Description
These Lemon Gooey Bars are the perfect citrus dessert, blending a rich, creamy filling with a chewy cake mix crust. Packed with lemon zest and fresh juice, they’re tangy, sweet, and utterly irresistible. Great for parties, bake sales, or a refreshing treat anytime. Keywords: lemon gooey bars, easy lemon dessert, cream cheese lemon bars, lemon cake mix bars, citrus bar recipes.
Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine yellow cake mix, 1 egg, and melted butter until crumbly. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
3. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining 2 eggs, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
4. Pour the filling over the crust and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
5. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until edges are golden and center is slightly jiggly.
6. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before slicing.
7. Optional: Dust with powdered sugar or garnish with lemon slices before serving.
Notes
Let the bars cool fully before cutting for the cleanest edges.
Use room temperature cream cheese for smoother mixing.
For more zing, increase the lemon zest to 1½ tablespoons.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 36
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 75