Lemon Crumb Bars

For me, lemon is a flavor that goes so well with the warmer months. It brightens up any dish including, of course, dessert! For these Lemon Crumb Bars, I mashed together a bunch of my recipes and added in this citrus rockstar.

I came out on the other side with an amazing recipe for reimagined lemon bars with loads of lemon flavor and buttery goodness.

Not sure you'll find a better bite than this!

I vote for lemon

When it comes to easy, summery treats to bring to your neighbor's backyard barbecue or your kid's end-of-school party, I highly recommend baking up some of these delicious Lemon Crumb Bars.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies are another really, really, really good option. Don't force me to pick which one is my fave. It's like choosing a favorite child. Can't be done.

(Unless you're my mom and you secretly have a favorite, but adamantly swear you don't. C'mon mom, we all know it's me!)

Why you’ll love this recipe

• No one can resist the super soft buttery crust and streusel crumble topping
• It’s a popular and easy recipe guaranteed to score rave reviews from absolutely everyone
• From-scratch thick and creamy lemon filling has just the right balance of sweet-and-tart
• All the flavor of your favorite ​lemon pie with none of the hassle of a pie crust!

Three layers make the best lemon bars

I recently published a simple recipe for Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies that are not only the bomb (does anyone say that anymore?), but also serve as the perfect crust, aka layer #1, in these Lemon Crumb Bars.

Instead of rolling the sugar cookie dough into balls and dipping them in sugar, spread the batter out in a pan and bake until just golden brown.

Layer #2 is a traditional lemon bar filling, but taken to the next level. Lots of egg, fresh lemon juice, and sugar to balance out the tartness of the lemon.

Add in a bit of flour and baking powder to make up this lemon curd-like filling. It has just the right amount of sweet and just the right amount of tart.

And, last but not least, the layer that sets these Lemon Crumb Bars apart. Layer #3, the butter crumb topping, is what really brings these bars to another level.

I borrowed the crumb topping from my Double Crumb Crumb Cake to take these lemon bars from good to amazing!

The crumb topping gives these bars a buttery, crumbly contrast to the texture of the curd-like filling and the chewy sugar cookie crust. Oh so perfect!

How long does lemon last in the fridge when you have leftovers? Check out my storage tips so you can make more lemon desserts!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• All-purpose flour and cake flour: mixing the two makes the sugar cookie base super soft and tender. For the topping, you’ll only use all-purpose flour
• Baking soda and baking powder: these add a bit of lift to the crust
• Salt: to balance out the sweet flavor
• Butter: use room temperature butter for the crust and chilled butter for the crumbly topping
• Sugar: the combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar gives the lemon bars the perfect amount of sweetness
• Eggs: you’ll need 1 for the crust and 4 for the filling. Use them at room temp so they easily blend in with the other ingredients
• Vanilla extract: I like to use the good stuff instead of imitation vanilla
• Lemon juice and lemon zest: fresh lemon is best. If you need to substitute, be sure to use bottled lemon juice, not lemon extract

How to make lemon crumb bars

Step 1

After heating the oven to 350°F (177°C), line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. 

Step 2

Make the cookie crust. Whisk together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Step 3

Cream the butter and sugars with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Blend on medium speed until the mixture turns light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until incorporated.

Step 4

Add in the dry ingredients with the mixer on low speed. Mix just until combined. Don’t overmix or your crust will be tough!

Step 5

Use a spatula or your hands to press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes. The crust is done when the edges turn light brown.

Step 6

Make the lemon curd filling. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Add in the baking powder and flour and mix until smooth.

Step 7

Make the butter crumb topping. In a separate bowl blend all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and lemon zest. Using your fingers, a fork, or pastry cutter, work in the butter. Combine it until the ingredients are combined but the streusel is still crumbly.

Step 8

Pour the lemon filling over the hot crust. Then sprinkle the streusel on top of the lemon filling. Return the baking dish to the oven for 28-32 minutes. For the best results, bake until the filling doesn’t jiggle.

Step 9

Cool the creamy lemon bars on a wire rack before cutting. Waiting takes some patience, but it’s so worth it.

Pro tips 

• Read through the entire recipe and ingredient list before beginning. Each section has similar ingredients, so you’ll want to assemble all of these and divide them appropriately according to the recipe. For instance, sugar, eggs, brown sugar, and lemon (juice and zest) appear multiple times. Figure out how much of each ingredient you’ll need in total then divide them up so you’re ready to start baking. This will make the process much quicker and easier for you - promise!
• Use fresh lemons for this recipe. First, zest them then, juice them. If you don't have a zester, you can use a box grater. Use the side with the finest cut (aka, smallest holes). To extract the most juice from your lemon(s), roll them on the counter a few times while still whole, putting pressure on them with your palm. You can even use your elbow to put more pressure on them if your lemon(s) are particularly firm. Cut in half and squeeze through a strainer to catch all the seeds and any excess pulp directly into a measuring cup
• There are three layers to these bars and I recommend preparing the second two layers (lemon filling and crumb topping) while the first (cookie crust) is baking. That way, once the cookie crust comes out of the oven, you'll have both layers prepared and ready to place on top of the baked cookie crust. Pop it back in the oven for about 30 minutes and you're all set!