May 25, 2023
Review RecipeLemon Pie Bars

Table of Contents
These delicious lemon pie bars are the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, with a crumbly crust that will make your taste buds tingle. This recipe uses an easy cake mix to create a soft base and topping that surrounds a citrusy lemon layer.

Lemon Pie Bars Ingredients

You’ll need:
- 2 boxes of vanilla cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 2 (24-ounce) jars of lemon curd
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk or cream (or lemon juice)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
CAKE MIX: You can use white, yellow, or even lemon cake mix instead of the vanilla cake mix for this sweet treat.
How to Make This Lemon Pie Bars Recipe
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Keep in mind that you will get a different shape and depth of corner bars depending on the baking pan you are using. If you are using a baking pan with rounded corners (usually glass), your corner pieces will not come out quite so defined, while metal pans tend to have clean-cut corners that will give you better-formed corner bars.
STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, beat together the cake mixes, eggs, and vegetable oil. Beat with an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer) until combined. The mixture will be thick and crumbly.

STEP THREE: Remove half of the mixture and set it aside. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

STEP FOUR: Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven.
PRO TIP:
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your bars as the suggested baking time approaches.

STEP FIVE: Pour the lemon pie filling over the pre-baked bar base.
PRO TIP:
Use less lemon curd for a thin layer of lemon filling and a sturdier cookie bar.

STEP SIX: Sprinkle the reserved dough in clumps over the top of the lemon pie filling.

STEP SEVEN: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer until the top of the bars is just beginning to brown.

STEP EIGHT: Cool bars completely.
STEP NINE: Whisk together powdered sugar and enough milk or cream to make a sugar glaze. You can use lemon juice instead of milk to add additional lemon flavor. Drizzle over the top of the cooled bars.

STEP TEN: Cut into bars and serve with plates and forks.
How To Serve
Enjoy these lemon pie squares for an afternoon snack along with a delicious vanilla latte or Wendy’s Frosty. You could even turn them into a bigger dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a spoonful of whipped cream.
Lemon desserts are the way to go if you love the tangy taste. Our lemon cheesecake and lemon custard cake are two more delightful choices.
MORE PIE BARS RECIPES
Storage
ON THE COUNTER: Store leftover lemon squares, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Store lemon bars in the freezer for up to 1 month.

These easy lemon bars are an easy way to satisfy your craving for a lemony treat. You really can’t go wrong with a tart and rich lemon curd baked into a soft, sweet cake crust. This treat may disappear fast, so we recommend a double batch!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This easy recipe would be perfect for customization. Just replace the lemon curd with pie filling of your choosing, and you will have created an entirely new dessert.
Just like the variety of filling choices, you can also opt for a different flavor of cake mix for your soft crust in this recipe.
These delicious bars can be stored in the freezer for up to a month in an airtight container.
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- Lemon Bars
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bites
- Strawberry Curd
- Coconut Cream Bars
- Peeps Rice Krispie Squares
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Lemon Pie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 boxes vanilla cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 48 ounces lemon curd
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk, cream or lemon juice
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set it aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the cake mixes, eggs, and vegetable oil. Beat with a hand (or stand) mixer until combined. The mixture will be thick and crumbly.
- Remove half of the mixture and set it aside. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Pour the lemon pie filling over the pre-baked bar base.
- Sprinkle the reserved dough in clumps over the top of the lemon pie filling.
- Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer until the top of the bars is just beginning to brown.
- Cool bars completely.
- Whisk together powdered sugar and enough milk or cream to make a sugar glaze. You can use lemon juice instead of milk to add additional lemon flavor. Drizzle over the top of the cooled lemon pie bars.
- Cut into bars and serve with plates and forks.
Notes
- Keep in mind that you will get a different shape and depth of corner bars depending on the baking pan you are using. If you are using a baking pan with rounded corners (usually glass), your corner pieces will not come out quite so defined, while metal pans tend to have clean-cut corners that will give you better-formed corner bars.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your bars as the suggested baking time approaches.
- Use less lemon curd for a thin layer of lemon filling and a sturdier cookie bar.
Comments
Norma says
How do I make this delicious lemon filling to make mini hand pies?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Norma – we haven’t tested using this filling for hand pies so I’m not sure how it would turn out. Please let me know if you try it.. enjoy!