These Easy Lemon Crumble Bars only have 3 ingredients! This summertime dessert recipe only needs cake mix, butter and lemon pie filling!
EASY LEMON CRUMBLE BARS
You never know where a recipe will take you. I love the story of how this particular recipe plopped into my lap. While hanging out on facebook, answering some questions, I got a question from a reader named Toni (hi Toni!). She had a couple of cans of lemon pie filling in her pantry and she wanted some ideas on how to use them up. I suggested a recipe I had on the site here called LEMON DREAM CAKE. But I also decided to ask folks on facebook if they had any recipe suggestions. Well, someone did! Sandi G. (Hi Sandi!), shared a crazy-easy recipe to use up a can of lemon pie filling.
CAKE MIX RECIPE IDEAS
Well folks, that is what this recipe will do. It will surprise you in it's simplicity and flavor. Don't try to make it more complicated. It really is only just 3 ingredients. So thank you Toni for asking that question and thank you to Sandi for sharing her recipe with the rest of us. Here it is...don't blink, you might miss it.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
salted butter
lemon pie filling
HOW TO MAKE 3-INGREDIENT LEMON CRUMBLE BARS:
WANT MORE TASTY RECIPES LIKE THIS ONE? GIVE THESE A TRY!
LEMON DREAM CAKE
LEMON DROP CAKE
CHERRY CRUMBLE BARS
LEMON COOKIE SALAD
WARM LEMON PUDDING POKE
HOMEMADE LEMON CUPCAKES
LEMON BLUEBERRY BARS
3-INGREDIENT LEMON CRUMBLE BARS
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 stick salted butter (½ cup) softened to room temperature
- 1 (22 oz) can lemon pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a bowl, combine softened butter with dry cake mix.
- Mix until crumbly.
- Set aside ½ cup of this crumbly mixture for the topping.
- Take the rest of the crust mixture and press it into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Spread it out evenly and then just go around and pack it down in there with your hands.
- Spoon lemon pie filling onto crust.
- Then take the ½ cup of crust mixture that you set aside earlier and sprinkle all over lemon pie filling.
- Bake at 350F for about 20-25 minutes.
- The crumble on top will just start to turn a very light golden brown.
- Slice up and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published: February 2013
Updated & Republished: June 2019
Can I use lemon jello pudding mix for the pie filling? No stores around here carry the lemon pie filling.
I'll be honest, I don't know. All. you can do is give it a whirl and see if it works. 🙂
Could you use lemon cake mix?
You certainly could. It may make it overwhelmingly lemon-y but that’s just a matter of personal preference
Super easy ! I substituted the yellow cake with lemon cake and used strawberry rhubarb pie filling.
These are so easy to make .... They are DELISH. The 9X13 pan was eaten in 1 hour ..... Thank you for a fabulous receipe ...
I love lemon and blueberries together so I did a lemon cake and blueberry pie filling! Not only was it yummy, it was BEAUTIFUL!!! I added some lemon zest to the top and wowza! Thanks!
Love your site
These sound really good. I can not stand up and cook that long - and so many of the lemon bar recipes you have to cook the crust first - more steps. I have been wanting to make lemon bars for so long - thank you!
Hi Brandi,
Can't wait to try these! Married to a lemon freak. Right now, however, I have a box of Spice cake mix and a can of apple pie filling. Think that might work? Thanks!
Hmmm...good question. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. If you try it, I'd love to know how it turns out for you!
5 STAR
What size can of the lemon pie filling? I've found both an almost 16 oz can and a 22 oz can. Thanks!
Hi Pamela, I'm not sure if you can see in my ingredient picture above but it is the 22 oz can. 🙂
Oh, gosh. I didn't think to zoom in on the can. Thanks!
I’m about to make this! I will try to let you know how it turns out!
Hope you love it!
Easy and delicious was a nice summertime desert ,and something new to try. Thanks for the recipe you never disappoint!!
Anyone tried this with lemon cake mix and lemon pie filling? Would it be too strong of lemon?
I have lemon cake mix and lemon pie filling in the oven right now! Never tried it before though.
Hope you love it!
I am going to try this. I have a can of Lemon Creme to use before it expires. I love 3-5 ingredient recipes.
Love this recipe. It's in the oven right now. I am also avid calorie counter. I noticed you had calculated 500 calories for 1/12th of recipe. How come my calorie count is 275? Were you calculating in the nonstick baking spray? I used 0 calorie Pam for greasing. If it comes out, I've cut the calories, right? Let me know if you can, if your calculation was just a courtesy estimate or if I missed something.. (For my calculations, I used the figures on the ingredients themselves.) Thanks again for the inspiration!
Hey Cathy! The recipe card system I used put that in as a default. Weird. I definitely encourage anyone who counts calories and nutrition facts to use their own trusted calculators (which you did) 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Never seen nonstick spray with flour in it. Might just be that I haven't bought nonstick spray in years or could just be that it is not a Canadian thing? Sounds good though.
Any body know if it freezes well
You could use lemon cake mix....also, any canned pie filling works....I've made several of these and they turn out yummy.
