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5-Ingredient Easy Lemon Bars

Adapted from a TikTok recipe

By Charlotte Linde, editor of Macaroni KID EATS! March 31, 2023

When life hands you lemons ... make lemon bars!

I saw a lemon bar recipe on TikTok recently and it made me crave the sweet and tangy taste of a lemon dessert. So I changed it up a bit and added a zesty new twist with this easy recipe that takes just five ingredients. It is sooooo good.

5-Ingredient Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, plus zest of one lemon 
  • 2 8 oz. packages of softened cream cheese
  • 2 8 oz. packages of croissant rolls
  • 1 cup of sugar + 3 tablespoons for topping
  • 3 Tablespoons of melted butter

Directions:

1. Grease a 9x11-inch baking dish. Pre-heat oven 350 degrees.

2. Mix together 1 cup of sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Reserve some zest for optional garnish, along with 3 tablespoons of sugar for topping.

3. Add cream cheese and mix with mixer until combined. You want it fluffy with no cream cheese lumps. 



4. Press one package of crescent rolls into bottom of baking dish. Then cover with cream cheese lemon mixture and top with the other package of crescent rolls.

5. Brush melted butter on top and sprinkle with reserved sugar.



6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool, refrigerate and cut. Optional: Top with lemon zest.