Lemon Blueberry Bars

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Lemon Blueberry Bars

I am unbelievably ready for fall and all the things that come with it. Fall weather is my favorite for several reasons, but one of the main ones is that it’s warm enough for sandals but cool enough for jeans and a cardigan. Pumpkin, of course, is the reason I really look forward to fall every year. Sadly, it’s still August, which means the unofficial start of fall is still over a week away. On a brighter note, that means there’s still time to enjoy summery desserts like this one.

I first made these lemon bars for my friend Erin’s birthday. They were such a hit at her party that I knew I’d have to make them again before summer’s end. I put off making them until I realized that as soon as I made my first pumpkin dessert, there was no going back to summer ones. Since I know I have little will power when it comes to pumpkin, it was imperative that I make these and soon. (Beware the pumpkin posts that await next month.) These lemon bars remind me a lot of cheesecake bars. They start with a thick, lemony graham cracker crust that’s topped with a tart, even more lemony filling. I haven’t used sweetened condensed milk much, and I had no idea it would create such a smooth, rich filling. To take the bars over the top, fresh blueberries are folded into the filling, providing a pop of flavor and color. These bars are a little sweet, a little tart and a lot delicious. I know fall is almost here, but these bars are almost enough to make me wish for an extra week of summer.

Lemon Blueberry Bars

  • YIELD: 16 bars
Ingredients
  • For the crust:

  • 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar

  • Zest of one lemon

  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted

  • For the filling:

  • 2 large egg yolks

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions
  • 1

    Heat oven to 350º. Spray an 8×8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

    In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and lemon zest. Stir in the melted butter until all the crumbs are moistened. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool to room temperature.

  • 2

    Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and condensed milk in a medium bowl. Then whisk in the lemon juice and zest and stir until smooth. Gently fold in blueberries.

    Pour the filling over the cooled crust and bake for 15 minutes, until just set.

  • 3

    Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting and serving. Bars are best served chilled and will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

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COMMENTS: ( 11 )

11 responses to “Lemon Blueberry Bars”

  1. Glad you made these before the pumpkin bars, I’m not ready to call it quits on summer! These look fantastic 🙂

  2. Erin says:

    Omg! These were the best things ever! Glad to have the recipe! PS miss you guys & hope to see you soon!

  3. brandi says:

    that topping/filling looks so dreamy!

  4. Amy says:

    Wow, Courtney! These look fabulous! Bookmarked! Oh, and I’m with you all the way! Can’t wait for fall! I always love Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale in the fall and when I saw it in World Market yesterday, I couldn’t resist! Had my first tall, frosty glass of it last night even though it’s only August. Can’t wait!!!!

  5. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says:

    These look great and so pretty!

  6. Krystal R. says:

    I know how you feel about wanting Fall right now, I’ve been on a pumpkin pinning craze these past couple of days. It’s like the pumpkin countdown is on!! I’m making this either tomorrow or Friday because I have everything in the kitche, and I can’t wait to enjoy a piece of summer. Thanks for posting a fabulous recipe!!

  7. Kelsey says:

    These look great! It’s treats like this that get me through the seemingly never-ending summer (although one could argue summer never really ends in the desert).

  8. These look wonderful = I love the combo of lemon and blueberries. Plus graham cracker crust is my favorite:-). I am ready for the heat to die down, but will be sad when summer is over and the pools close. I do love fall, though.

  9. Stefanie says:

    Lemon in a graham cracker crust? That sounds amazing! And the bars look so tasty!! I’ve started using sweetened condensed milk a bit more often lately… it sure does make for some tasty treats 🙂

  10. Sheyla says:

    Wow, this looks really really yummy!!! I will try it very soon 🙂

  11. Fitgirl says:

    LOVE the taste of the graham cracker crust with lemon zest. Didn’t have fresh blueberries but subbed with frozen and they came out fantastic!!! These are really wonderful…Thank you.

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