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Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Easy Lemon Bars Recipe

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5 from 11 reviews

These family friendly no fail easy Lemon Bars come together quickly with a three ingredient graham cracker crust and microwave lemon curd.

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 6 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Lemon Curd Filling

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Cheesecake Filling

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, 6 tablespoons melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press evenly into baking dish.
  2. Melt 4 tablespoons butter and allow to cool for 5 minutes. In medium microwavable bowl combine 1/2 cup sugar and egg yolks until smooth. Whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest and melted butter. Microwave in one minute intervals, stirring after each minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Curd will thicken more as it cools.
  3. In stand mixer with paddle attachment mix 1/2 cup sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Turn mixer to low; add lemon juice and 1 egg at a time mixing just until incorporated. Pour cream cheese mixture over graham cracker crust.
  4. Using lemon curd make three lines the length of the baking dish going all the way to the edge. Using a shish kabeb stick or chop sticks make small S’s through each line. Don’t go too deep as you do not want to disturb the crust. Bake 35-40 minutes or until set in the center.
  5. Cool completely before slicing.  For best results refrigerate for several hours up to overnight.

Notes

  • Spray your baking pan with nonstick baking spray as this will add in cutting the bars and removing them from the pan easily.
  • If at all possible, prepare your lemon curd ahead of time. This allows the curd time to cool and thicken.
  • Stir the lemon curd after each minute in the microwave. The process of cooking the curd in the microwave can take anywhere from 4-8 minutes, depending on the strength of your microwave.
  • If you notice any small bits of cooked egg in the lemon curd, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer.
  • Run the lemon curd down on top of the cheesecake mixture in three lines the length of the pan or six shorter lines the width of the pan.
  • Use a shish kabob stick or a chopstick to make swirls with the lemon curd once it is on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Lemon curd can get thick, so the swirls will not be perfect, but the objective is to get a little lemon curd in every bite.
  • Avoid running the stick too deep in the bars so you do not disturb the graham cracker crust.
  • Cool the lemon bars completely before slicing.  For the best results, refrigerate for several hours up to overnight.
  • Avoid overbeating the cheesecake batter, as too much air can cause the cheesecake to rise while baking and collapse after. Mix just until combined and smooth.

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