Lemon Bars with Condensed Milk
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These lemon bars with condensed milk are the perfect Spring dessert. An oatmeal shortbread dough is baked then topped with a fresh creamy lemon filling then crumbled with more shortbread dough and baked until crisp.
I recently tried a lemon crumb bar from a local restaurant and I fell in love. It had all the bright, zesty goodness of a traditional lemon bar but with a little extra crunch. I knew I had to recreate it for you before spring because, let’s be real, these are made for sunny picnics and backyard brunches, like these pecan pie bars.
So I came up with a special recipe for lemon bars with condensed milk! Instead of a shortbread crust, I went for a buttery oat crumble that does double duty as both the base and the topping. The texture is just amazing and it gives them a slightly nutty flavor, just like my oatmeal caramel bars.
And instead of the classic lemon curd filling, I used sweetened condensed milk with egg yolks. The result? Creamy lemon squares with a custard-like layer that’s just perfection.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour – Helps hold the crust together.
- Quick Cooking Oats – Gives the crust a little crunch and nuttiness. Old-fashioned oats can work too, but they’ll make it chewier.
- Lemon Juice & Zest – Packs in tons of fresh, citrusy flavor. Fresh is best!
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – Makes the lemon filling super creamy, thick, and rich.
- Egg Yolks – Help thicken the filling and make it extra creamy.
- Unsalted Butter – Makes the crust and crumble rich and buttery. If you only have salted butter, just skip the added salt.
- White & Light Brown Sugar – I use both to keep these lemon bars with condensed milk nice and crispy.
- Salt – Balances out the sweetness. Skip if you’re using salted butter.
How to Make Lemon Bars with Condensed Milk
Make the Crust
To start this easy lemon bar recipe with condensed milk, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little extra hanging over the sides. This makes it easier to lift the bars out later.
In a mixing bowl (or a stand mixer), beat butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and a tablespoon of lemon zest. Add the flour, oats, and salt, and mix until just combined.
Press half the oat mixture into the baking pan, spreading it out evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes, until it looks lightly golden. Meanwhile, put the rest of the dough in the fridge to chill while the crust bakes.
Expert Tip: Don’t overmix the dough – keeping little bits of butter intact makes the crust more crumbly and flaky!
Make the Lemon Filling
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, remaining lemon zest, egg yolks, and fresh lemon juice until nice and smooth. The mixture should be thick but still pourable.
Assemble & Bake Again
Take the crust out of the oven, then pour the lemon filling on top and spread it out evenly. Grab the remaining oat mixture from the fridge and just crumble it all over the top.
Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling looks set.
Expert Tip: If you don’t want a weird white film on top, make sure your oven isn’t running too hot. An oven thermometer can help!
Cool & Slice
Let the bars cool completely before cutting them. This is so they firm up nicely first. If you have time, you could even pop them in the fridge.
Expert Tip: Use a sharp knife and wipe it clean after each cut for picture-perfect lemon bars!
Recommended Tools
- 9×13-Inch Baking Pan – The right size to bake these lemon desserts evenly.
- Parchment Pahttps://amzn.to/3QFrb2Rper – Makes it so much easier to lift the lemon squares out and keeps cleanup simple.
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer – Helps cream the butter and sugars quickly.
- Rubber Spatula – Great for scraping the bowl so you don’t waste a drop!
- Oven Thermometer – Keeps your oven temperature accurate so your lemon bars with condensed milk are cooked perfectly!
Storing and Reheating
To keep these easy lemon bars with condensed milk fresh, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay good for up to 5 days. If you’re stacking them, place parchment paper between layers so they don’t stick.
These lemon crumb bars taste amazing cold, but if you want them a little softer, just let them sit at room temp for 10 to 15 minutes before eating. Don’t microwave them – it can make the filling too gooey!
Lemon Bars with Condensed Milk
A fresh spring dessert made with an oatmeal shortbread crust and fresh creamy lemon filling.
Ingredients
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (if you use salted, omit the salt below)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Zest from 3 large lemons (if not large, use 4)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 21 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1 ½ cans)
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (approx. 3 large lemons)
- 3 large egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (hand-held works too), mix together butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest; scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
- Next add the salt, flour and oats and mix until just incorporated, scraping down bowl as necessary.
- Press half of the dough into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20 minutes.
- Put the rest of the dough in the refrigerator to chill.
- While the crust is baking, make the lemon filling by whisking together the sweetened condensed milk, rest of the lemon zest, egg yolks and lemon juice.
- Remove crust from oven, pour lemon filling on top and crumble the rest of the shortbread dough on top. Put back into the oven for an additional 25-30 minutes.
- Let cool completely before cutting. Store in refrigerator.
Notes
These make quite a few bars if you cut them small – they are definitely a dessert that can be served as a "small bite," but of course, some people could eat a large one!
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Hi, something is wrong with this recipe. How much milk goes into the crust and how much goes into the filling?
Hi Sandra – No milk goes into the crust. Only sweetened condensed milk goes into the filling. Perhaps you are confused about the word “cream” together. I can see how that can be confusing so I have updated it to say “mix” together instead. Hope that is helpful.
Thank you!!!