Description
Zesty lemon crumb bars bring sunshine to your dessert table with buttery, crumbly layers of pure citrus delight. Creamy filling nestled between crisp shortbread crust and golden streusel topping promises a refreshing slice of sweet-tart perfection you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Lemon Crumb Bars Ingredients:
Crumb Base and Topping:
- 2 1/3 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- 12 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Lemon Filling:
- 1 14-ounce (397 grams) can sweetened condensed milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) heavy cream
- 2/3 cup (160 milliliters) fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare oven to 350°F and position rack in center of oven.
- Create a parchment paper sling in a 9×9-inch baking pan for easy removal.
- Blend dry ingredients including flour, sugars, salt, and baking powder in a spacious mixing bowl.
- Drizzle melted butter over dry mixture and work with fingertips until achieving a sandy, crumbly consistency.
- Transfer ⅔ of crumb mixture into prepared pan, pressing firmly and evenly to create a compact base layer.
- Bake base for 15 minutes until edges turn pale golden and surface looks slightly set.
- Whisk condensed milk, egg yolks, heavy cream, and salt in a separate mixing bowl until smooth.
- Introduce fresh lemon juice gradually, stirring constantly to maintain a uniform texture.
- Carefully pour lemon filling over hot crust, ensuring even distribution.
- Scatter remaining crumb mixture across the surface in a gentle, uniform layer.
- Return pan to oven and bake 15-20 minutes until topping turns golden and filling appears slightly firm with a gentle wobble.
- Remove from oven and allow bars to cool completely at room temperature.
- Chill in refrigerator for minimum 4 hours to set and enhance flavor development.
- Cut into precise squares and serve chilled.
Notes
- Customize crumb texture by adjusting butter temperature, ensuring a perfectly sandy and crisp base.
- Experiment with different citrus juices like lime or grapefruit for unique flavor variations that complement the sweet base.
- Chill bars completely to achieve clean, precise cutting lines and allow flavors to develop and intensify.
- Use room temperature ingredients for smoother lemon filling and more consistent baking results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 271 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 123 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg