Lemon Cream Cheese Bars
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Buttery shortbread, creamy lemon filling, and that perfect sweet-tart balance, these Lemon Cream Cheese Bars are the kind of dessert everyone asks for the recipe. Simple ingredients, foolproof method, and absolutely irresistible.
You’ll love my traditional lemon bars with a shortbread crust, lemon posset, and lemon ricotta cookies!
Quick Look: Lemon Cream Cheese Bars
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Cooling + Chill Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: About 5 hours
- Servings: 20–24 bars
- Dietary: Vegetarian
- Method: Baked
- Texture: Buttery crust, creamy center
- Flavor: Bright lemon, lightly sweet, smooth, and rich
Why You’ll Love These Creamy Lemon Bars!
These lemon cream cheese bars are everything you love in a lemony dessert: a tender, buttery shortbread base topped with a creamy, bright lemon filling that melts in your mouth. They’re rich without being heavy, sweet with just the right amount of tang, and slice beautifully for entertaining or bringing to potlucks or picnics.
This is the lemon dessert you make when you want guaranteed compliments. Warning: they disappear fast!
Try my Lemon Biscotti or Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting next time.
Made With Amore,
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
These simple ingredients come together to create bright, tangy lemon cream cheese bars with a smooth, creamy filling and a soft, buttery base.
- Fresh Lemon (Zest + Juice) – the star of the recipe, bringing bright, tangy flavor and fresh citrus aroma.
- Full-Fat Cream Cheese – creates the rich, smooth, and creamy filling that defines the bars.
- Unsalted Butter – forms the base of the shortbread crust, adding rich, buttery flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour – provides structure for both the crust and the filling.
- Eggs – bind the filling and give it a silky, custard-like texture.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in both crust and filling.
- Extra Lemon Flavor: Add additional zest or a thin lemon glaze on top. Try my Lemon Biscotti With White Glaze next!
- Vanilla Shortbread Crust: Add ½ teaspoon vanilla to the crust dough.
- Orange or Lime Version: Swap lemon juice and zest for another citrus. You’ll love my Orange Olive Oil Cake (Italian Recipe).
How To Make Lemon Cream Cheese Bars
The best lemon cream cheese bars with fresh lemon juice, creamy filling, and a tender shortbread crust; perfect for make-ahead desserts and gatherings. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on the sides. Lightly grease. In a large bowl, mix butter, flour, powdered sugar, and salt until a soft dough forms. You can also use a food processor.
- Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until smooth on medium speed with an electric mixer. Mix in flour, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined. Stir vanilla into the mixture.
- Pour filling over the warm crust. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is set.
- Let cool at room temperature for 20 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Lift bars out using the parchment or foil. Slice into squares, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Lemon Cream Cheese Bars FAQ’s
Yes. Because they contain cream cheese and eggs, they must be stored in the refrigerator once cooled.
Cracks can happen if the filling is overmixed or overbaked. Mix just until smooth and remove from the oven as soon as the center is set.
Make ahead: These bars are best made a day in advance.
Storage: Store in the refrigerator, covered or in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Store sliced bars (without powdered sugar) in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and dust before serving.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving these lemon cream cheese bars as a bright, tangy dessert after a delicious dinner like Tortellini alla Panna with Peas or Orzo Skillet With Sun‑dried Tomatoes for an Italian‑inspired meal that feels both comforting and special. Pair these mains with with a simple side like Parmesan Brussels Sprouts or Steamed Asparagus.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Chill fully before slicing for clean, bakery-style bars.
- Bake the crust just until set—not browned—to keep it tender.
- Mix the filling just until smooth; overmixing adds air and can cause cracks.
- Don’t overbake—the center should be set but not dry.
More Lemon Dessert Recipes
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Lemon Cream Cheese Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Zest of 2 lemons
- ¾ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice, about 2–3 lemons
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For Serving
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Prep the pan and oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Lightly grease.
- Make the shortbread crust: In a large bowl, mix butter, flour, powdered sugar, and salt until a soft dough forms. You can also do this in a food processor or a handheld mixer. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Mix in flour, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined. Stir in vanilla.
- Bake: Pour filling over the warm crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center is set.
- Cool and chill: Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Slice and serve: Lift bars out using the parchment or foil. Slice into squares, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Notes
- Chill fully before slicing for clean, bakery-style bars.
- Bake the crust just until set—not browned—to keep it tender.
- Mix the filling just until smooth; overmixing adds air and can cause cracks.
- Don’t overbake—the center should be set but not dry.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi there. 2 questions: Can you freeze these & how long do they keep?
Hi there! Great questions, I’m so glad you’re making these 😊
Yes, you can absolutely freeze them! Let the bars cool completely, then cut into squares and store in an airtight container (or wrap individually). They’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.
For storage, keep them in the fridge and they’ll stay fresh for about 4–5 days. They’re actually so good chilled, the texture gets even more creamy.
Hope you love them! 💛 Mangia!
The creamiest lemon bars you’ll ever have!!!
Yes! 100%!