Lazy Day Lemon Cream Pie Bars – Easy, Creamy Lemon Dessert

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

For the Lemon Cream Filling:

• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and greasing an 8×8-inch square baking pan or lining it with parchment paper for easy removal. This will ensure that the crust doesn’t stick and that the bars are easy to slice once they are set.
2. For the crust, combine the all-purpose flour and powdered sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut in the cold, cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This step is key for achieving a crisp and crumbly crust. The cold butter helps create a flakier, buttery texture that will melt in your mouth once baked.
3. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Use the back of a spoon or your fingers to evenly press the crumbs down into the pan, forming a solid, compact layer. This will give the crust structure and prevent it from falling apart once the bars are cut.
4. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until it is golden brown around the edges. Once baked, remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool slightly while you prepare the lemon cream filling.