gluten free option as well.
Just had a friend request the recipe.
Hi Hannah – Do I substitute equal amounts of GF flour and oats? Thanks Lisa
I made these a few months back and truly have never loved a dessert this much! I find it hard to find lemon bar recipes that have the right amount of tart and this one for sure is the perfect blend of tart and sweet. I’m making them again today and will have this in my regular rotation! Thank you for sharing!
Oh my sweet goodness these are delicious. I’ve never rated a recipe before but I was inspired by these yummy bars. Followed the recipe word for word. Pure perfection!
Thanks Susan!
Best lemon bars I’ve ever had! 🙂
Can I use steel cut oats instead of rolled oats?
Absolutely delicious! I always double the recipe so I can keep some before sharing the rest. It is a crowd pleaser. I am so glad I came across this. Thank you for sharing!
How do you adjust the two baking times when doubling the recipe in a 13×9 pan? Thanks!
Honestly this is the nicest slice I’ve ever eaten.
I don’t bake a lot but both times I’ve made it, it’s turned out perfectly. An absolute winner!
Thanks, Rebecca.
Loved these! I added a bit more lemon juice because I just love the tartness. Recipe came out great– we tried fresh out of the oven and after it was refrigerated. It was a bit easier after being chilled to cut and eat but great either way. I am going to make these again and again.
Fantastic, Savannah! I’m so glad they worked out for you.
I made these for Valentines day and my hubby LOVED them!!
I’m so glad they were a hit, Patsy.
Hi. This looks delicious. Can I double the recipe?
Of course! Enjoy!