Ingredients
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Unsalted butter, room temperature
Block-style cream cheese, room temperature
Granulated sugar
Fresh lemon zest
Egg
Vanilla extract
Fresh lemon juice
For the Frosting:
Unsalted butter, room temperature
Confectioners’ sugar
Fresh lemon juice
Milk (optional, to adjust consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and lemon zest, then beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon juice, mixing until combined.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
- Spread dough evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and center is set.
- Let bars cool completely in the pan.
- For frosting: beat butter until fluffy, then gradually mix in confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice. Add milk if needed for spreadable consistency.
- Spread frosting over cooled bars, slice into squares, and serve.
Notes
- Add white chocolate chips or chopped almonds to dough for extra flavor.
- Switch frosting for a lemon glaze for a tangier topping.
- Use orange zest and juice instead of lemon for a citrus variation.
- Halve the recipe and use an 8×8-inch pan for smaller batch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
