Description
These Homemade Lemon Crumb Bars feature a delightful combination of a buttery oat crust, a tangy lemon custard filling, and a crunchy crumb topping. Perfectly balanced with sweet and tart flavors, these bars are a refreshing treat ideal for dessert or a bright snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons sour cream (or plain yogurt)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray it lightly with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, salt, and baking soda. This combination forms the base for the crust and crumb topping.
- Combine Wet Ingredients for Crust: In another bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until fully blended.
- Make Crust Mixture: Combine the wet and dry ingredients thoroughly. Reserve about 3/4 cup of this mixture for the crumb topping. Press the remaining mixture evenly into the prepared pan to form the crust.
- Bake the Crust: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes to set it partially before adding the filling.
- Prepare Lemon Filling: While the crust bakes, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream (or plain yogurt), egg yolk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the Bars: Pour the lemon filling evenly over the baked crust. Then sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture on top to create a textured topping.
- Bake the Bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 17 to 20 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the filling is set.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing into 12 squares for serving.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor in the lemon filling.
- Sour cream can be substituted with plain yogurt for a similar texture and tang.
- Make sure to cool completely before slicing to ensure clean cuts.
- Lemon crumbles keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend and check that oats are certified gluten-free.
