These Easy Lemon Crumb Bars are a refreshing springtime dessert full of bright lemon flavor! With a tangy lemon custard nestled in between a buttery oat-crumble crust, these bars serve as the perfect dessert for a family get-together or a bright spring day. Plus, they’re quick and easy to prepare, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying these delightful treats!
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These bars are perfect for any occasion, from casual family gatherings to holiday celebrations. They store well in the refrigerator and taste even better when chilled, making them an excellent make-ahead treat.
Serve them with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra touch of indulgence. Once you try them, they’ll quickly become a favorite in your dessert rotation!
If you’re craving more bright and flavorful desserts, I’ve got plenty of delicious options for you to try. My Lemon Pocket Cake is a soft, citrusy treat, while No-Bake Lemon Pie offer a creamy, refreshing twist. And if you love a good crumb topping, don’t miss my Raspberry Crumble Bars, packed with fresh fruit and a buttery oat crumble!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fresh Lemon Flavor: A dream for lemon lovers! Fresh lemon zest and juice create the perfect balance of sweet and tart in every bite. These bars are bright, zesty, and impossible to resist.
- Springtime Dessert: Light, refreshing, and sunshine in dessert form. Whether you're baking for a spring brunch, Easter gathering, or just because, these bars bring a burst of citrusy joy to any occasion. Serve alongside our Blueberry Fluff Salad for a light and fruity complement to your spread.
- Quick, Easy & Foolproof: Made with simple pantry staples, these bars come together in no time. No fancy techniques—just mix, bake, and enjoy. The hardest part? Waiting for them to cool!
- Buttery, Crumbly Perfection: A buttery oat crust, luscious lemon filling, and a golden crumble topping—every bite melts in your mouth. For a chocolaty twist, try our Fudge Crumble Bars, combining rich fudge and peanut butter flavors enveloped by a delicious yellow cake mix crust and crumble topping!
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients below to make these easy lemon crumb bars!
- All-purpose flour helps create the structure of the oat crust.
- Quick oats help the oats to cook faster.
- Granulated and packed light brown sugar give the crust sweetness and balance out the tartness of the lemon filling.
- Unsalted butter keeps the oatmeal buttery and binds it together. Melted butter makes the mixing process super quick and simple! You can use salted butter in a pinch, but you’ll want to omit the extra salt.
- Vanilla extract adds a sweet flavor to the oat crumble crust.
- Sweetened condensed milk makes the lemon filling rich and creamy. Make sure to read labels carefully to avoid accidentally using evaporated milk!
- Finely grated lemon zest enhances the fresh lemon flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice is always preferred over bottled juice, as it gives a better, fresher flavor. Bottled juice can always be used in a pinch!
- Egg yolks make the lemon filling creamy and smooth. Using just the yolks gives the lemon filling the perfect custard texture.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add Powdered Sugar: Sprinkle some powdered sugar on your bars for a little extra sweetness!
- Old-fashioned Oats: Although they may take a little longer to cook, feel free to use old-fashioned oats in place of quick oats if you prefer.
- Extract Variant: You can use almond extract for a slightly different flavor.
- Berry Add-ins: To make these bars even sweeter and fruitier, you can add fresh raspberries or blueberries to your filling or as a topping. If you're a fan of tart, fruity flavors, you'll love my Cranberry Crumble Bars. With a perfectly balanced sweet-tart cranberry filling nestled between layers of buttery oat crumble, they’re a delicious treat for any time of year!
- Nutty Oat Crust: Add some chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts to your oat crust for some extra flavor and crunch.
How to Make Lemon Bars with Crumb Topping
Once you've gathered all your ingredients, preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare an 8x8-inch baking dish by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Then, follow the steps below to make these homemade lemon crumb bars.
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, quick oats, salt, baking soda, sugar, and brown sugar, then mix well.
- Step 2: Add melted butter and vanilla. Work mixture together until dough forms.
- Step 3: Firmly press half of the mixture into your prepared baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
- Step 4: While the crust bakes, mix the remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour over the baked crust.
- Step 5: Sprinkle remaining crust over top.
- Step 6: Bake for 20-22 minutes until the edges brown, then let the bars cool completely before serving.
Helpful Tips
- Allow the Bars to Cool: Refrigerating or even freezing for a brief time will allow for easier cutting and serving.
- Fresh Ingredients: Always try to use fresh lemons for your zest and juice if possible. Fresh ingredients have a brighter, fresher flavor that makes a difference in the taste and texture of your bars.
For another delightful recipe that uses fresh lemons, try my Easy Lemon Chicken. This dish features juicy and tender chicken breasts baked in a lemon-herb sauce brimming with delicious lemony flavor. - Grate Lemon Zest Finely: If you have one, a microplane is a great tool to get freshly grated lemon zest. This will give your bars a fresher, stronger lemon flavor.
- Avoid Over mixing Crumble: Since we want a crumbly crust and topping, try not to over mix your oat mixture too much.
Recipe FAQs
Lemon bars can turn out runny if they haven’t baked long enough or if the filling ratio is off. Make sure to bake until the center is set and slightly firm to the touch. Also, letting them cool completely before cutting helps them firm up.
Fresh lemon juice is always best for flavor, but bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch. However, fresh lemon zest is key to getting that bright, citrusy flavor.
Yes! Lemon crumble bars can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. In fact, chilling them makes them easier to cut and enhances the flavor.
Make a larger batch of these bars by doubling the ingredients and using a larger pan (such as a 9x13-inch pan). Just adjust your bake time as needed and wait until the top is golden and the filling is set to take out of the oven.
For neat slices, chill the bars first and use a sharp knife, wiping it clean between cuts. A little powdered sugar dusted on top can also prevent sticking.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Storage Instructions
To store the bars, you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing Instructions
These lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
More Luscious Lemon Dessert Recipes You'll Love
Looking for other lemon dessert recipes like this? Try these:
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Easy Lemon Crumb Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups quick oats
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (finely grated)
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 large egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and prepare an 8x8-inch baking dish by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, quick oats, salt, and baking soda.
- Add sugar and brown sugar. Mix again.
- Add melted butter and vanilla. Work mixture together until dough forms.
- Firmly press half of this mixture into your prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- While crust is baking, combine remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth.
- Pour lemon mixture over baked crust.
- Sprinkle remaining crust over top.
- Bake for an additional 20-22 minutes or until edges begin to brown.
- Allow bars to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Allow the Bars to Cool: Refrigerating or even freezing for a brief time will allow for easier cutting and serving.
- Fresh Ingredients: Always try to use fresh lemons for your zest and juice if possible. Fresh ingredients have a brighter, fresher flavor that makes a difference in the taste and texture of your bars.
- Grate Lemon Zest Finely: If you have one, a microplane is a great tool to get freshly grated lemon zest. This will give your bars a fresher, stronger lemon flavor.
- Avoid Over mixing Crumble: Since we want a crumbly crust and topping, try not to over mix your oat mixture too much.
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