Lemon Creme Brulee Bars
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If you like creme brulee, you’ll love these Lemon Creme Brulee Bars! They are so easy to make- you will want to make them again and again!

Lemon Creme Brulee Bars | Pure Addiction
These lemon creme brulee bars are ridiculous. And so devilishly easy that you will be tempted to make these time and time again. I first came up with this recipe after having an awful dessert that was this exact concept but tasted so royally disgusting that I had a hard time shelling out the seven bucks it cost. That night I’d vow to make it better. So I did. I first tested them on a baby shower crowd and they went like hotcakes. Then I made them for my sister-in-law’s birthday because she’s as much of a lemon freak as I am. Of course, she liked them too. Then I ‘tested’ them again and ate half the pan. Then I swore the recipe off because I knew if I’d make them AGAIN, I’d eat the.entire.thing.
So, I did actually forgot about them until a few days ago when I had a few lemons loitering around my crisper drawers and found a package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese hiding behind ‘x’ pounds of butter. The perfect storm. So I made them again. This time with you all in mind! {You’re welcome.} Take a peek at the step-by-step photos and experience the beauty that is this dessert.
Main Ingredients Needed
Can you believe that these amazing Lemon Creme Brulee Bars only take 9 ingredients to make? Yeah that is downright sinful. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Butter – this is used to hold the crust together. Be sure to plan ahead and use softened butter (not melted).
- Sugar – to sweeten the crust.
- Flour – to fill out the crust.
- Vanilla – to flavor.
- Cream Cheese – the main ingredient for the lemon cheesecake filling!
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – I used one whole can of this stuff. Not only does it sweeten but it also makes the filling a bit runnier.
- Egg – to add structure and richness.
- Lemon Juice + Zest – the juice helps the cheesecake set while also providing flavor along with the zest.
- Fine Granulated Sugar – this is used for brulee-ing these bars!

How to Make Lemon Creme Brulee Bars
For full details on how to make Lemon Creme Brulee Bars, see the recipe card down below 🙂
1. Preheat + Prep
Preheat oven. Line an 8×8 glass dish with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Make the Crust
In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla until dough forms. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared dish. Set aside. (You’re basically making a quick shortbread).
3. Make Lemon Cheesecake Filling
In another bowl, whip cream cheese. Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Scrape sides and mix again. Pour in the egg, lemon zest, and juice. Mix until the mixture starts to thicken. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. Pour overtop cookie bottom and smooth the top.
4. Bake + Chill
Bake until cheesecake is set completely. Cool, then refrigerate. Cut into 16 squares and separate.
5. Sprinkle with Sugar + Torch
Sprinkle the tops of each square with 1 teaspoon of sugar and spread around with a finger to evenly distribute the sugar. Torch the tops until the sugar melts and turns an amber color. {If you don’t have a torch, place it under the broiler}. Return squares to fridge until ready to serve.
More Lemon Recipes to Try!
If you liked these lemon creme brulee bars, check out these related recipes 🙂
- Classic Lemon Bars
- Lemon Bar Ice Cream
- Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
- Lemon Cheesecake Tart
- Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

Throw these Lemon Creme Brulee Bars onto a serving platter and voila! A perfect dessert everyone will love! Sweet and tart, similar to key lime pie, but a million times better!
Enjoy! 🙂

