Lemon Pie Barsrn

Name: Lemon Pie Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
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

close up shot of Lemon Pie Bars stacked on top of each other

Lemon lovers will enjoy digging into the cake and lemon curd filling that are featured in these delightful lemon pie bars.

Jump to Recipe

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Servings

Table of Contents

Lemon Pie Bars Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Lemon Pie Bars Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Why We Love This Recipe
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE

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

Lemon Pie Bars raw ingredients that are labeled

The vanilla cake provides both a soft base and a buttery and crumbly topping.

The lemon curd layer brings plenty of zing, making them perfect for lemon enthusiasts and sweet tooth cravings.

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.

LEMON CURD: While lemon curd is the star of this recipe, you can experiment with other fruit curds, such as lime, orange, or even passion fruit, to create unique variations.

These alternatives will offer a different citrusy twist while maintaining the luscious curd-like texture.

How To Make This Lemon Pie Bars Recipe

Once you make the cake mix crust, you will top it with the tasty lemon curd and even more crumbled cake mix.

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.

cake mixes, eggs and vegetable oil blended together in a bowl

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

dough pressed to the bottom of the 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 curd over the pre-baked bar base.

PRO TIP:

Use less lemon curd for a thin layer of lemon filling and a sturdier cookie bar.

lemon pie filling poured in a baking dish

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

crumbs over the lemon pie filling in a baking dish

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.

lemon pie filling with crumbs baked in a baking dish

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.

powdered sugar and milk whisked together in a bowl

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.

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Cherry Pie Bars

Storage

Here’s your guide to storing and preserving the lemony goodness:

MAKE AHEAD: If you’d like to plan ahead or save some time, you can prepare the lemon pie bars in advance.

Simply follow the recipe as usual, bake the bars, and allow them to cool completely.

Once cooled, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, ensuring they are well-sealed, and store them in the refrigerator for up to two days before serving.

This make-ahead option allows you to enjoy these treats freshly baked whenever you desire.

ON THE COUNTER: Store leftover lemon squares, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, at room temperature for two to three days.

IN THE FREEZER: Store lemon bars in the freezer for up to one month.

close up shot of a bunch of Lemon Pie Bars on a wooden board

Why We Love This Recipe

LUSCIOUS LEMON: These bars are bursting with vibrant lemon flavor that’s both sweet and tangy, making them an irresistible treat for citrus enthusiasts.

SIMPLE TO MAKE: With straightforward ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, this recipe is perfect for both novice and experienced bakers, promising delicious results every time.

ZESTY AND SWEET: The bars strike a perfect balance between the zesty lemon curd and the sweetness of the cake mix base, creating a harmonious blend of flavors that’s simply irresistible.

These easy lemon pie 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

Can I use a different flavor of filling?

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.

Can I use a different cake mix for this recipe?

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.

Can I freeze these bars?

These delicious bars can be stored in the freezer for up to a month in an airtight container.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Lemon Pie Bars

5 from 2 votes

Lemon lovers will enjoy digging into the cake and lemon curd filling that are featured in these delightful lemon pie bars.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings

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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 curd 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.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Stefanie Knaus Photographer
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant