Put a spin on a classic treat by making these lemon bars with graham cracker crust. A simple dessert packed with tangy lemon flavors in every square.
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I blame my oldest child for my addiction to lemon-flavored recipes because my love of lemon started with pregnancy cravings and hasn't left yet (10+ years later). Of course, she loves lemon just as much as me, so we're both victims here. Haha.
These lemon squares with graham cracker crust are such an incredible treat, and we haven't been able to stop eating them. Seriously, I made them twice in a week, and we ate almost all of them by ourselves. If you love lemons like we do, then you're going to love these tasty bars too!
Make sure to check out my 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars, The BEST Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, Lemon Mug Cake, and Raspberry Lemon Bundt Cake too. There are plenty of lemons to go around.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients. We don't need much to make this Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust. In fact, we use about 6 or 7 ingredients from start to finish, and they're as simple as eggs, flour, lemons, and sugar.
- Quick to assemble. Because we aren't making a shortbread crust, we can have the graham cracker crust prepared in just moments, thanks to your food processor. Even mixing by hand is quick. And in the time it takes for the crust to bake, the filling can be almost finished too.
- There's plenty to share! Each batch makes about 24 squares, giving you plenty to share with friends and family. But of course, this recipe tastes so good you may not WANT to share. In that case, make double the amount.
🛒 Ingredients
Graham crackers- You'll need some graham crackers for the crust recipe. The crust was inspired by our Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust. You can use a sleeve of graham crackers that you crush yourself, or buy them as crumbs from your grocery store's baking aisle.
Lemon zest- Adding lemon zest into the crust is optional but highly recommended because it adds such a wonderful freshness to every piece.
Lemon juice- Add in freshly squeezed lemon juice or lemon juice concentrate. I find that the lemon flavor is stronger in the concentrate and it's cheaper too.
Powdered sugar- This is a delicious garnish to be added at serving time. Powdered sugar really makes these squares look as irresistible as they taste.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Lemon juice. You can swap out the lemon juice with lemon juice concentrate if desired. This means you can just pour juice from a container rather than squeeze it out of several lemons yourself.
Gluten free. Use gluten free flour and graham crackers for a delicious recipe that's GF friendly!
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use lemon juice concentrate. It's far cheaper than fresh lemons and still gives an intense lemon flavor.
Stretch ingredients. This recipe makes up to 24 bars, making it great for parties, potlucks, or dessert on a budget.
Swap where needed. Use margarine instead of butter and generic sugar/flour to keep this dessert even more affordable.
🥄 Instructions for Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2: Cut a piece of parchment paper into a sling and place it into a 9x13 baking dish. You want it to come up over the two long sides as this will help you to remove the bars later.
Step 3: Add your graham crackers to a food processor (Image 1).
Step 4: Process until fine crumbs (Image 2).
Step 5: Add in the lemon zest, melted butter, and sugar (Image 3).
Step 6: Process again until combined (Image 4).
Step 7: Pour the graham cracker mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 8: Press out into a crust. Bake in the oven at 325F for 5 minutes (Image 5).
.Step 9: In a medium-sized pot on the stove, over medium heat, add the flour, lemon juice, and sugar (Image 6).
Step 10: Cook and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture looks smooth (Image 7).
Step 11: Crack your eggs and place them into a large mixing bowl.
Step 12: Whisk until the eggs are broken (Image 8).
Step 13: Temper the eggs by adding the hot lemon juice mixture to the eggs, a little at a time. Whisk well after each addition (Image 9).
Step 14: Continue until all of the lemon mixture has joined the eggs in the bowl.
Step 15: Pour the contents of the bowl into the pot (Image 10).
Step 16: Continue to cook while frequently whisking until the mixture begins to thicken (Image 11). Remove from heat.
Step 17: Place your baked graham cracker crust in front of you. If you turned the oven off, preheat it to 325 degrees F.
Step 18: Pour the lemon filling on top and carefully spread it out into a nice even layer. You don't want to disturb the crust (Image 12).
