Lemon Crumb Bars are dessert bars filled with lemon filling and flavor in between two layers of an oatmeal crust. They are one of the BEST lemon desserts I have ever had! If you love lemon desserts, be sure to also try my Lemon Bars and Lemon Brownies!
Lemon Crumb Bars
When life gives you lemons, make these Lemon Crumb Bars! They start with the oat crust from my Apple Cream Cheese Bars (without the cinnamon). And then the oatmeal layers are separated by a lemon filling that you can taste in every bite. There is a fantastic fusion of texture and flavor in these bars… they are unlike any other lemon dessert on my website!
Bars Ingredients
There are two parts to this recipe–the oatmeal layers and the lemon filling.
Oats: Use quick-cooking oats. Quick oats are more processed than old-fashioned oats, which allows the oats to cook faster.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: Be sure to check the labels carefully when buying sweetened condensed milk. Do not use evaporated milk in this recipe.
Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice from about 5 lemons for the best taste. We tested this recipe using bottled lemon juice, but there was a difference in flavor. I will get to that later.
Lemon Zest: For even more lemon flavor in each bite, add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the filling.
Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice vs. Bottled Lemon Juice
As I stated earlier, we tested these bars two times–one time using freshly squeezed lemon juice and the second time using store-bought juice. When taste-tested side by side, the bars that were made with freshly squeezed juice won by a landslide. Of course, there is always one odd one out, as they say, who preferred the bottled juice.
If using the bottled juice, you will notice more of an artificial lemon flavor compared to freshly squeezed juice. However, if you only have bottled juice, the bars are still lemony and tasty.
How to Store Lemon Crumb Bars
Lemon Crumb Bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If you store them in the refrigerator, they will last up to 5 days. You can freeze the bars for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Bars
Lemon Crumb Bars
Ingredients
Oat Crust
- 1 cup (80 g) quick-cooking oats
- 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks / 170 g) unsalted butter. melted
Lemon Filling
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (115 g) freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 5 lemons
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper.
Oat Crust
- In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Pour melted butter over the mixture and mix together until crumbly. Be careful not to overmix so it will be crumbly for the top later.
- Measure out ½ of the mixture (about 2 cups), and set it aside to reserve for topping.
- Pour the remaining mixture into the lined baking dish. Press firmly to the bottom of the pan.
- Bake 12-15 minutes, or until a golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the lemon filling.
Lemon Filling
- In a large bowl, add sweetened condensed milk, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Assembly
- Spread lemon mixture over the top of the baked oat mixture.
- Crumble the reserved oat mixture over the top.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
- Let come to room temperature and then refrigerate 1 hour before serving. (Best enjoyed at room temperature.)
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Can this recipe be doubled and put in a 9×13 pan?
What about using regular oats. I internet change them quite a bit and just wondered if you had tried that. Thank you so much….
I am wondering the same.
The question is answered right in the blog post. 🙂
Oats: Use quick-cooking oats. Quick oats are more processed than old-fashioned oats, which allows the oats to cook faster.
Sooooooooo delicious, straight out of the oven, rested about 10 minutes, scooped some in a bowl with vanilla ice cream, excellent lemon dessert. Next time might add some coconut to the top crumble mixture.
Can you make in advance and freeze. Thank you.
Has anyone tried making this recipe using a 9×13 – inch pan. If so, did you double the recipe & how long did you bake it❓
Could I add blueberries to this?