Creamy Frozen Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Jun 04, 2021, Updated Sep 11, 2024
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These Creamy Frozen Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust are the perfect sweet summer treat! They will cool your taste buds and make you pucker with excitement. Truly, they are a perfect finale to any BBQ or late-night summer sweet tooth craving!
No bake sweet-tart-treat, perfect for hot, hot summer days when you don’t want to turn on the oven. More no-bake recipes: Authentic Easy Italian Tiramisu Recipe and Panna Cotta Italian Recipe (Easy).
Why you’ll love this recipe
This dessert tastes like lemon gelato with a graham cracker crunch that replaces an ice cream cone.
It’s light and refreshing, with the perfect silky smooth texture. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch, and midnight snacks. The whipped cream makes these creamy lemon squares irresistible.
If you need ONE go-to dessert this summer, this is your gal or pal. Let me know if you try it. You can thank the Davis family for this delicious recipe. These are hands down the best lemon bars and you can hold me to it!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Frozen Lemon Bars
All you need is simple ingredients for this luscious lemon dessert!
- Fresh whipping cream
- Lemons (fresh lemon juice and lemon zest)
- Eggs (separate egg yolks and egg whites)
- Graham crackers
- Butter
- Sugar
- Salt
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Frozen Lemon Bars
Making this sweet and tangy frozen treat only requires a few simple steps.
Make the graham cracker mixture and press it into the bottom of a rectangular pan. Reserve a little graham cracker mixture for sprinkling on top.
Whip the cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form, using a stand mixer or hand-held beaters. Set aside.
Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks with a stand mixer or hand-held beaters and set aside.
Beat egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest with a stand mixer or handheld beaters until combined, then set aside.
Combine the egg white and egg yolk mixture, using a rubber spatula, by gently folding together. Keep folding until completely incorporated.
Gently fold the whipped cream with the egg mixture until combined.
Place the filling on top of the graham cracker crust. Top with the extra graham cracker mixture, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer to set. The hard part is waiting for it to freeze! It is so delicious- I highly recommend licking your spatula :).
HINT: do not over mix the final mixture. Gently fold for a smooth, light, and fluffy creamy mixture.
FAQ’s
The eggs in this recipe aren’t “cooked” they are frozen after the dessert is made. Choose cold, fresh, free-range eggs, handle them hygienically, and follow good food-safety practices. In fact, the inside of the egg is the most sterile part. It is the outside that you need to clean before breaking it. So, keep eating your Creamy Frozen Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust and Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (Authentic)!
These frozen lemon bars are best stored in a glass or metal pan or baking sheet and covered well with plastic wrap. You can also individually store the lemon squares in an airtight container (after the bars are frozen and cut) and keep them in the freezer for about 2 months.
How to Make Graham Cracker Crumbs at Home
There are a few ways to make graham cracker crumbs to make the crust for this recipe.
- Food Processor – break up the graham crackers with your hands and place in a food processor. Pulse until the the graham crackers are desired consistency
- Plastic bag and rolling pin – place the whole graham crackers in a zip
- Pre-made – if you want to go the easy route you can buy the pre-made graham cracker crumbs from the grocery store.
Start with this crust recipe: Ultimate All Butter Pie Crust. If you want a lemony pie try: Ricotta Pie Recipe that is made with an Italian pasta frolla crust (also hard to mess up!)
Creamy Frozen Lemon Bars
Irresistibly light, creamy, and refreshing, this creamy frozen lemon dessert is an addicting, sweet, tart, light treat you will make and crave all summer long (we even make them year-round!).
Make this lovely lemon dessert for you and yours all summer long! Calling all lemon lovers- this is the perfect dessert for you! The best part is they are easy to make and they will be your absolute favorite bars after you try them.
They freeze very well, and the texture is between a lemon mousse and custard. It’s lighter than cheesecake and very refreshing!
You will also love this Lemon Biscotti and Lemon Tiramisu Recipe!
Variations
Honestly, this recipe is perfect as it is! Here are some variations to try:
Mix it up- try making a lime variation by using the same amount of lime as you would lemon. Try using meyer lemons for a unique lemon flavor.
Crust- use a shortbread crust like in this recipe: Best Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust.
Sugar- try using brown sugar in the graham cracker crust for a deeper molasses taste.
Extra touch- add a dollop of whipped cream and fresh raspberries on top right before serving these creamy lemon bars.
If you love this frozen dessert, you must try our Homemade Pistachio Gelato and Nutella Milkshake!
Serving Suggestions
This is the perfect dessert to serve at a summer gathering, party, or activity. It is a refreshing treat after a delicious summer pasta salad.
We eat this in the winter as well despite the fact that it is a frozen dessert. It goes well after a hearty Classic Italian Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce or BEST Italian Beef Short Rib Ragu.
If you love lemons, try Easy Lemon Yogurt Loaf Cake and Easy Lemon Curd.
History of Creamy Frozen Lemon Bars
This dessert dates back 30 years in the Davis family. My husband remembers big family BBQs at his grandparents’ home in Idaho.
