🍋 Lemon Cream Cheese Squares
These are bright, tangy, and creamy dessert bars with a buttery crust, smooth lemon-cream cheese layer, and a soft baked top. Think cheesecake meets lemon bar—but easier.
🧾 Ingredients
🧈 Crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or digestive biscuits)
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 tbsp sugar
🍋 Cream Cheese Lemon Layer
- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
🍬 Optional Topping
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
- Extra lemon zest
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare crust
- Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Mix graham crumbs, melted butter, and sugar.
- Press firmly into a lined 9×9-inch baking pan.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, then set aside.
2. Make lemon cream cheese filling
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time.
- Mix in lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and flour.
- Beat until fully combined and creamy.
3. Bake
- Pour filling over warm crust.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until edges are set and center is slightly jiggly.
- Do not overbake (it firms up while cooling).
4. Chill
- Cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate at least 3–4 hours (overnight is best for clean slices).
5. Serve
- Slice into squares.
- Dust with powdered sugar and extra lemon zest if desired.
🍽️ Texture & Flavor
- Crust: buttery and slightly crunchy
- Filling: creamy, tangy, and smooth
- Finish: bright lemon with a cheesecake-like richness
🔥 Tips
- Fresh lemon juice is key—bottled won’t taste as bright.
- Don’t skip chilling or the bars won’t set properly.
- For extra richness, add a tablespoon of sour cream to the filling.
If you want, I can also make a glazed version, a no-bake version, or a lemon blueberry swirl variation.
