Recipe Background
Cream Cheese Lemon Bars juxtapose tangy lemon curd with creamy layers.
Cream Cheese Lemon Bars offer a delightful contrast between tangy and sweet, with a smooth layer of cream cheese providing a gentle, creamy balance to the bright citrus of lemon curd. As they bake, the aroma of buttery crust mingles with vanilla, filling the kitchen with warmth and anticipation. Once cooled, the bars have a pleasing firmness that holds up well, making them easy to slice and serve.
A critical moment here is to let the crust bake until its surface just begins to brown. This adds a slight crispness that elevates the entire dessert. The top layer, where lemon curd and cream cheese dance together in swirled harmony, ensures that each bite is an adventure in textures.
Sharing these bars is a small occasion in itself. They’re perfect for gatherings, where even older adults find themselves drawn to the familiar yet special treat. Fresh berries add a vibrant pop of color and a bright finish. Altogether, it’s a dish that is both comforting and exciting, evoking fond memories while creating new ones.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese softened
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup lemon curd store-bought
- fresh berries such as raspberries and strawberries, optional, to taste, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line a 9-inch square metal baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl with a spoon, add the butter, the granulated sugar, and 1 of the eggs and stir until well-combined.
- Add 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, and the salt to the butter mixture and stir until no dry pockets remain.
- Evenly sprinkle the dough on the bottom of the prepared baking dish, pressing down to make an even layer.
- Bake until lightly browned across the surface, about 12-15 minutes.
- Transfer from the oven to a wire rack and let it cool.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and the confectioners' sugar and beat until well-combined, about 2 minutes.
- With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the remaining eggs, the vanilla extract, and the remaining flour to the cream cheese mixture, beating until combined. Increase the mixer to medium-high speed, and beat until light and airy, about 3 minutes.
- Evenly pour and spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust.
- With a spoon, stir the lemon curd to loosen and then dollop it over the top of the cream cheese mixture layer.
- With the tip of a butter knife inserted into the lemon curd-cream cheese mixture, make swirls to lightly combine.
- Bake until evenly browned, rotating the baking dish halfway through baking, about 50 minutes.
- Transfer the bars from the oven to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.
- Once cooled, with a sharp knife, cut the bars into serving-size pieces, plate with the raspberries and the strawberries, and serve.
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