They would enjoy prime steaks and an assortment of sides and ALWAYS end the meal with this frozen lemon dessert. Everyone, from ages baby to 80, absolutely loved this refreshing summer dessert.
My husband recalls his mother always had a pan of this in the freezer during the summer. After hours of playing outside in the hot summer heat, he would steal a small square.
It is the perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a tasty crumble of graham cracker crumbs to add texture. When I joined the family, I remember thinking this tasted like a virgin frozen limoncello drink.
This will soon become one of your family’s favorite lemon desserts, too!
From my Cucina to your Table, Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)
More Delicious Desserts for YOU…
Vanilla Cake Roll with Cream and Berries
Italian Crumble Cake with Jam Filling
Heavenly Angel Food Cake (Strawberries and Cream)
The Best Biscuit Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Biscuit Cobbler
Bring these frozen lemon squares to weddings or baby showers, and everyone will love you for it. Make this frozen lemon bar recipe the next time someone asks you to bring dessert!
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
Print
Frozen Lemon Dessert
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Frozen Lemon Dessert! A sweet summer treat that will cool your taste buds and make you pucker with excitement. Truly a perfect finale to any BBQ or late night summer sweet tooth craving!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 cups graham crackers (smashed into crumbs)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 large eggs (separated save yolks and whites in separate bowls)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of one lemon
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the first three ingredients (butter, graham cracker crumbs, and 2 tablespoons of sugar) until combined. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan. Use a 9X11 inch baking dish (save a handful of the crumb mixture to sprinkle over the top when finished).
- In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of an electric mixer) whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks, set aside. Separate egg yolks and egg whites (make sure none of the yolks get in the whites or they won’t whip properly).
- With a stand mixer or handheld mixer- beat the egg whites until soft peeks. Add one cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, set aside.
- Beat egg yolks until creamy and pale yellow. Add lemon juice and lemon zest and beat again until incorporated.
- Use a spatula and gently fold in egg yolks to the egg whites, best folding method is up down motion and alternating scraping the sides of the bowl. Fold until uniform. Fold the egg yolks and egg whites into the large bowl of whipped cream. Use the same folding method to incorporate.
- Place the prepared lemon filling in the pan prepared with graham cracker crumbs and spread evenly to cover all the pan. Sprinkle the extra crumbs on top. Cover and freeze 2 hours and up to 2 months. For best results allow to freeze at least 2 hours before serving.
- After the lemon bars are frozen use a sharp knife to cut them into small squares. Serve cold!
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: N/A
- Category: Sweet/ Dessert
- Method: American
- Cuisine: American
This dessert was easy to make and so refreshing on a hot day here in Dallas, TX! Thank you! It will be a recipe that we will adding to our family recipe book for sure!
Honored it’s a part of your family favorites! Enjoy!
I made this with gluten free graham crackers. It was delicious and refreshing! A perfect summer dessert! My grandkids loved it.
Happy everyone loved it! Yes, it is always a hit with kids!
Yes! It’s that is a great gluten-free option.
I’ve done it multiple times! We love it so much, it’s like smooth lemon custard with a cookie base. Amazing!
It’s a summer rotation dessert for us too!
Made this for a family gathering for 4th of July today. Huge hit. Everyone loved it!
Thrilled it was a hit!
Loved it!
Happy you did! They are so refreshing!
Absolutely delicious frozen dessert. Perfect for hot summer days. 🍋Definitely a family favorite.
Yes! Perfect to make all summer!
I don’t usually comment but I made this last week & it was a hit for my grandkids, my husband & my daughter-in law. She never eats dessert but she said this is the best dessert you ever made. I am going to take one to our daughter’s tonight & see if she wants me to make it for her husband’s birthday Padua next week. 20 guests so this is something that can be made ahead & served. Not sure what to use for the favorite graham crust but I’ll look for some gluten free cookies to make an extra for the few gluten free guests. Thank you so much & I cannot wait to make your pasta recipes. I am half Italian. & there is nothing better than Italian
Yay! So happy you and everyone loved this family recipe. Here’s to many more delicious recipes.
Used Trader Joe’s cinnamon graham crackers. Easy to make. Rave reviews.
Yay! Yes, those are a super tasty addition to this recipe.
Move over Italian apple cake it’s time to switch over to these delicious creamy frozen lemon bars. The best thing about the heat (It hit a high of 35°C here in Ottawa) is that I needed to put them back in the freezer immediately after serving them which meant that I didn’t eat the entire pan (although I dearly wanted a second serving!)
We keep a pan in the freezer all summer long. It’s on repeat over here. Happy you loved it.
Just returned from a Memorial Day cookout…..this was truly the standout dessert! Light, lemony and refreshing! Crumbs were the only thing remaining- will definitely make again!
Happy you loved it. It is one worth making all summer. Yum!
All I can say is yum, yum, yummy! I have made this multiple times. I have even made it with limes. And my daughter made it and put raspberries on top. All very, very good. Light and refreshing!
I love the raspberry idea! Yum! Yum!
Just checking, the egg yolk mixture isn’t cooked?
No, it is not. See bottom of post for more information on this. It is totally safe. Enjoy!