Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust

5 from 27 votes

Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust

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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: bars

Author: Brianna May

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 8x8-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