Lemon Shortbread Crumble Bars
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
THIS IS IT. The best lemon dessert ever! No seriously: these bars are the perfect balance of buttery, sweet, tangy, creamy, crunchy, and EASY. You have to make them!
Author:
Serves: 9-12
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup Plugrá butter
Cheesecake Ingredients:
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • zest of 1 lemon (reserve a little for topping)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 egg, room temperature
White Sugar Streusel Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons cold Plugrá butter, cubed
  • lemon zest for topping
Instructions
  1. Make the crust: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with a foil sling. Process the flour, powdered sugar, and salt together for a few seconds before adding in the chunks of cold butter. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with about 6-8 pulses or until it looks like small peas. Press the mixture into the baking dish with the flat bottom of a glass or small dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until very lightly browning. When you remove the crust from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
  2. Make the streusel topping: While the crust bakes, combine the flour and sugar in a food processor by pulsing a few times. Add in the cubed butter and pulse 6 or 7 times until the butter is the size of small peas and is coated in the flour/sugar mixture. Stick the streusel in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
  3. Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese until it's fluffy. Add in the zest, sugar, lemon juice, and egg, and beat until combined. Pour the filling over the hot crust and spread it evenly. Top with all of the streusel (spread around evenly) and bake for 23-25 minutes or until the filling registers 160 degrees on a thermometer. Stick the finished bars in the fridge to chill for a few hours before topping with lemon zest, slicing, and serving.
Recipe by Willow Bird Baking at http://willowbirdbaking.com/2015/04/19/lemon-shortbread-crumble-bars-the-ultimate-lemon-lovers-dessert/