Name: No-Bake Lemon Bars — Easy Summer Picnic Dessert That Travels Well
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: 16 bars
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 14 full crackers); 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted); 8 oz cream cheese (full fat, softened to room temperature); 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (one standard can); 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 to 4 lemons); 1 tbsp lemon zest; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup heavy whipping cream (cold)

Jump to Recipe

My neighbor brought these to a block party and I spent twenty minutes trying to figure out what was in them before I just asked.

They come together without turning on the oven, which matters in July, and the lemon flavor is sharp and real, not candy-sweet.

No-Bake Lemon Bars — Easy Summer Picnic Dessert That Travels Well

A creamy, citrusy no-bake bar with a buttery graham cracker crust that holds up beautifully on a picnic blanket.

4.9 (183 reviews)

Vegetarian

Prep15 min

Chill Time3 hr

Total3 hr 15 min

Serves16 bars

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs , about 14 full crackers
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted

Lemon Filling

8 oz cream cheese , full fat, softened to room temperature
14 oz sweetened condensed milk , one standard can
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice , from about 3 to 4 lemons
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream , cold

Instructions

Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on two sides to lift the bars out later. Set aside.

Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a medium bowl until the mixture looks like wet sand and clumps when you press it between your fingers.

Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to pack it tight. You should feel resistance when you press. Refrigerate the crust for 15 minutes while you make the filling.

Beat the softened cream cheese in a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until it is completely smooth and no lumps remain. It should look glossy and feel light when you drag a spatula through it.

Add the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to the cream cheese. Mix on low for 30 seconds, then increase to medium and beat for 1 minute. The mixture will thin out slightly and smell intensely of fresh lemon. Taste it. It should be bright and tangy with a clean finish.

In a separate cold bowl, whip the heavy cream on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until stiff peaks form. You will hear the mixer labor and the cream will go from sloshing to holding its shape. Stop when a peak stands straight up without drooping.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the lemon mixture in three additions. Use a rubber spatula and fold from the bottom up, rotating the bowl. Stop when no white streaks remain. The filling will feel airy and look pale yellow.

Pour the filling over the chilled crust and spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Smooth the top as flat as you can get it.

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight. The filling needs that time to set firm enough to cut cleanly.

When ready to serve, lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and set on a cutting board. Slice into 16 bars with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts. Dust with powdered sugar if you like.

Tips & Notes

Fresh lemon juice makes a noticeable difference here. Bottled juice tastes flat next to it.
If you are transporting these to a picnic, cut them at home and layer between sheets of parchment in a lidded container. They stay firm for about 2 hours out of the refrigerator.
Softened cream cheese is not optional. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in the filling that do not smooth out later. Set it out 45 minutes before you start.
For cleaner slices, freeze the bars for 20 minutes before cutting.

Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze after cutting, as the texture of the filling becomes grainy when thawed.

Nutrition per serving · estimated

295 Cal

17g Fat

32g Carbs

4g Protein

24g Sugar

165mg Sodium

Why These Hold Up at a Picnic

Most no-bake bars go soft the moment they leave the refrigerator. The combination of cream cheese and whipped cream here sets firm enough to pick up with your fingers after a few hours outside.

The crust is packed tight enough that it does not crumble when you bite in, which matters when you are eating off a paper plate on a blanket.

Getting the Lemon Flavor Right

The condensed milk is sweet, so the lemon juice has to be generous to balance it. Half a cup sounds like a lot until you taste the filling before the cream goes in.

Zest carries a different kind of lemon flavor than juice does, more floral and less sharp. Using both gives the bars a fuller flavor than either one alone.

No-Bake Lemon Bars — Easy Summer Picnic Dessert That Travels Well