Easy small-batch lemon bars with a graham cracker crust are topped with blackberry jam or fresh blackberries or raspberries. These yummy, easy desserts go great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and baked lemon bars are equally as good with a chilled glass of Chardonnay.Â
For other small-batch bars and cakes, you might enjoy a brownie recipe for one, an individual brownie cake, or a small-batch homemade apple cake.
This small batch recipe for lemon bars is ready in under 30 minutes and light enough to serve after a meal or as a midday treat. The lemon bars are also great with fresh raspberries! The lemon and graham cracker combination is a classic flavor pairing.
Ingredients Notes
- Lemon curd – You can keep it extra simple and purchase an already-made lemon curd filling. I like the one from Bonne Maman, or you can make your own. My small batch lemon curd recipe is quick and easy and is a tart lemon filling.
- Lemons: One large lemon will give you about 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice. You can also use lemon zest to increase the lemon flavor.
- Blackberry jam—Again, I’m partial to Bonne Maman jams, but use your own favorite. Raspberry jam is also very yummy.
- Graham crackers—Use plain graham crackers. I found the frosted crackers too sweet. You can also make a buttery shortbread crust using this French shortbread cookie recipe.
- Butter – Salted butter for the graham cracker crust
- Cinnamon and Sugar are added to the crust for extra flavor.
Recipe Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line a small baking dish with parchment paper, allowing the long sides to overhang just a bit so you can easily lift the lemon bars out of the pan.
Crush the graham cracker crust into fine crumbs. Mix in the sugar, cinnamon, and butter until well moistened. An easy way to crush the graham crackers is to use a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin.
Press the graham crackers into the prepared pan and reserve a small amount to sprinkle on top.
Spoon the lemon curd on top of the graham cracker crust. Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on top of the lemon layer. Sprinkle crushed graham cracker crumbs on top and bake for 16-18 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into small lemon bars.
Recommended Tools
Use a 1/8 baking sheet pan or a small baking dish. Both items can be purchased on Amazon.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, it’s because they need to cook longer. If the sides start to brown faster, lightly cover them with aluminum foil to reduce the browning.
Yes, but since these have a graham cracker crust, you must be careful when wrapping and freezing them so the crust doesn’t fall apart. A shortbread cookie crust works well for freezing. The bars can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Recipe Notes
There is no need to use a food processor to crush your graham crackers; I use my Mom’s technique. Break the graham crackers into a large Ziploc bag and zip it shut. Use a rolling pin to roll over the bag and pulverize the graham crackers, turning the bag over a few times to get all the pieces crushed fine. I have a mini food processor, but I like to go old school when I make a graham cracker crust.
I made a batch of lemon curd to make a lemon meringue pie but changed my mind when I saw I had graham crackers in the pantry and an almost empty jar of blackberry jam, so I decided to incorporate that as well. Graham cracker crust is simple and ALWAYS comes out just right. The outcome is a tasty creamy lemon bar with a graham cracker crust swirled with jam.
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Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 cup lemon curd
- ¼ blackberry or raspberry jam
Crust
- 9 sheets graham crackers crushed fine
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- â…› cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line a small baking dish with parchment paper so the long sides overhang just a bit.
- Crush the graham cracker crust into fine crumbs. Mix in the sugar, cinnamon, and butter then mix until well moistened. An easy way to crush the graham crackers is to use the Ziploc bag and rolling pin method.
- Press the graham crackers into the prepared pan and reserve a small amount to sprinkle on top.
- Spoon the lemon curd on top of the graham cracker crust. Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on top of the lemon layer.
- Sprinkle crushed graham cracker crumbs on top and bake for 16-18 minutes.
- Let cool for about 15 minutes then lift out of the pan and slice into small lemon squares and serve with a scoop of ice cream.
Notes
- Substitute fresh berries for the jam.
- Recipe can be doubled.