Easiest Ever Lemon Bars – 3 Ingredient Recipe

A short ingredient list makes these tangy, flavorful Lemon Bars the easiest ever.

Finding the Right Dessert for the Right Occasion

A number of year’s ago I was preparing to host a graduation party. This, of course, required a lot planning – from drinks to mains to desserts.

I was definitely going to order a cake from the bakery, but I also wanted at least one other dessert. And, I wanted an easy dessert recipe or two as I was going to have to make a lot! 

One of the dessert requests that came back to me? Lemon bars. But, the crazy thing is….I’d never made lemon bars! I didn’t even have a recipe for them.

Now, just because I’d never made lemon bars doesn’t mean I didn’t love them or have an opinion on what they should taste like. I love lemon desserts. I think the lemon flavor works really well in sweet treats and I have some of my own lemon recipes (see this Glazed Lemon Pound Cake!).

It’s just my exposure to a good lemon bar was mainly homemade lemon bars from visiting friends and family or something like charity bake sales. Now, don’t get me wrong, some of the best lemon bars I’ve had have been from these places and they had great recipes. But, I just needed to figure out what I wanted to do.

So, I started looking around trying to find the perfect recipe. I eventually landed on a lemon bar recipe I could tweak that Krista from Everyday Mom’s Meals has on her site. Delicious, simple and easy.

Classic Lemon Bars Made Easy

You have to remember, I was looking for an easy lemon bar recipe because I had to make a lot! But, when you look at a classic lemon bar recipe, there can be a lot of ingredients. 

All purpose flour, sugar, fresh lemon juice, lemon curd filling, powdered sugar for a topping, vanilla extract – the list can get pretty long. But, it can be worth it!. A buttery shortbread crust, creamy lemon filling – so good!

But, what I really wanted was to have the same taste and experience, but only use a few simple ingredients that are found at your local grocery stores. I think I found the solution and have a great easy lemon bar recipe.

The original recipe called for three ingredients. That’s it! Just a yellow cake mix, butter and lemon pie filling. 

I did tweak the recipe a bit by adding lemon zest for a little freshness. But, these were still a snap to make.

Making the Lemon Bars

As I mentioned, these are pretty easy. No need for a food processor or electric mixer.

First step, combine the cake mix and butter (along with some lemon zest, if using). Press part of this mixture into the bottom of a prepared pan as your base for the baked crust.

Put the lemon pie filling over the top of the crust and then top with the rest of the cake mix / butter mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes and you have yourself some luscious lemon bars!

Make Ahead and Freeze

These delicious lemon bars are perfect for making ahead. They do well both refrigerated as well as frozen. So, you can make as many batches as you want and they will keep extremely well.

If you are going to serve in the next couple of days, just let the lemon bars cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and put in the fridge. Don’t take them out of the baking dish.

When you’re ready to serve, take them out of the fridge, cut them into squares and you’re ready to go.

If you are making these more than a few days ahead of time, bake, and let them come to room temperature. Again, cover the cooled bars in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and put into the freezer. 

When you’re ready to serve, take them out, cut into squares and serve. I find they are just as good frozen as thawed as they don’t really freeze all the way through.

(Note: Personally, I like to cut them into squares before I freeze them. It just makes it that much easier to grab them out of the freezer and put them directly onto a serving dish. It makes this a pretty easy sweet treat!)

The Lemon Bars Were Popular

During the grad party, it appeared they were definitely a crowd favorite. The best way to know? There were very few left!

They appealed to the lemon lovers, the sweet lovers, the lovers of bars in pans – you name it. I was so pleased as to how these came out and I know you will, too!

Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• The bars can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until ready to serve.
• They don’t freeze super solid and I have found that they actually taste quite refreshing straight from the freezer.
• For serving, garnish with small lemon slices, strawberries or blueberries.

Ingredients Needed to Make These Easiest Ever Lemon Bars

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Yellow cake mix – A white cake mix can be substituted.
• Butter – I prefer to use unsalted, but salted will work if that’s what you have on hand.
• Lemon pie filling – Use any brand that you like.
• Lemon zest (optional) – Adds freshness to the flavor.

How to Make Lemon Bars

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, combine cake mix and 1/2 of the lemon zest (if using).
• Add butter, and using a pastry blender or a fork, incorporate it into cake mix until it becomes crumbly. Remove 1/2 cup of mixture.
• Press remaining mixture into prepared pan to form a crust.
• Mix remaining lemon zest with the pie filling.
• Spread over the crust evenly.
• Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup cake mixture over the top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until it looks set and is starting to become golden brown.
• Let cool completely, then refrigerate before cutting into squares. I actually like to refrigerate or freeze mine before serving.

More Easy Desserts that Start with a Cake Mix

• Easy Chocolate Creme de Menthe Cake
• Delicious Red Velvet Cookies
• Salted Brownie Bark
• Lemon Pudding Poke Cake
• Strawberry Cake

 

ENJOY!

This recipe has been shared at:

Served Up with Love