Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

Name: Lemon Cream Cheese Bars
Prep time: 34 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 14 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 sheets (8 oz each) (454 g) refrigerated crescent dough sheets (8 oz / 227 g each), cold, kept refrigerated until needed; nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan; 16 oz (two 8-oz blocks) (452 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature; 1 yolk (18 g) large egg yolk, at room temperature; 2 tbsp (12 g) lemon zest, finely grated, from about 2 medium lemons, yellow part only; ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; ⅛ tsp (0.8 g) fine salt; 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy; 1½ tbsp (22 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained, plus up to 1 tsp more if needed

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Flaky crescent dough sandwiches a tangy, silky lemon cream cheese filling, finished with a bright lemon glaze. Easy to assemble and always a crowd favorite.

Prep: 34 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 2 hr 55 min
Total: 4 hr 9 min
Makes: 24 bars (one 9×13-inch pan)

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Ingredients

24 servings

For the crust
2 sheets (8 oz each) (454 g) refrigerated crescent dough sheets (8 oz / 227 g each), cold, kept refrigerated until needed
nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan
For the filling
16 oz (two 8-oz blocks) (452 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature
1 yolk (18 g) large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tbsp (12 g) lemon zest, finely grated, from about 2 medium lemons, yellow part only
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
⅛ tsp (0.8 g) fine salt
For the glaze
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
1½ tbsp (22 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained, plus up to 1 tsp more if needed

Equipment (8)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) metal or glass baking pan
Large mixing bowl and hand mixer (or stand mixer)
Rubber spatula
Offset spatula or back of a spoon
Rasp-style grater (Microplane)
Small bowl and whisk for glaze
Wire rack
Sharp knife for cutting

Steps

Before you start

Set the cream cheese out for about 1 hour so it is fully soft; cold cream cheese makes a lumpy filling. Use block-style, full-fat cream cheese, not spreadable tub style.
Keep the crescent dough sheets refrigerated until you need them. Cold dough is much easier to unroll without tearing.
Plan for about 3 hours of cooling and chilling before cutting, so the bars set into clean squares.
You need about 3 medium lemons: 2 tablespoons of zest and about 5½ tablespoons of juice in total. Zest them before juicing.

1
Prep oven and panOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan with nonstick spray.
- Keep the dough in the refrigerator.
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Ready when: Oven fully preheated and pan evenly greased with no pooling.
Tip: Use an oven thermometer if your oven runs hot; the dough browns quickly.
2
Zest and juice lemons
- Finely grate the zest from 2 lemons (yellow part only) to get 2 tablespoons.
- Juice all 3 lemons and strain out the seeds and pulp.
- Measure ¼ cup (60 ml) juice for the filling and set aside 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) for the glaze.
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Ready when: Zest is fluffy and fragrant; juice is measured and seed-free.
Tip: Zest before juicing, since whole lemons are far easier to grate.
3
Par-bake bottom crustOven 350°F / 175°C
- Unroll one crescent dough sheet and lay it in the greased pan, gently stretching and pressing it to reach the edges and corners; pinch together any tears.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8 minutes to set the base so the filling won't make it soggy.
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Ready when: Dough looks puffed and set, with just a pale golden tinge; it is not fully browned.
Tip: If the dough puffs up in bubbles, press them down gently with a spatula.
4
Beat the filling
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar with a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Scrape the bowl, then beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, salt, lemon zest and ¼ cup lemon juice on low speed just until blended and smooth, about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Filling is thick, glossy, and free of cream cheese lumps.
Tip: Don't overbeat after adding the eggs; too much air makes the filling puff and crack as it cools.
5
Spread the filling
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- While the base is still warm, pour the filling over the crust and spread it evenly to the edges with an offset spatula.
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Ready when: Filling forms an even layer about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick, reaching all corners.
Tip: Leave the oven on at 350°F (175°C) while you assemble.
6
Add top crust
- Unroll the second crescent dough sheet on a piece of parchment or a cutting board.
- Stretch it slightly to about 9×13 inches, then invert it over the filling and peel away the parchment.
- Pinch any tears closed; small gaps are fine as they will bake together.
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Ready when: Filling is fully covered by a single layer of dough.
Tip: Work with cold dough; warm dough stretches thin and tears over the soft filling.
7
Bake the barsOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 35 minutes.
- If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Top is deep golden brown and puffed, and the center barely jiggles when the pan is nudged; filling reads 160°F (71°C) in the center.
Tip: An underbaked filling stays runny and makes the bars hard to cut.
8
Cool in the pan
- Set the pan on a wire rack and let the bars cool at room temperature for 45 minutes.
- The puffed top will settle as it cools.
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Ready when: Pan is no longer hot to the touch and the top has settled flat.
9
Chill until firm
- Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the filling is completely cold and firm.
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Ready when: Filling is firm and does not wobble when the pan is shaken.
Tip: Don't skip the chill; warm bars slump and smear when cut.
10
Glaze and cut
- Whisk the powdered sugar with 1½ tablespoons lemon juice until smooth and drizzly; add up to 1 teaspoon more juice if too thick to ribbon off the whisk.
- Drizzle over the chilled bars and let it set for 10 minutes.
- Cut into 4 rows by 6 rows to make 24 bars, wiping the knife clean between cuts.
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Ready when: Glaze is opaque and no longer wet to the touch.
Tip: Wipe the knife with a damp towel after every cut for neat edges.

Good to know

Tips

Use block cream cheese at true room temperature, then beat it smooth before adding anything else, for a silky filling with no lumps.
Cut with a sharp knife and wipe it clean between slices for tidy edges; a pizza cutter is not suited to cutting through the filling.
For stronger lemon flavor, rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips for a minute before beating it into the cream cheese.
Line the pan with a parchment sling (after greasing) if you'd like to lift the whole slab out for easier cutting.

Make ahead

"Bake and chill the bars (without glaze) up to 2 days ahead, covered in the pan in the refrigerator. Glaze and cut within a few hours of serving for the best look."

Storage & reheating

"Cream cheese filling must stay cold: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, with parchment between layers. Do not leave out at room temperature longer than 2 hours. Freeze unglazed bars, wrapped individually, for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then glaze. Serve cold or let stand 10 minutes; no reheating needed."

Substitutions

refrigerated crescent dough sheets (8 oz / 227 g each) → 2 cans (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent roll dough. Press the perforations together to form a solid sheet; seal seams well. Slightly thicker crust, may need 2–3 minutes more par-baking.
fresh lemon juice → fresh lime or Meyer lemon juice. Lime gives a sharper flavor; Meyer lemon is sweeter and milder. Use the same amount.
full-fat block cream cheese → reduced-fat (Neufchâtel) block cream cheese. Works well, though the filling will be slightly softer; chill a little longer before cutting.
pure vanilla extract → ½ tsp almond extract. Gives a more bakery-style flavor; use half the amount because it is stronger.