5 from 4 votes

Creamy Lemon Squares

Name: Creamy Lemon Squares with Nilla Wafer Crust
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 22 Nilla wafers (finely crushed); 1/2 cup flour + 2 tbsp. flour (divided use); 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed); 1/4 cup cold butter (1/2 stick); 1 8 oz block cream cheese (softened); 1 cup sugar; 2 Eggland's Best eggs; 3 tbsp lemon zest (divided use); 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 1/4 tsp baking powder; powdered sugar (for topping)

These creamy lemon squares are my new obsession. A super creamy, lemony filling with a light, crunchy Nilla wafer crusts. These aren’t as tart as your usual lemon bars. These are sweet and are the perfect ending to a summer meal!

Creamy Lemon Bars with fresh lemon juice topped with powdered sugar

Lemon cheesecake

You could certainly make this into a cheesecake since these are really like mini lemon cheesecakes. You could make the filling and put it into a premed graham cracker crust or Nilla Wafer Crust (follow my directions on Easy, Creamy Cheesecake on baking temperature and times.) This is a tried and true recipe everyone will love!

Cream Cheese Lemon Bars with Nilla Wafer crust recipe from The Country Cook

Update: I recently made a video to show you how to make this dessert. Just click on that “play” button below to watch this quick how-to video!

Ingredients:
22 vanilla wafers, finely crushed
1/2 cup flour + 2 tbsp. flour, divided use
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick butter) cold butter
1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 tbsp. lemon zest, divided use
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. baking powder
powdered sugar, for topping Directions:

Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Line an 8×8 baking pan with foil. I like the nonstick kind.

First, crush your vanilla wafers.

I am using my little food processor here but you can crush them by placing them in a ziploc bag and smash with a rolling pin.Mix in 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup brown sugar. This is where a food processor comes in handy. You can just add it in and continue mixing it up!Next, add in sliced butter and pulse a few more times until combined.If you are doing this by hand, you’ll want to use a fork for this part to help ‘cut’ the butter in. It should resemble coarse crumbs when you have it mixed in well.Place crumbs into prepared baking pan.Press the crumbs down with your hand. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.While the crust is baking, make the filling. Using an electric mixer (or stand mixer) beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth and well-blended.Add Eggland’s Best eggs, one at a time and 2 tbsp. flour; mix well.

Stir in 2 tbsp. lemon zest to the batter. Note: When zesting lemons, you want to make sure you only zest the yellow part – not the white. The white part is bitter and we don’t want bitter.Next, stir in 1/4 cup lemon juice and baking powder. Mix well.Once the crust is ready. Take it out of the oven and pour the batter over the crust.Bake for 25-30 minutes (until center is set and not jiggly.) Let it cool completely then refrigerate for about 2 hours.

I like to cut off the rough edges but it’s not necessary. I just think it looks pretty that way…and I think it’s my excuse to eat all the ends that I cut off.Dust the top with powdered sugar and sprinkle with remaining lemon zest.

Then slice into 9 squares. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy!