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    Home / Recipes / Breads

    The BEST Lemon Bars

    By Heather ยท Published: Jul 13, 2017 ยท Updated: Mar 22, 2021 ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท See the privacy policy linked in my footer.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These really are the BEST lemon bars I've ever had. I'm not sure if it's the buttery crust or creamy, tart lemon filling but they are absolutely killer and everyone that tries them agrees they are the BEST!The Best Lemon BarsI'll admit that these are not what you might expect when you think of a lemon bar. They don't have a shortbread crust, the filing is creamy instead of translucent and there's a crumb topping on the top that "normal" lemon bars don't have. ย But, you guys, if calling these the BEST lemon bars ever is wrong, I don't want to be right.

    Why are these the BEST lemon bars?

    Here's what these bars are all about. They start with a crust that is made from a yellow cake mix and it makes for the richest, butteriest crust that is perfect for holding up the tart lemon filling. This filling is creamy because it has cream cheese and is perfectly tart with a full helping of fresh lemon juice.ย The filling is also sweetened with powdered sugar instead of granulated so it's perfectly smooth and creamy. It's not quite cheesecake-y and not quite a traditional lemon bar but so, so good. And then there's the topping! It's a sweet and crumbly combination of brown and granulated sugars, flour, coconut and brought together with a bit of melted butter.

    The Best Lemon Bars

    Pin This Recipe For Later

    Here's the hard part-- waiting for them to cool! Once baked they need almost THREE hours to cool before they are ready to cut into. I'll admit that I've dug in much sooner than that with less than catastrophic results, so do what you will. I will say that they taste best when well chilled and keep for up to a week in the fridge. They also make a killer breakfast, not that I know or anything.

    Want More Lemon-y Recipes?

    • Lemon Vanilla Bean Mini Cheesecakes
    • Strawberry Lemonade Crepes
    • Sweet and Tangy Lemon Curd
    • Pink Lemonade Freezer Bars
    The Best Lemon Bars

    The BEST Lemon Bars

    These really are the BEST lemon bars I've ever had. I'm not sure if it's the buttery crust or creamy, tart lemon filling but they are absolutely killer and everyone that tries them agrees they are the BEST!
    By Heather Cheney
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
    Servings: 20 bars

    Ingredients

    • 15 ounce box yellow cake mix
    • 1 egg
    • ยฝ cup butter 1 stick, melted
    • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 2 eggs room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ยฝ cup fresh lemon juice
    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • ยฝ cup butter 1 stick, melted
    • ยฝ cup brown sugar
    • ยฝ cup sweetened flaked coconut
    • ยฝ cup granulated sugar
    • ยพ cup all-purpose flour
    • ยผ C ยฝ stick butter, melted

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13" baking dish.
    • Combine cake mix with melted butter and egg and evenly press into bottom of the greased pan.
    • Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese with eggs and mix until smooth. Add in vanilla and lemon juice, mixing until smooth once again, scraping the bowl as necessary. Repeat with the powdered sugar and butter, scrape bowl and mix until completely smooth. Pour filling over cake mix crust.
    • In a small bowl, combine sugars, coconut, flour and melted butter. Stir with a fork until combined and sprinkle evenly over the filling.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until crust is golden and middle is lightly set. The middle will still be jiggly like if you were to wiggle a jello mold. Allow to cool at room temperature 30 minutes and then refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting.

    Nutrition Facts

    Serving: 1 bar | Calories: 343 kcal | Carbohydrates: 45 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 17 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Cholesterol: 67 mg | Sodium: 309 mg | Potassium: 61 mg | Sugar: 32 g | Vitamin A: 540 IU | Vitamin C: 2.4 mg | Calcium: 68 mg | Iron: 0.9 mg

    Nutrition and Food Safety Disclosure

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alex says

      December 21, 2017 at 12:49 am

      5 stars
      The cake is delicious. Thanks for the recipe for my children. Merry Xmas!

      Reply
    2. Anthea says

      August 24, 2017 at 11:28 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy. So look a delicious cake. Thanks for the recipe. Good job

      Reply
    3. Gloria Bogdan says

      April 08, 2016 at 10:04 pm

      5 stars
      Can't wait to try these! Lemon bars are my husband's favorite and he will be surprised that I even tried to make them!

      Reply
      • Heather Cheney says

        April 15, 2016 at 12:27 pm

        Enjoy!

        Reply

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