Lemon cream cheese bars: Decadent lemon whipped cream cheese baked between layers of a special ingredient with a delicious streusel lemon topping. A simple and quick dessert bar recipe!
As I am sitting here starring off into space looking at these bars, I am thinking to myself..”Oh, how I wish spring was here already”. Anyone else thinking the same thought when you are looking at these bars?
If not, you might have to wipe the drool that’s coming from your mouth, these bars are mouthwatering - I will admit. Since I am a nice person, here’s a napkin for you! I might have indulged in way too many yesterday - oops. It’s okay every now-and-then, right?
If you have ever made any kind of dessert bars before, you will know the ease at which these come together. Every once in awhile you will happen to come upon a dessert bar that requires a little more work, like these I Just Got Dumped Brownie Bars. There are so many layers within one bar, which takes time. Not these bright and beautiful bars.
With these lemon cream cheese bars, the work is almost done for you. Most of the “work” comes from mixing a couple of ingredients together and beating the cream cheese. The last little part of the “work” is patting down the crust in the pan. I would hardly call any of those steps actual work, though.
The one ingredient, or should I say many within one package, is lemon-flavored cake mix. That’s right…cake mix! Depending on how much you love lemon, you can make with two ways - traditional yellow cake mix or lemon.
If you are using the yellow cake mix, you will notice a few hints of lemon from adding fresh lemon juice to the whipped cream cheese. I’ll take them either way, how about you? For these bars, you will also need to have this sized baking pan. You do not want the baking pan to be smaller because these bars are so rich.
If you are wondering if you can make these with cake mix, I haven’t tried to be honest.
- 1 18.25 ounce package of yellow or lemon cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- zest of ½ lemon
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside a 9x13 baking dish.
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In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cake mix, 1 egg, and the vegetable oil with a plastic spatula. Reserve 1 and ¼ cups of mixture, set aside. Add the rest of the mixture into the 9x13 baking dish and pat down, making sure it's even all-the-way around. Bake for 15 minutes.
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While the crust is baking, beat together the cream cheese, 1 egg, and granulated sugar using a mixer with the paddle attachment. It should be whipped and creamy. With the mixer on medium-to-low speed mix in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
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Pour the batter onto the baked crust. Crumble the reserved mixture you previously set aside on top of the cream cheese batter. Bake for 15 minutes.
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Remove from oven and allow the bars to completely cool before slicing.
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The recipe calls for 2 eggs, 1 is used with the cake mix. What do you do with the other one?
Hi Caryn! Thank you pointing this out to me. I updated the recipe and you will use the other egg with the cream cheese and sugar. So you will beat together the cream cheese, the other egg, and the granulated sugar together.
Oh I just love anything lemon! These look really good! I can't wait to try some:)
You and me both, Shannon!
Should these be stored in the refrigerator? Or does it matter? Thanks! Looks yummy 🙂
I would store them in the refrigerator, Marissa!
I am making these right now! Can't wait to try them
Thank you for this recipe, I have made these bars four times and my kids love it.
I tried these and they are soo goood I didn’t have a lemon so I substituted for pure lemon extract and they taste just fine.
This one is getting bookmarked! So easy and yummy! I didn’t have lemon either, but I have fresh lime for the juice and zest. Worked well with the lemon cake mix. Also tossed some coconut flakes on top. Thank you so much! Mahalo nui loa
Aloha