Lemon Cheesecake Crumble Bars are the perfect sweet treat with a lemony twist! With a crumble bottom, a lemon cheesecake center and a crumble topping, this lemon dessert is sure to be a favorite!
Crumble Topping and Bottom
The crumble topping and bottom for these Lemon Crumble Bars are simple but delicious.
You need some flour, oatmeal (I use Old Fashioned Oats), brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, and salt.
The dry ingredients are mixed in with cubed cold butter.
It will seem dry at first, but keep mixing.
Once the cold butter is fully mixed in to the dry ingredients, your crumble will be perfect. The crumble should not be too dry but not wet. It will not be like a cookie dough. If you squish it in your hands it should hold its shape.
Lemon Cheesecake Layer
The lemon cheesecake layer for these Lemon Cheesecake Crumble Bars are the perfect balance of sweet and lemon. The lemon is not over powering, just a perfect smooth lemon taste combined with the sweet cheesecake flavors. (See the photo below to see the yummy layers).
For the cheesecake layer you will need cream cheese, egg yolks, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice.
NOTE: I use bottled lemon juice concentrate. I am too lazy to squeeze fresh lemon juice but I know that fresh would be absolutely delicious! So use fresh lemon juice if your prefer.
To make the cheesecake layer just whip your cream cheese in your mixer using the whisk attachment.
Then add the egg yolks a little at a time. Mix them in fully. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
Next, add some vanilla and mix it in.
Then, sweetened condensed milk is slowly added as you mix. Let it mix for a few minutes until the mixture is smooth.
Last, add the lemon juice. Turn the speed down to low and let it mix for a minute.
It will look like this and seem a bit runny…that is perfect!
Layering the Lemon Crumble Bars
Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper. Leave some parchment paper hanging over all sides of the pan. This will make it easier to serve your crumble bars. You can just lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper!
If you don’t have parchment paper, spray your baking dish with cooking spray.
TIP: Spray your baking dish with cooking spray and then line the pan with the parchment paper. The parchment paper will stick to the pan making it easier to work with.
Take 4 cups of the crumble filling out and set it aside. This will be for your topping. Take the remaining crumble and press it into your 9×13 pan.
Next, pour the lemon cheesecake mixture on top of the crumble and spread it evenly.
Last, take your 4 cups of crumble that you set aside and sprinkle it on top. If you don’t want the topping to be too thick, you can add less topping. Add the topping to your liking. I add it all.
Baking and Cooling the Lemon Cheesecake Crumble Bars
You will bake the crumble bars on 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Every oven can cook different. Mine cooks the bars perfectly at 30 minutes and the crumble topping starts to get a bit golden brown on top and on the sides.
The cheesecake bars need to cool to room temperature and then they need to set in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours. You can also put them in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. This will help the bars set a bit more for serving.
TIP: Putting them in the freezer make the bars delicious.
Once the bars are set, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut the crumble bars into into your preferred serving size and enjoy!
Store leftovers in the fridge or in the freezer. They will last longer in the freezer if not eaten within a few days!
For some other tasty recipes try my No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Bars, Perfect Pecan Cheesecake Squares, or my Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars!
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Lemon Cheesecake Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Crumble Bottom and Topping Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats *Minute Oats/Quick Cooking Oats will work also
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup butter, COLD, cubed/diced into small pieces *salted or unsalted – I always use salted
Lemon Cheesecake Ingredients
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature *do not use fat free
- 3 large Egg yolks *only the yolk
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 28 oz. (2 cans) Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 cup Lemon Juice *bottled concentrate works great or use fresh squeezed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper leaving extra parchment paper hanging over all sides. This will help you lift the bars out of the pan when it is time to cut and serve them. See notes.You can grease the pan instead of using parchment paper.
Crumble Bottom and Topping
- In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment (or you can use a hand mixer), add all of the dry crumble ingredients. DO NOT ADD THE BUTTER. Mix the dry ingredients together on low speed.
- Next add the cubed butter pieces and mix it on low. Increase the speed to medium speed as needed. It will seem like the butter will not mix in but keep mixing and it eventually will. See blog post above for pics of the process.*If you just can’t get it mixed with the mixer, use your hands (wash them first)! It will be a dry crumble but slightly moist from the butter. It will not be like cake batter or cookie dough. If you squeeze a little ball of it in your hand, the ball should stay formed and stick together.
- Take out 4 cups of the crumble (put it in a separate bowl or on a plate) and set it aside. This will be your topping.
- Press the remaining crumble mixture into the parchment paper (or greased) 9×13 baking dish. Set it aside while you make the lemon cheesecake filling.
Lemon Cheesecake
- Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), mix/beat your room temperature cream cheese until it’s smooth.
- Add the egg yolks, while the mixer is on low speed, adding the yolks a little at a time until fully incorporated into the cream cheese. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl as needed while it’s mixing.
- Add the vanilla to the cream cheese mixture and mix it together. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl as needed while it’s mixing.
- While mixing on low speed add the sweetened condensed milk. Mix until fully incorporated and then turn the speed to medium and let it mix for 2 minutes.
- Turn the speed to low and add your lemon juice. Mix fully. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl if needed. The mixture will be pretty runny.
- Pour the lemon cheesecake mixture on top of the pressed crumble in the 9×13 dish.
- Top the lemon cheesecake with the 4 cups of crumble you set aside.
- Bake the crumble bars for 30 minutes. They will be set in the middle like cheesecake and will jiggle a little bit when the pan moves.. but it will be a pretty firm jiggle. Poke a fork in the center and it should feel like a soft-firm cheesecake.
- Take the bars out of the oven and let them cool completely. Place the bars in the refrigerator after they have cooled so they can “set” for at least 2 to 3 hours. Or put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours.
- When the bars are set and ready to serve, just lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into desired sizes for serving and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer. (They will stay better longer in the freezer).
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
