Lemon Cream Crumble Bars with Oats
Tangy lemon bars with a buttery oat crumble base and top. Condensed milk creates a silky filling that contrasts with the crumbly texture. Baked in two stages for a crispy base and golden topping, then chilled before slicing for clean edges.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Grease and line a 7.75" baking tin. Preheat oven to 375°F.
- 2
Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- 3
Add cold cubed butter and rub between forefingers and thumbs until mixture resembles crumble with no large butter pieces.
- 4
Press half the mixture firmly into the tin base. Refrigerate the remainder.
- 5
Bake for 10 minutes.
- 6
While baking, beat together condensed milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice until evenly combined.
- 7
Remove tin from oven and smooth lemon filling over the base.
- 8
Scatter remaining oat mixture over filling and press in gently but firmly.
- 9
Bake for 25 minutes until golden on top.
- 10
Cool in tin for 20 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
- 11
Refrigerate for 1 hour before slicing.
Tips
Rubbing cold butter with fingertips keeps the crumble texture distinct and prevents dense results.
Refrigerating the crumble mixture before baking helps it stay crispy.
Chilling for the full hour before slicing prevents the filling from smudging and creates cleaner cuts.
Good to Know
Keep in airtight container in refrigerator up to 4 days.
Make up to 2 days ahead. Store covered in refrigerator.
Serve at room temperature or chilled. Pairs well with cream or Greek yogurt.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the resting periods to avoid a dense, heavy crumb texture.
Do not over-mix the butter into the dry ingredients to avoid a paste-like base that won't crumble.
Do not slice before full refrigeration to avoid filling bleeding into crumble.