Cream Cheese Lemon Bars
a potluck classic
Adapted from: https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/cream-cheese-lemon-bars/
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter (chilled and cut into small cubes)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- zest from 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- ¾ cups fresh-squeezed lemon juice (zest first)
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar (plus more for topping)
- 6 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 inch pan with foil or parchment with plenty of overhang around the edges to lift the bars out of the pan before cutting.
- Prepare the crust by combining flour, sugars, salt, and butter cubes in a food processor or blender. Cover and pulse until fine crumbs form. (You can also do this with a pastry cutter, fork, or with your fingers in a large bowl.)
- Press crust into prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- Prepare the filling by combining cream cheese, lemon zest and sugar in a large bowl. Cream together until smooth. Mix in flour, powdered sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla until completely incorporated.
- Pour filling over crust and return to oven for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool for about 20 minutes, then cover and transfer chill in the fridge 4 hours or overnight.
- Lift the foil edges to remove the bars from the pan, slice into squares, sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, and serve.