Cream Cheese Lemon Bars
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Lemon desserts have always had my heart, and cream cheese isn’t far behind. Putting the two together in these Cream Cheese Lemon Bars just made sense! They’re bright, creamy, and exactly the kind of dessert I crave all year round.
For more quick desserts, try my recipes for Apple Slab Pie, Easy Lemon Tart, Salted Caramel Pecan Pie Bars, and Cream Cheese Lemon Crumb Cake.
Why This Recipe Works
My two favorite dessert flavors in one bar. I’m a longtime lemon dessert lover and an equally big cream cheese fan, so combining the two makes these into the best lemon bars recipe ever! These cream cheese lemon bars have that bright, citrusy flavor I crave, balanced by a creamy richness that makes them feel extra indulgent without being heavy.
Classic flavor with a creamy twist. This recipe keeps everything people love about lemon bars, but adds cream cheese for a smoother, more luxurious texture. The result is lemon bars with cream cheese that are tangy, silky, and perfectly balanced from the first bite to the last.
A buttery shortbread-style crust that holds up. The crust bakes up tender yet sturdy, giving you true lemon bars with shortbread crust that slice cleanly and hold their shape. Pre-baking the crust ensures every bite has that buttery base without turning soggy under the filling.
Easy, make-ahead, and made for sharing. This is an easy lemon bars recipe that uses mostly pantry and fridge staples, which makes it perfect for casual gatherings and last-minute plans. Since homemade lemon bars need time to chill and set, they’re ideal for making ahead and serving straight from the fridge!
Ingredients:
For the Crust
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the shortbread crust!
- Granulated sugar: Lightly sweetens the crust without overpowering the filling.
- Salt: Balances out the sweetness!
- Butter: Cold butter creates a tender, crumbly crust texture.
For the Filling
- Cream cheese: Adds richness and a smooth, creamy texture. Make sure it is softened to room temperature!
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the filling while balancing the lemon.
- Flour: Helps the filling set without becoming dense.
- Fresh lemon juice: Provides bright, tangy lemon flavor. I recommend using fresh lemon juice as opposed to bottled lemon juice here.
- Powdered sugar: Adds sweetness and a silky finish to the filling.
- Eggs: Give structure and a custardy texture.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a depth of flavor!
Variations & Substitutions
- Lemon Juice: Swap lemon juice for lime or Meyer lemon juice.
- Zest: Add lemon zest to the filling for even more lemon flavor.
- Gluten Free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for a gluten-free version.
Here’s How You Make It
Did I mention these lemon bars are so easy to make?
- First thing you need to do is preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 x13-inch pan with foil or parchment paper. Leave plenty of overhang around the edges so that you can lift the bars out of the pan before cutting.
- Make the Crust: Prepare the crust by combining flour, sugars, salt, and butter cubes in a food processor or blender. Cover and pulse until fine crumbs form. (You can also do this with a pastry cutter, fork, or with your fingers in a large bowl.)
- Bake Crust: Press crust into prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling: Prepare the filling by combining cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Cream together until smooth. Mix in flour, powdered sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla until completely incorporated.
- Bake Again: Pour filling over crust and return to oven for 30 minutes.
- Cool & Enjoy: Allow to cool for about 20 minutes, then cover and transfer chill in the fridge 4 hours or overnight. Lift the foil edges to remove the bars from the pan, slice into squares, sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, and serve.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature cream cheese. Softened cream cheese blends smoothly into the filling and prevents lumps. Cold cream cheese can leave pockets that won’t fully mix in.
- Don’t skip pre-baking the crust. Baking the crust first ensures it stays firm and buttery under the creamy filling. This step prevents a soggy bottom!
- Fresh lemon juice matters. Bottled juice won’t give you the same bright, fresh flavor. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice really makes these bars shine.
- Chill before slicing. Refrigerating the bars allows the filling to fully set. You’ll get cleaner slices and a better texture overall.
FAQs
Yes, because of the cream cheese and eggs, these bars should be stored in the refrigerator. Keep them covered, and they’ll stay fresh for up to 4–5 days.
Yes, they freeze well. Slice them, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Lemon juice adds brightness and acidity to cream cheese, balancing its richness and enhancing the overall flavor. It also slightly softens the texture, helping create a smoother, more creamy filling in desserts like lemon bars.
More Recipes to Try
- Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting – soft, cake-like banana bars topped with the dreamiest tangy frosting.
- Cream Cheese Brownies – rich, fudgy brownies with swirls of creamy cheesecake!
- Caramel Cookie Bars – buttery cookie layers with gooey caramel tucked right in the middle.
- Easy Lemon Tart – silky lemon filling in a simple crust that feels fancy with minimal effort.
- Cream Cheese Carrot Cake Bars – all the cozy spice of carrot cake in bar form!
When you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on social – I love connecting with you and seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Cream Cheese Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
For the Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- ¾ cups fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar, plus more for topping
- 6 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×13 inch pan with foil or parchment with plenty of overhang around the edges to lift the bars out of the pan before cutting.
- Prepare the crust by combining flour, sugar, salt, and butter cubes in a food processor or blender. Cover and pulse until fine crumbs form. (You can also do this with a pastry cutter, fork, or with your fingers in a large bowl.)
- Press crust into prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- Prepare the filling by combining cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Cream together until smooth. Mix in flour, powdered sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla until completely incorporated.
- Pour filling over crust and return to oven for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool for about 20 minutes, then cover and transfer chill in the fridge 4 hours or overnight. Lift the foil edges to remove the bars from the pan, slice into squares, sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is to DIE for. I usually take out what I need for dessert and put the rest in the freezer or else I’d demolish them. The shortbread crust is delectable and the filling is oh so creamy with just the right amount of tang.
Absolutely perfect!
Could the crust be made 2 days ahead and fill on day 2?
Need these for 4th of July but busy for the next 2 days.
So sorry for the delayed response! I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July! Yes, you can make the crust ahead of time! Bake it, let it cool completely, then cover and store it at room temperature for up to 1–2 days before adding the filling and finishing the recipe. Hope you were able to enjoy these lemon bars for your celebration! 😊
This was an easy dessert. My crust was good, but needed more flavor. Suggestions.
Add freshly grated lemon zest to the crust. And the filling.
i love to add a bit of nutmeg to my shortbread crusts
This recipe is incredible and will now be my go-to! Every oven bakes differently, so don’t go by the timer alone. At 30 minutes the sides were set but the middle was completely runny. I turned up the temp by 5°, baked 10 more minutes and they were set. I was worried that I had overcooked them, but the filling was light and fluffy and the crust was buttery perfection.
After reading some of the comments on these squares I added about another 1/4 cup of flour to the batter. I was having guests for dinner and I wanted to make sure they were perfect and they were. Not at all runny and so delicious, like eating lemon cheesecake. Thank you