These Easy Lemon Cookie Bars Recipe are a delicious blend of a buttery lemon cookie that is finished with a creamy lemon cream cheese frosting with fresh lemon zest. The blend of bright citrus flavor isn’t overwhelming, but is just enough to give a touch of sweet tart lemon left after each bite. This dessert is light, refreshing, and absolutely delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe was designed to be quick and simple but also DELICIOUS. I had the pleasure of creating this recipe with my dad in my mind, knowing that this was going to be our dessert to make together for Father’s Day. This recipe comes together with pantry friendly ingredients and is a great option for a make ahead recipe. Whether you are looking for a fun summer dessert or something to bring to a family BBQ, these Easy Lemon Cookie Bars Recipe will not disappoint.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Unsalted butter
- White granulated sugar: The white granulated sugar makes for a nice soft interior that has a slight crunch around the edges.
- Egg and egg yolk: Adding an additional egg yolk creates a chewy texture that just melts in your mouth.
- Rising Star Vanilla Bean Paste: Made with real Madagascar vanilla and agave to give a sweet taste of vanilla that compliments the lemon flavor perfectly.
- Rising Star Lemon Extract: Made with real lemons that bring a bright and vibrant citrus flavor.
- All purpose flour: Provides a stable structure
- Baking powder and salt: Allows the cookie bar to give a nice rise in the oven that doesn’t sink.
- Cream cheese: The cream cheese helps balance out the sweet tart lemon flavor and brings a soft creamy texture and flavor.
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon juice and zest: The fresh squeezed lemon juice with a touch of lemon zest on top after the bars are cool and frosted make these lemon cookie bars really pop with fresh flavor.
Tips for Success
Prepping your pan
For easy removal and clean slices, line your 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper before adding the dough. If you feel like the parchment paper isn’t staying in place, you can crumble it up first and then line your pan to give some texture. Leave a few inches of overhang on two sides to create “handles” that allow you to lift the bars out of the pan once they’ve cooled.
Room temperature ingredients
Room-temperature butter, eggs, and cream cheese are key to achieving the best texture in both the cookie bars and frosting. Softened butter creams more easily with sugar followed by room temperature egg and egg yolk, creating a smooth dough and soft, tender bars.
How to Store Lemon Cookie Bars
Room Temperature
Because these bars are topped with cream cheese frosting, they can sit out for up to 2 hours while serving.
Refrigerator
Store the frosted lemon cookie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If stacking, place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. For the best texture, let the bars sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving.
Freezer
Freeze unfrosted or frosted bars in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the bars in a single layer until firm, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.
Let’s Start Baking!
Easy Lemon Cookie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Cookie Bars:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
- 1 cup white granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 tsp Rising Star Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 tsp Rising Star Lemon Extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice 15ml)
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour (210g)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened (113g)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened (57g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240g)
- 1 tsp Rising Star Lemon Extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Lemon Cookie Bars:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, lemon extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Press or spread the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before frosting, about 1 hour.*
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon extract, lemon zest, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars. Garnish with additional lemon zest. Cut into 9 or 12 bars.
Notes
- If you’re in a pinch for time, you can throw the baked lemon cookie bars in the freezer or fridge to cool faster before applying the cream cheese frosting.
- You can substitute fresh lemon juice to store bought in a container.