Creamy Lemon Squares

So happy to introduce you all to these new obsessions of mine! These truly are the Best Creamy Lemon Bars.

The lemon trees around here are heavy with ripe fruit waiting to be picked. There’s something so refreshing about a lemon dessert in January. It feels like there’s bottled up sunshine in those juicy little guys!

I have a few lemon favorites that I always come back to year after year, but I also like to try something new. After hearing so many good things about the Magnolia Lemon Pie, I decided to make my own version. For some reason, bars always feel easier than a round pie to me. They are easy to cut and serve, and you don’t have to worry about that crust caving in.

These Creamy Lemon Bars are very much like the lemon version of a key lime pie. They freeze very well, and the texture is something between a lemon mousse or custard. It’s lighter than cheesecake, and very refreshing! I like adding some sour cream to the traditional recipe because I think it helps round out the sweetness of the sweetened condensed milk.

Ingredients :

for the crust:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
1-1/2 cup (about 24 squares) graham-cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
for the filling:
2 large egg yolks
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (i used 3 lemons)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with melted butter. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.
In a food processor, finely grind the graham-cracker squares. Then add in sugar and butter and blend to mix. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool crust, 30 minutes.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and condensed milk. Add lemon juice; whisk until smooth. Pour filling into cooled crust; carefully spread to edges.
Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan on rack; then chill at least 1 hour before serving. Using parchment paper overhang, lift out of pan, and transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut into 16 squares, wiping knife with a damp kitchen towel between each cut.