Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

Lemon Cream Cheese Bars have a sweet and tangy zing to them, balanced by the subtle sweetness of the vanilla wafer crust.

These are a little different from our traditional Lemon Bars because they’re more creamy and less tangy – kind of like our Lemon Lasagna, but simpler!

Creamy + LEmony (Minus the Tart!)

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love treats. However, in my mind, if it doesn’t include chocolate, I don’t consider it a treat. Yes, it’s true.

In fact, when we get together on Sunday nights with my family, my sister, Tara, and I always give each other a sad look when we see that the dessert is an apple pie or something fruity. I know some of you are thinking we’re crazy (and we probably are)!

Fortunately, today’s recipe is FRUITY but REALLY good too. If you love lemon treats, then I think you’ll love these Cream Cheese Lemon Bars. They’re not SUPER lemon-y but have the perfect amount of it with no tart involved either and delicious Vanilla Wafer crust! 😉

How to Make lemon cream cheese bars

PREP. Line a 9×11 inch baking pan with parchment paper over sides of pan.

CRUST. In a bowl, combine wafer crumbs, ½ cup flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture crumbles; press firmly onto bottom of your pan. Bake at 350 for 15 min.

*Tip: If you want the wafer crumbs fine, place in a food processor or place in a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.

LEMON MIXTURE. In the meantime, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer until blended. Add your eggs and flour; mix well. Blend in lemon juice, baking powder and half the lemon zest;
Pour over crust.

BAKE. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until center has set. Cool completely. (Note: You will know they are done when the middle has set completely and when you move the pan it doesn’t jiggle.)

CHILL. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining lemon zest.

Variations

I really like how these lemon bars turned out, but if you want to change things up, here are a few ideas:

• Change the crust. Graham crackers (about 7 whole ones) , Golden Oreos (without the cream filling)
• Add whipped cream on top.
• Add berries to the top. Lemon pairs well with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.

Make Ahead & Store

Making them ahead of time: For best results, I wouldn’t make these bars more than 1 day in advance, especially if you are making them for a special event. When making them ahead of time:

• Let them cool completely.
• Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.
• Let them sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Wait until right before serving to add the powdered sugar and any other toppings.

To STORE these bars, I would recommend keeping them in the refrigerator either covered tightly or in an airtight container. They should last up to 4 days. They can be eaten cold or you can have them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. 

These bars also FREEZE well! Once they have cooled completely, place them in a freezer safe container or wrap them in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze them for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then come to room temperature before serving.

For even more fruity treats, check out:

• Cherry Bars
• Strawberry Short Cake Poke Cake
•  Better than Starbucks Lemon Loaf
• Peach Dump Cake
• Lemon Pound Cake

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com.