CREAMY LEMON BARS RECIPE

Creamy Lemon Bars Recipe image

Number Of Ingredients 12

20 Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 Tablespoons of cold butter
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese (you can use low fat)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature (just place eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes)
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons grated lemon peel, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (use juice from the lemons you zested)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
powdered sugar (optional to sprinkle on top)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Spray lightly with non-stick spray and set aside.
In a bowl, combine Nilla Wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and the brown sugar. Chop butter into small pieces and then cut into crumb mixture with a pastry blender. If you don?t have a pastry blender, just use 2 knives, or even your fingers to break up the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.
While crust is cooking, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 2 tablespoons flour, and baking powder; mix well. Blend in 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and lemon juice and then pour mixture over crust.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. These bars improve with time. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel just before cutting into squares to serve. Store leftover squares in refrigerator.