These Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust are utterly delicious (and only require seven ingredients!). They’re crafted with a buttery graham cracker crust, tangy lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk, and a few other ingredients.
These easy lemon bars with graham cracker crust are a go-to when I’m craving something sweet and summery. With a creamy lemon filling and lightly sweetened crust made with graham crackers, these bars will impress everyone (especially lemon lovers!). Take them to gatherings, enjoy them at home, or gift them to loved ones!
If you’re still craving a sweet treat, try my other dessert bars: Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bars with Cream Cheese Glaze or Peanut Butter Banana Bars.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No eggs – This recipe does not contain egg yolks or whites, so you won’t have to worry about an eggy taste in the finished product.
- Made with sweetened condensed milk – Instead of using other refined sugar like granulated sugar, this recipe is made with sweetened condensed milk which adds a creamy, rich taste to the lemon layer.
- Creamy filling – Unlike old-fashioned lemon bars with a graham cracker crust, my version has Greek yogurt included in the filling, which creates a creamier texture.
- Only 7 ingredients – You likely have all the ingredients for these lemon bars with graham cracker crust in your fridge/pantry! That means you can whip them up even more quickly and easily.
- Higher in protein – By adding Greek yogurt, you’re boosting the protein in these lemon desserts, creating a slightly healthier lemon bars recipe.
- Summery treat – These lemon desserts are tangy, creamy, and perfect for summertime!
- Perfect for gatherings – With 16 graham cracker crust bars in each batch, this dessert is great for get-togethers, special occasions, and large families!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Greek Yogurt: I used nonfat Greek yogurt for these lemon bars with graham cracker crust to keep the recipe slightly lighter, but any unsweetened Greek yogurt will work. You can also use sour cream in a 1:1 ratio. Be sure to use unsweetened yogurt for this recipe, or the lemon bars with graham cracker crust and condensed milk will turn out way too sweet.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Quick Overview
- Preheat oven.
- Create crust.
- Make lemon filling.
- Layer.
- Bake.
Step by Step Instructions
Use parchment paper in the bottom of the pan to make it easier to take the cooked bars out.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out after baking.
Step 2: In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they form fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and brown sugar, and pulse until well combined. Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared baking pan.
Step 3: Using your hands and the bottom of a flat cup, press the mixture into an even layer on the bottom of the pan, but do not press it up the sides.
Step 4: Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling.
Let the bars fully set before cutting; otherwise, the lemon layer will be runny.
Step 5: In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
Step 6: Pour the filling over the semi cooled crust.
Step 7: Bake for 18-20 minutes. The filling will still be wobbly, but will fully set as the bars cool. Allow the bars to cool on a cooling rack for 1 hour at room temperature. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight, until fully set.
Step 8: Once completely cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Place on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice into 16 bars. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish these lemon bars with graham cracker crust with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, lemon slices, or lemon zest. I love serving these easy lemon bars with graham cracker crust after BBQ mains and sides. Here are a few ideas:
- Sticky BBQ Chicken Wings
- BBQ St. Louis Ribs in the Oven
- Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
- Cornbread Recipe Without Buttermilk
Expert Tips
- Use fresh lemon juice & zest. I find the best creamy lemon bars are made with fresh lemon juice and zest. They add a deliciously fresh lemon flavor to these lemon bars with graham cracker crust.
- Use parchment paper. Adding parchment paper to a prepared pan makes it infinitely easier to remove the bars after they’re cooked. Be sure to let the paper hang over the pan’s edges so you can lift the bars out once they’ve cooled.
- Allow the bars to cool before slicing. If you cut the bars when hot, you’ll end up with goopy lemon bars that won’t stay together well. Instead, allow the bars to cool to room temperature for about an hour, then chill them in the fridge for at least four hours so they can fully set.
Additions & Variations
- Substitute limes for lemons. This yummy recipe will also work with lime juice instead of lemon juice. It will provide a similar tangy flavor, yet the bars will be green instead of yellow. If you only have limes on hand, feel free to swap them. You will still need ¾ cups of juice.
