I made these sunny little bars from pantry basics—and now they’re my favorite afternoon pick-me-up

Some days just need a bright little bite to carry you through. You know the kind—laundry’s everywhere, the toddler’s asking for snacks every 4 minutes, and you’re staring down your to-do list like it personally offended you. That’s when I reach for these Lemon Crumb Bars.

They’re buttery, sweet, a little tart, and honestly? They taste like sunshine. And the best part? I didn’t even have to go to the store. Everything came from my pantry and fridge, and I pulled these together in under 10 minutes (plus bake time).

🍋 Why You’ll Fall in Love With These Bars

This is my kind of recipe: low effort, big payoff.

• You probably have all the ingredients already.
• They’re crumbly, creamy, and that lemony zing? So refreshing.
• They freeze beautifully, travel well, and everyone loves them (even my picky eater!).

🛒 What You’ll Need:

For the crust & topping:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup butter, melted

For the lemon filling:

• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• ⅓ cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (optional, but worth it)
• 1 egg yolk (optional, helps the filling set nicely)

👩‍🍳 How To Make Them:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 pan with parchment or grease it lightly.
2. Mix your dry crust ingredients—flour, sugar, salt—and then stir in melted butter until crumbly.
3. Press 2/3 of that mixture into your pan and bake for 10 minutes.
4. While that’s baking, whisk together the lemon juice, condensed milk, zest, and egg yolk until smooth.
5. Pour the lemon mix over the hot crust. Crumble the remaining dough on top.
6. Bake another 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and the center doesn’t jiggle.
7. Cool completely and chill before slicing (trust me, it makes cutting so much easier).

🧊 Storage Tips:

• Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Or wrap and freeze individual bars—perfect for sneaky solo snacking later.

💡 Mom Hack:

Dust with powdered sugar before serving if you want to feel fancy (or like you have it together). And these make the cutest bake sale or teacher appreciation gifts wrapped in parchment and twine.

---

So if you’re craving a little lemony lift—and don’t want to blow your budget or your energy—these Lemon Crumb Bars are where it’s at. Let me know if you bake them, or tag me so I can cheer you on from my own crumb-covered kitchen 💛

Budget-Friendly Lemon Crumb Bars

Makes 9–12 bars | Prep + bake time: 35–40 minutes

🛒 Ingredients:

For the crust + crumb topping:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, melted

For the lemon filling:

• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• ⅓ cup lemon juice (bottled is fine, fresh is even better!)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (optional but lovely)
• 1 egg yolk (helps set the filling but can be skipped)

👩‍🍳 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper or lightly grease.
2. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Add melted butter and stir until crumbly.
3. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. While crust bakes, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, zest, and egg yolk until smooth.
5. Pour the lemon mixture over the hot crust, then sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top.
6. Return to oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the topping is lightly golden and the center is just set.
7. Cool completely and chill before slicing into bars.