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Judy John

Easy Lemon Crumb Bars Recipe

These easy lemon crumb bars combine buttery crumble layers with bright citrus filling for a refreshing homemade dessert.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250

Ingredients
  

Crumb Base
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Lemon Filling
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14-ounce can
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 large egg yolks

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Baking Pan
  • Oven
  • Whisk
  • Zester
  • Cooling Rack
  • Freezer

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven and grease baking pan before preparing buttery crumb mixture carefully and evenly.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, and salt before cutting butter into soft crumbly textured mixture thoroughly.
  3. Press half the crumble mixture firmly into pan creating sturdy golden base during baking beautifully.
  4. Whisk condensed milk, lemon juice, zest, and egg yolks until filling becomes creamy and smooth.
  5. Pour lemon filling evenly over crust while pretending sticky citrus splashes never happened today somehow.
  6. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture across filling creating crisp buttery topping with lovely baked texture later.
  7. Bake until edges turn lightly golden and lemon center sets with gentle softness underneath perfectly.
  8. Cool bars completely before slicing because warm citrus filling slides everywhere without mercy immediately afterward.

Notes

Bake slightly less for softer creamy centers or longer for crispier crumble texture. Freeze cooled bars between parchment layers inside airtight containers. Chill before slicing cleaner portions. Add berries, coconut, or white chocolate for flavor customization. Store refrigerated up to five days for best freshness.