- Make them gluten-free. You only need to swap one ingredient to make these lemon bars with graham cracker crust gluten-free. Instead of regular graham crackers, use certified gluten-free grahams. Be sure to double check the sweetened condensed milk you’re using, as only some brands are gluten-free.
- Make a shortbread crust. If you have a few extra minutes, you can create a shortbread crust instead of using the above graham cracker crust recipe. It gives the lemon squares more of a chewy, dense base. You’ll need 1 cup of salted melted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 2 cups of all-purpose flour. Combine the ingredients together, press them into the pan in an even layer, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350°F (175°C) or until it just starts to brown. Then, follow my recipe card starting from step five.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend baking graham cracker crust before adding the lemon mixture, which helps the crust stay together better.
One of the easiest ways to prevent the crust from getting soggy in recipes (like these lemon bars with graham cracker crust) is to pre-bake the graham cracker crust for a few minutes before adding the filling.
There are a few reasons why a graham cracker crust may be falling apart. The pieces may be too big to stick together well if you don’t crush the crackers into fine crumbs. Additionally, if you do not combine graham cracker crumbs with enough salted or unsalted butter, the mixture will be too dry to stick together.
More Dessert Recipes
Shop my Amazon Storefront!
If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or comment! I always appreciate your feedback. Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.
Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 12 graham crackers
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Lemon Filling
- 2 large lemons, zested
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 14- ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup plain unsweetened Greek yogurt*
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- whipped cream, optional for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out after baking.
- In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they form fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and brown sugar, and pulse until well combined. Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared baking pan.12 graham crackers, 5 Tablespoons salted butter, melted, 1/4 cup brown sugar
- Using your hands and the bottom of a flat cup, press the mixture into an even layer on the bottom of the pan, but do not press it up the sides.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.2 large lemons, zested, 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 14- ounce cans sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup plain unsweetened Greek yogurt*, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the filling over the semi cooled crust.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. The filling will still be wobbly, but will fully set as the bars cool. Allow the bars to cool on a cooling rack for 1 hour at room temperature. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight, until fully set.
- Once completely cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Place on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice into 16 bars. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.whipped cream, optional for serving
Notes
- Greek Yogurt: I used nonfat Greek yogurt for these lemon bars with graham cracker crust to keep the recipe slightly lighter, but any unsweetened Greek yogurt will work. You can also use sour cream in a 1:1 ratio. Be sure to use unsweetened yogurt for this recipe, or the lemon bars with graham cracker crust and condensed milk will turn out way too sweet.
- Use fresh lemon juice & zest. I find the best creamy lemon bars are made with fresh lemon juice and zest. They add a deliciously fresh lemon flavor to these lemon bars with graham cracker crust.
- Use parchment paper. Adding parchment paper to a prepared pan makes it infinitely easier to remove the bars after they’re cooked. Be sure to let the paper hang over the pan’s edges so you can lift the bars out once they’ve cooled.
- Allow the bars to cool before slicing. If you cut the bars when hot, you’ll end up with goopy lemon bars that won’t stay together well. Instead, allow the bars to cool to room temperature for about an hour, then chill them in the fridge for at least four hours so they can fully set.
- Substitute limes for lemons. This yummy recipe will also work with lime juice instead of lemon juice. It will provide a similar tangy flavor, yet the bars will be green instead of yellow. If you only have limes on hand, feel free to swap them. You will still need ¾ cups of juice.
- Make them gluten-free. You only need to swap one ingredient to make these lemon bars with graham cracker crust gluten-free. Instead of regular graham crackers, use certified gluten-free grahams. Be sure to double check the sweetened condensed milk you’re using, as only some brands are gluten-free.
- Make a shortbread crust. If you have a few extra minutes, you can create a shortbread crust instead of using the above graham cracker crust recipe. It gives the lemon squares more of a chewy, dense base. You’ll need 1 cup of salted melted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 2 cups of all-purpose flour. Combine the ingredients together, press them into the pan in an even layer, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350°F (175°C) or until it just starts to brown. Then, follow my recipe card starting from step five.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
