Lemon Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
Lemon Bars with Cream Cheese Icing will be the most requested dessert for all of your get togethers, celebrations and summer cookouts!
Lemon bars have been a long- time family favorite. I decided to skip the traditional sprinkling of powdered sugar topping for my favorite cream cheese icing.
They were a big hit with the family and there was not even a crumb left the very next day.
If you are a fan of lemon desserts, this Lemon Blueberry Tiramisu is a must try. Easy to make ahead for celebrations and holiday gatherings.
I don’t know about you, but I literally can not eat a powdered sugar topped lemon bar without breathing in the powdered sugar and nearly choking.
A coughing fit ensues and it kind of ruins my whole lemon bar experience. Sound familiar? No? Okay maybe it’s just crazy old me.
Anyway I love the cream cheese and lemon combo and these dessert bars are going to steal the show at your next cookout or family get together. I also love these Cherry Almond Bars for any occasion!
How to Make Lemon Bars:
- You will need a 9 x 13 baking pan for lemon bars. Mix all purpose flour, powdered sugar and butter together and press into the pan for the shortbread crust. The crust bakes for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile you will mix together the lemon layer which is eggs, sugar, flour and lemon juice. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for another 25 minutes.
- Cool bars completely. You can dust with powdered sugar or top with an easy cream cheese icing.
How to Make Cream Cheese Icing:
Combine softened cream cheese with lemon juice and powdered sugar and beat until soft and fluffy. Spread over cooled bars.
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Lemon Bars look so pretty served up on my favorite Fiesta Serving Tray. So make sure to go ahead and print this one out, it’s a keeper!
I based the recipe on my Mother-in-law’s lemon bar recipe. Of course I love all things chocolate but I absolutely love lemon desserts and will never pass one by.
More Lemon Desserts to Love:
Just like my Lemon- Pineapple Poke Cake or Mini Lemon Pies, they are always tops in my book. It’s going to be an all things lemon around here this summer including Homemade Lemonade!
No Bake Layered Lemon Pie from My Baking Addiction is one of my favorites and this Lemon Raspberry Coffee Cake from Tidy Mom looks divine!
I’ve been trying to get more organized. Sometimes (or all of the time) it is hard to be your own boss. Time management is a huge issue for me. My to-do list seems to quadruple every day.
Lately I’ve been realizing there are things that I’m forgetting to do. Especially paperwork and accounting. I’m still not done with last year’s taxes. Thank goodness for extensions, right?
I’ve decided to do my social media work mostly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Leaving the other days for recipe development, taking care of ranch stuff or Kaycee Cutters, shopping and everything else.
I have to say it’s helping that I’m not trying to do everything every day. Notice I didn’t mention house cleaning on that list. Ugh, I’m always behind on the housework.
Currently I’m up to my eyeballs in mud. Oh well, at least I always have dessert! How do you stay organized and on top of things? I need your ideas!
If you love this Recipe as much as I do, please leave a comment and a five star review, and be sure to help me share on Pinterest!
Lemon Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
for the crust
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup butter
for the lemon filling
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
for the cream cheese icing
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
For the Crust:
- Mix flour and powdered sugar together.
- Add butter and mix with a fork until butter is about pea-sized and mixture is crumbly.
- Press into bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
For Filling:
- Add sugar, flour, eggs, and lemon juice into a bowl and mix well.
- Pour over baked crust.
- Return to oven and bake 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
For Icing:
- Add cream cheese and butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat on low until just combined. Raise to medium-high speed and beat another 2 minutes, scraping down the sides. Add lemon juice and mix until well incorporated. Spread over cooled bars.
- Cut into squares to serve.
- Leftover bars may be refrigerated but will need to come to room temperature for slicing.
Video
Nutrition
Those are beautiful lemon bars. I’d like six, please!
Lemon is my favorite , these are calling my name.
I do not like to print 14 pages just to get 1 recipe (Lemon Bars with Cream Cheese Icing). See if you can cut it down to 2 pages for the recipe. I didn’t get the entire recipe also. Can you send to my email address….
You could always cut and paste onto a blank document like with Word only the recipe instructions to save paper!
I think you win the prize for rudest person on the internet. Maybe on the planet.
Where are the instructions for the crust and the filling? I only see it for the icing.
Hi Fawn,
Thanks for letting me know that was missing! I have it updated now. I hope you enjoy the lemon bars!
~Milisa
Im new at cooking and they still turned out beautifully. At first I thought there was WAY too much of each ingredient for the crust, but it shrank after cooling. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Des,
I’m so glad you liked them! Thanks for stopping by!
~Milisa
Hi you show all the ingredients to your lemon bar with cream cheese icing but not how much of each one cheers Karren
Hi Karen,
The recipe card is at the very bottom of the post with measurements and complete instructions. You can also go directly to the printable recipe card with this link Lemon Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
~ Milisa
Something went very wrong here for me, and I’m not entirely sure what. When I first took the crust out of the oven the edges were beginning the burn but the center wasn’t done. I put the filling in, and popped it in on another rack. The filling and frosting came out great, however the crust is HARD. I’m not sure if I didn’t cut the butter in right or what, I timed it and everything.
Hi Dom,
I have made this countless times with no issues on the crust. The crust should only be lightly browned when you add the lemon filling. Ovens can vary and it might be something like that. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you.
~ Milisa
Does the butter need to be cold
Can you put parchment paper on the bottom of the pan before the shortbread bottom
Does the bottom have to cool before the filing
Hi Carmella,
The butter doesn’t have to be cold and there’s no need to cool the crust before adding the filling since you put it right back in the oven. I hope that helps.
~ Milisa