Not sure if it is because I live in Canada, or what, but I cannot find cans of lemon pie filling anywhere. I can, however, find the packages of lemon pie filling that you cook. Would this work just as well, do you think?
I live in Canada also and cannot find canned so I tried the Shirriff pie filling that you cook first and turned out fine. I baked the cake mix first for about 15 min. while doing the lemon and I let the lemon cool for about 10 min. before pouring over cake mix then back in the oven for about 15- 20 min.
I have some leftover lemon pie filling that I made for lemon meringue, I'm gonna use this recipe for the leftovers. Thanks! 🙂
No canned lemon pie filling here. Could I use the lemon pudding mix in the box....cook it and let it cool before using in this recipe?
Hi Terri! I'm sorry, I have only tried it with the lemon pie filling. :/
It's that 1 stick butter or 1 cup butter ?
Hi Bridget, it is 1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter.
This recipe turned out great. It came together in a snap & clean up was minimal. Greatest of all.......it tastes great:)
Brandi! These are the only lemon bars I have gotten to turn out so nicely, thank you for the recipe. My hubby loves lemon bars and I felt like a failure before I found your recipe lol. All of your recipes are my "secret" recipes...I hope no one that I know finds them HAHA! love you!
We will keep it our little secret! So glad you are enjoying them.
Can these be frozen?
Hi Brandie! I LOVE your blog! I have made several recipes from it and get rave reviews everywhere I take one of your dishes (especially the Crock-pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta & the Coconut Cream Poke Cake!) and this was no exception! I first made it with lemon and it was fabulous! Then my husband asked if I could do the same thing with apple; it was just as good! Now I've made these with just about every kind of pie filling I can find an they always turn out perfect!
The only thing I do different is I make it in an 8x8 pan so it is thicker.
Unknown, thank you for the great suggestion about using various pie fillings.
I always have assorted canned pie fillings on hand !
So glad it worked out well for you Hadas. Love the key lime idea!
Thanks so much for this easy and delicious recipe!
I did try it with margarine, and it worked fine, except that I needed to add flour (about 2 Tbsp) to the topping to make it "crumby" enough.
I also used key lime pie filling instead of lemon (though that needs to be diluted with milk or cream or it's too intense.
Thanks again for the recipe!
Can I double this recipe in same size pan for a thicker bar?
This would work well with key lime pie filling. Spice cake mix with apple pie filling would also be good!
I made this today (just took out of the oven in fact) for a church fellowship dinner. I had butter, but it's a precious commodity :), so I used half a stick of margarine and 4 ounces of cream cheese. I tasted some crumbles and it is soooo good. Can't wait to try this this evening. Just hope I get to it before it's gone. Ha.
Mine started to fall apart when I started putting it on a serving plate, so i improvised. I scooped it all into a bowl, added 1 package of white chocolate pudding mix and a small tub of cool whip. Stirred it up, crunched up a 1/2 package of graham crackers, sprinkled them on top and ta-da! I had raving reviews for this yummy nearly failed dessert!
Just had a great big slice of your lemon bars, which I made with a lemon cake mix and I have to say, these are AMAZING! Thanks for sharing!
As usual, another great easy treat! This also works with key lime canned filling....if you are lucky enough to have a store that carries it. Simple, easy and not expensive to make...usually have all the ingredients on hand. Thanks for another winner!
Has anyone use Jello Lemon Pie Filling instead of the canned Lemon? Just curious. Thanks
These came out so good! Can't believe how good considering it's so easy and only 3 ingredients. My boyfriend thought he wouldn't like them since he's not a fan of lemon, but he loved them! Definitely a recipe I'll be making again.
Discovered your blog and wonderful recipes. I was wondering how long till they firm up and what to do to make more crumbly(not enough topping). We still enjoyed. Looking forward to trying more recipes. Thanks.
This is super yummy. I like it cold. The first time I made it, I used margarine. Tastes good, but doesn't make a nice crumble. I made it again today with butter. Much better on the crumble.
This recipe is a definite keeper. Quick and easy. Tastes like the lemon Hostess Pie. I am going to try key lime next time. 😀
Wow looks good and so beautiful, as if I'm looking at the sun..nice!
these squares look yummy, how many cups of lemon would I use for this recipe as I buy the lemon at the bulk store. Thanks so much.
This would be even more awesome made with a Lemon Cake Mix. I find most lemon fillings very sweet, so I always add some lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, to cut the sweetness. I'm going to try these soon.
Hey-
Love your blog and I've actually made several of your recipes which can't be said for any of the other blogs I follow. My question is, do you think I can you lemon curd instead of lemon pie filling? I have a jar to use up. Thanks.
Great reciepe. I love lemon. Although I did not use lemon but I did try it with blueberry (use about 1/2 can ) and strawberry and blackberry preserves. I know you said don't try and make changes..but I also love almonds so I added almond extract to cake mix and chopped almonds to crumb topping...wonderful!: I have tried some of you receipes and have a lot more to try.... keep them coming they are easy and delicious. Maureen
Does it matter if butter is unsalted or not?
