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No-Bake Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust finished recipe

No-Bake Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust

No-Bake Lemon Bars pair a buttery graham cracker crust with a cool, creamy filling made from cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. The bars are tangy and lightly sweet, with a smooth cheesecake-like texture and a firm crust that provides a gentle crunch.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Graham Cracker Crust
  • 1 3/4 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the Lemon Filling
  • 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 3 tablespoons cool water
  • 12 ounces full-fat block cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice strained
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3/4 cup cold heavy cream
Optional Garnish
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest optional
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar optional

Method
 

Method
  1. Difficulty: Easy: Calories Per Serving: Not calculated
  2. Why This Recipe Works: Firmly compacting the graham cracker mixture creates a sturdy crust that supports the creamy filling.
  3. Full-fat block cream cheese provides enough structure for neat slices without making the bars overly dense.
  4. Fresh lemon juice thickens the sweetened condensed milk while adding bright acidity.
  5. Bloomed gelatin reinforces the filling so it remains stable after cutting.
  6. Folding in softly whipped cream gives the bars a lighter texture without making the filling loose or foamy.
  7. Equipment Needed: inch (23 cm) square metal baking pan, at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep
  8. Parchment paper: Food processor or rolling pin and zip-top bag
  9. Large mixing bowl: Medium mixing bowl
  10. Small microwave-safe bowl: Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment
  11. Flexible spatula: Offset spatula
  12. Fine grater or microplane: Sharp chef’s knife
  13. Ingredients List
  14. For the Graham Cracker Crust: 3/4 cups (175 g) finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
  15. 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar: 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  16. tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter, melted
  17. For the Lemon Filling: teaspoons (6 g) unflavored powdered gelatin. tablespoons (45 ml) cool water
  18. ounces (340 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  19. can (14 ounces/396 g) sweetened condensed milk: 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
  20. tablespoon finely grated lemon zest: teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
  21. 1/4 teaspoon fine salt: 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold heavy cream
  22. Optional Garnish: teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, optional: tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar, optional

Notes

The bars need at least 6 hours in the refrigerator, so they are especially convenient to prepare the day before serving.

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