Step 19: Bake in the oven at 325F for 25 minutes.
Step 20: Remove from oven and let cool for 1-2 hours at room temperature before placing in the fridge for another 1-2 hours (or longer).
Step 21: Slice into serving-sized squares. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- No food processor? No problem. Place graham crackers in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until crumbs form. This tip is also useful for our No Bake Graham Cracker Crust recipe.
- Getting perfectly cut edges. For clean-cut bars, wipe the knife blade with a clean towel after each slice. This applies to other bar recipes like Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies and Hershey's Best Brownies.
❄️ Storage, Freezing & Make Ahead
Storage: Keep lemon bars covered in the fridge for up to 1 week. For the best texture, enjoy within 3-4 days.
Freezing: Freeze bars (cut or uncut) by placing them on a baking sheet until solid, then wrap individually and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Make Ahead: Lemon bars are perfect for prepping ahead. Make them 1-2 days before serving and keep chilled until ready to slice.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve these lemon bars with fresh berries, whipped cream, or a light drink like sweet tea or homemade lemonade. They also pair well with coffee or a simple fruit salad for a refreshing treat.
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👩🏻🍳 Storage
Storing Lemon Bars- Keep lemon bars covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. For optimal taste, consume within 3 to 4 days to maintain crust texture.
Freezing Lemon Bars- To freeze, place lemon bars (uncut or cut) on a baking sheet until solid (about one hour). Wrap bars in foil or plastic wrap, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for several hours before serving. Add powdered sugar just before serving.
❓ Recipe FAQs
In the recipe, yes. While shortbread lemon bar recipes usually have you bake the crust and then add a raw filling before baking together, this recipe is different in that the graham cracker crust will not bake properly unless the filling is cooked first. (If the filling is left uncooked, the crust will rise to the top of the pan and create a mess.)
If your lemon bars look frothy when baked this is simply because the eggs released some air while baking. This is normal, and while not every batch does this, some do.
If you overcook the lemon filling, you may notice a grainy texture or consistency. This is because the lemon curd was overcooked. Make sure to just cook the filling until it has thickened and then to bake until the filling is set in the middle.
Should lemon bars be kept in the fridge? Yes, it's a good idea. Just cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. When stored like this, your lemon bars should stay fresh for approximately 1 week.
If your lemon bars turn brown then you have overcooked them. The browning is a reaction from the high heat and overcooking the bars will cause this to happen. Keep a close eye as they bake to avoid this situation.
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🐝 If you tried these lemon bars with graham cracker crust, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
Graham Crust
- 1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs, exactly 1 sleeve - ($0.74)
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest - ($0.18)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted - ($0.74)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar - ($0.05)
Lemon Filling
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour - ($0.04)
- 1 cup lemon juice - ($0.88)
- 2 cups granulated sugar - ($0.72)
- 6 large eggs - ($0.90)
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Create a parchment sling and place it into a 9x13 baking dish, leaving overhang on the long sides.
- Make crust. Add the graham crackers to a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Add the lemon zest, melted butter, and sugar, then process until combined.
- Bake crust. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared dish and bake at 325°F for 5 minutes.
- Start filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the flour, lemon juice, and sugar until smooth and the sugar dissolves.
- Temper eggs. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs just until broken. Slowly whisk the hot lemon mixture into the eggs, a little at a time, until fully combined.
- Thicken. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook, whisking frequently, until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Bake bars. Pour the lemon filling over the baked crust and gently spread into an even layer. Bake at 325°F for 25 minutes.
- Cool and serve. Cool at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, then refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or longer. Slice into squares, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Notes
- Variations. Use gluten free flour and gluten free graham crackers if needed. Lemon juice concentrate may be substituted for lemon juice.
- Recipe Tips. Crush crackers in a sealed bag with a rolling pin if needed. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for neat slices.
- Storage. Refrigerate covered bars for up to 1 week, best within 3 to 4 days. Freeze airtight for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutritional Information
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