Creamy Lemon Bars

In my opinion, there's nothing better than a sweet and tangy lemon bar! Make them creamy and it's almost like cheating. Not to mention the buttery shortbread crust! These bars are the perfect combination of salty & sweet. The secret to the crust is baking it for 10 minutes before adding the filling. This makes it crisp, buttery, and beyond DELICIOUS!

Lemon bars are a classic icon in the south, no doubt about it! Whether you make them for a shower, picnic, or a simple dessert for dinner these are bound to be a favorite amongst family & friends. The thing I love most about these bars is how they hold their shape! The creamy filling cuts beautifully after they've set in the frig!

The key to cutting lemon bars into the "perfect square" is using parchment paper. I cannot begin to describe all of the benefits of using it! Not only do you get perfectly square bars, but the cleanup is a breeze as well! I cannot wait for y'all to try this recipe!

Creamy Lemon Bars

Yields 12-16 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS
Crust
1 box yellow cake mix
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 egg

Filling
3 cups sweetened condensed milk, about 2.5 (14 ounce) cans
3 eggs yolks, room temperature
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 3-4 lemons
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Powdered sugar (garnish)

NOTES
Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
Tag @petitesouthernkitchen on Instagram

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the yellow cake mix and melted butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed just until combined.

Add the egg with the mixer on low for 1-2 minutes.

Lightly pat the dough evenly on the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch pan lined with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. *The parchment paper will allow you to lift the bars out of the pan seamlessly.

Bake the crust for exactly 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and salt on medium speed for 4 minutes.

Once the crust is done baking, remove from oven and VERY slowly pour the lemon filling over the hot crust. Try to pour it as evenly as possible. The crust will be soft since it has only baked for 10 minutes. If you need to even out the filling, use a small spatula to gently do so.

Bake for 30 minutes and cool completely in the pan for about 1-2 hours.

Refrigerate until the filling is firm, at least 2 hours & up to 2 days.

Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the cake out of the pan onto a cutting board. With a very sharp knife, cut into 12-16 squares.

Dust with powdered sugar.