Thank-you for this easy recipe it's so easy even for a beginner like myself I added coconut on top because I needed to get rid of what I had left over my family loved it I will definitely be making this more often. 🙂
This look absolutely delishious! Will be making it soon!
This looks divine and I love how easy it is. Thanks for a great recipe, will be pinning this one!
Hello,
Made your simply recipe that was posted on Pinterest. Yummy lemon bars, used angel food cake mix. Thank you so much I had all three ingredients.
Thank you.
RedBlackberry
I love the recipes I find Here and thought I would give one back I have no idea where it came from but was posted to my facebook and they came out great,Thought you might like to try them too!
Two Ingredient Lemon Bars......
2 Ingredient Lemon Bars
Oh yeah you read that right only Two simple ingredients to make these melt in your mouth ( middle of the pie) lemon squares!
Yep this is like you cut your self a slice right out of the middle of the pie!
This is all you need:
1 box angel food cake mix( I use Betty Crocker)
2 cans lemon pie filling
I used two 21 oz cans of Comstock pie filling ( total of 42 oz)
Mix dry cake mix and cans of pie filling together in large bowl.
I just mixed it by hand...
Pour into greased 9 x 13″ baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until top is starting to brown.
NOTE...Mine took the full 25 minutes to get done and did not brown on top at all :))
Cool on wire rack and sprinkle with powered sugar. It has a melt in your mouth spongy texture.
Good, cheap, easy........some fillings are more tangy than others I have found. I'm thinking pumpkin pie filling for thanksgiving.
YOu may want to try cooking the crust just a few minutes then spreading the filling and crumbs...the filling often will spread eaiser when the crust is cooked a bit.
I wonder what it would be like with cream cheese beat into the filling!?
this is going in the keeper file! the kids and i just loved it!
i just made this and used butter. it didn't get crumbly so i added a couple tablespoons of flour to mix with the 1/2 cup for the topping. worked! i also used a can and a half of pie filling. we'll see what happens!
I tried this recipe tonight and it was delicious ! I only had margarine on hand it the crust turned out fine, but the crumble was not very crumbly. I would recommend using butter. It tastes a lot like the lemon girl scout cookies to me. My husband said that it tastes like a Hostess Lemon pie. I will say that I had a hard time finding the canned lemon pie filling. All 3 of the local grocery stores near me had shelf space for it, but no cans on the shelf. Hope they are not discontinuing it. I would love to make this again !!
Hi! I've made something similiar but add the step of mixing the lemon filling with a block of cream cheese. Very yummy and helps up the tang factor a bit!
Thank you Leah! I'm glad you liked this one!!
This was so easy and so very delicious. I still cant believe how simple it was! Great recipe!
Fiddlesticks-hmmmm. Possibly. It just depends on how much you LOVE lemon.
P. Lea, this is a sweet lemon dessert, not really tangy. ~Brandie
Thanks for sharing, looks good! Valerie
I am a bit picky with my lemon desserts. I like them to really taste like lemon, tangy lemon and not sweet and fake. How does this one turn out?
YUM! I want to make these & do a blog review, fingers crossed they're as good as yours!;)
Trying this recipe but with chocolate cake and raspberry pie filling, hopefully it's yummy 🙂
Just wondering if you have tried this recipe with a lemon cake ?
Do you think maybe that would be over kill on the lemon flavor ?
Thanks !
I was just thinking the same thing. I don't think there is such a thing as too much lemon flavour!! lol
How wonderful! I love this - it's easy and I can do it. 🙂 I will be doing this very soon.
Brandie, although I'm not a big lemon fan, I think the flavor possibilites for this recipe are many...
Mostly, I just wanted to say that your blog is one of my VERY favorites...and I subscribe to many blogs...and I'm always excited to see your emails. LOVE the Weekend Potluck! Keep doing what you're doing - it rocks!
Debbie
DebNJoizee919@aol.com
I don't even like lemon anything (except for lemonade), but these look delicious and SUPER DUPER easy! I have to try this and might have to try it with other flavors too. Thanks!
A 3 ingredient recipe; that's crazy...Crazy is good! Even a non-baker can whip up a batch of these pretty bars.
A Lemon Lover's Dream come true!! I love anything lemon and I think I found a new favorite:) You have several lemon recipes I'm going to try~ Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
This sounds fantastic! I'm going to make them for my boyfriend and I this weekend. Question first... how many ounces should the can of lemon pie filling be? Thank you! 🙂
Sincerely,
Autumn (the one with the military boyfriend) lol
Made these tonight!! Great! 🙂
Yummmm
Yum! I can't wait to make this recipe. I love cake mix recipes.
I am making these soon! Thanks for sharing this simple and yummy recipe!
Sounds AWESOME!!! Also, I might try cherry filling!!!
cherry sounds good
Think I'll try key lime,,,,
I wondered about cherry
I'm going to make these today as soon as the butter comes to room temperature! Sounds easy to make! I'm sure they will be gone in 2 days!
I am pinning this one! That looks wonderful and I love everything lemon!