Lemon Crunch Bars

Lemon Crunch Bars are a no-bake dessert that harkens back to simpler days, and less complicated food — you probably already have everything on hand to make these tangy treats.

These lemon crunch bars have an easy going, vintage vibe

They can be prepped for the fridge in the time it takes to melt a little butter and whip up the cream. The ‘crunch’ comes from the crushed gingersnaps that make up the crust. The combination of the cool fluffy topping and the ‘snappy’ crust is wonderful.

Ginger and lemon is a striking flavor combination

You see more often in savory dishes than you do in desserts. Neither ingredient plays second fiddle here, the peppery gingersnaps hold their own with the lemon, and the two are quite a zesty pair. The topping has a full 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice in it, so it’s no slouch in the citrus department.

A gingersnap crumb crust makes these lemon bars extra special

As for the gingersnaps, use any you like — I discovered Tates and fell in love, but they ‘disappeared’ before I could use them in this recipe. Plain old gingersnaps work fine, too 😉

This is a great choice for entertaining because you can make them ahead of time, and they’re light and refreshing even after a big meal. Nobody will push these away, for sure.

notes ~

• The combo of ginger and lemon is what makes these simple Lemon Crunch Bars so special, so I don’t recommend substituting graham cracker crumbs in the crust.
• These have a soft creamy consistency. Keep them refrigerated until ready to serve.
• Ever wonder about the difference between ‘heavy’ and ‘whipping’ cream? Heavy cream is just slightly higher in fat, but both can be whipped.
• This would make a nice pie, as well. I would use a 7 or 8 inch pie plate, increase the butter to 1 stick, and the crumbs to 2 cups.

Reader Rave ~

“These are insanely delicious!! They were the perfect thing for dessert after a heavier meal.”  ~ Linda

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3.68 from 28 votes

Lemon Crunch Bars

Lemon Crunch Bars are a no-bake dessert that harkens back to simpler days, and less complicated food --- you probably already have everything on hand to make these tangy treats.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Yield 12 servings

Author Sue Moran

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 3/4 stick (6 Tbsp or 85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs, this is about 8 ounces of cookies
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream you can also use 'whipping cream'
• slightly more than 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 small drop yellow food coloring, optional

garnish

• gingersnap crumbs

Instructions

• Spray an 9x9 square baking dish. I like to line mine with parchment paper with long ends hanging off so I can lift it out after chilling for neater cutting, but that's optional.
• Toss the melted butter with the gingersnap crumbs until the crumbs are completely saturated. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan. Press firmly, but no need to steam roller them 😉 Set the pan in the fridge while you make the filling.
• Whip the cream until you get firm peaks. don't whip it too long or it will get grainy and eventually turn to butter. Fold in the condensed milk, lemon juice, and drop of food coloring.
• Spread the filling into the pan and spread out evenly.
• Set the pan in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
• Garnish with a few gingersnap crumbs.

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is provided as a courtesy and although theviewfromgreatisland.com tries to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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