Description
These bright, cozy bars pair a buttery oat crumble with a silky lemon center for a treat that tastes like sunshine.
Ingredients
Scale
- 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter (softened to room temperature for easy creaming)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed light or dark both work)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure for best flavor)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled to avoid packing)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (for light structure)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (fine sea salt or table salt)
- 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned or quick not instant)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14-ounce full-fat for proper setting)
- 6 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed for brightness)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (finely grated from fresh lemon)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment so it hangs over the sides.
- Beat the softened butter and brown sugar together until fluffy and blended, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Blend in the vanilla until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats, then mix just until a dry, crumbly mixture forms.
- Press a little over half of the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
- Bake the crust for 12 minutes until just set but not browned.
- While the crust bakes, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest until thick and smooth.
- Spread the lemon mixture over the hot crust, then scatter the remaining crumble evenly over the top.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 22–25 minutes, until the edges look lightly golden and set.
- Set the pan on a rack and let the bars cool completely before lifting them out and slicing into squares.
Notes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