Lemon Creme Brulee Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk 1 can
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 5 tablespoons fine granulated sugar for brulee-ing, approximately
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 glass dish with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, flour and vanilla until dough forms. Press evenly into the bottom of prepared dish. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whip cream cheese. Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Scrape sides and mix again. Pour in egg, lemon zest and juice. Mix until mixture starts to thicken, 20-30 seconds. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. Pour overtop cookie bottom and smooth the top.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheesecake is set completely. Cool, then refrigerate. Cut into 16 squares and separate.
- Sprinkle the tops of each square with 1 teaspoon of sugar and spread around with finger to evenly distribute sugar.
- Torch the tops until the sugar melts and turns an amber color. {If you don't have a torch, place under the broiler}. Return squares to fridge until ready to serve.
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Just made these for a family get together and I kind of don’t want to take them! So good. They will be a hit!
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Love this–everything about it from the shortbread crust to the crispy brulee top. But, I have to say: “No! No! No!” The point of “brulee” is to have a crispy ‘shell.’ Sorry, but if you refrigerate these after you torch them, you will have a runny, gooey mess! Save the sugar and torch until just before you serve them!
How long will this keep in the frig? Would I be able to make it 2 or 3 days ahead of time?
Did you bake in water bath ?
Do you need to cook the crust first?
I made it today,it was so yummy.next time,maybe I will try using graham crackers instead of flour!!!!
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Hi
I have made these and love them. I need to make them for a party of 250 people.
If i make them in an 11 x 17 sheet pan do you think that would work and how many times to I need to x’s the recipe
Hello,
This recipe is gorgeous. I made them once and the base was raw, 20-25 minutes with a wet layer on top was not enough time. The second time I prebaked at 350 for 15 minutes and the base is fine, but still too soft for my liking. I like a good crust, not tough and hard, but solid and with substance. I will try pre-baking for 20 minutes the next time, or upping the temp to 375 for the 15 minute crust baking. Also, the second time I did lime instead of lemon and it is just as delish!! Yummmm….. I used a broiler to get the sugar topping crust and it worked great. This recipe will definitely be a part of my regular dessert rotation. Thanks.
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if you left out the lemon would the bars still turn out ok?
You need to add the lemon juice for it to bake and set properly. Feel free to leave the lemon zest out.
Those look amazing! May have to make these for the holidays!
[…] those of you who don’t know, I’m a bit of a lemon FREAK. {Proof: this, this and this.} I really like lemon desserts, especially. I take after my mother, who […]
Hello, new follower here! I would love to have you link up with my Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week!
I hope to see you there!
Cheers!
Kathy
The Chicken Chick
Looks yummy. Been looking for torch, but can’t find one. Found pen like one but looks complicated so I didn’t bother getting it. Where did you get yours?
I picked up a torch at the local home improvement store, Menard’s.
Hey, the recipe looks great, is there something I could substitute for the sweetened condensed milk? Something nondairy, if possible. Thx!
Not sure if there is such as thing as non dairy sweetened condensed milk….anyone else know?
how about a can of cocnut milk? its pretty thick
You are an evil temptress! LOL
I was actually looking for Creme Brulee cupcakes and found this recipe instead. This is so cute & looks good! Looks easy to make too. I will try it out. I have never made cheese cake. Now this will be a cool dessert for family parties during the holidays!
Fantastic! Super easy to make. I doubled the recipe with no problems.
Hi Lauren,
I stumbled upon this recipe and your site and these look like the perfect little treat I was looking for! I have one questions for you first though-why didn’t you pre-bake the shortbread crust? Every lemon bar recipe I’ve used or read always pre-bakes the crust, and I am a little nervous to leave it “raw” under the cream cheese mixture. What was the reasoning and result of not pre-baking the crust? Thanks!
I just never thought to. If you’d rather prebake it, then go right ahead! But baking it all together cooks it all just the same!
These lemon cheesecake burlee bars are amazing!! Can you freeze them?
I haven’t tried, but I don’t see why not!
Is there any harm in making these ahead of time and bruleeing them the next day? Before serving?
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I made this a few days ago and they´re everything you claim them to be and more!! and I didn´t even brulee them!! Imagine that
They will become a classic in no time. Thanks for a great recipe
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I can’t believe how yummy these look, want one now ,this is the way things should look. Yummy looks will always sell your products.We cater for variouse tastes,and a lot of what we do is ,sorry to say ,bought in.Its great to make these things,you’ve done a marvellous job .Well done.
Kind Regards
David Head
Hi! These look awesome. I actually made these last night, but with Meyer lemons. The filling I LOVE, but my crust was very dense and hard. Is it supposed to be like that?
No, it’s not supposed to be that hard…did it soften once it sat out for a little?
I made these last night and they are gone already. My mom and I could not stop eating them. They’re so delicious.
WOW! You were right! These are indeed: Evil. And amazing. And addicting. And life changing.
My family & boyfriend were completely obsessed with these, and even went as far as to say they could be served in a restaurant! Amazingly decadent & delicious. Thanks for this recipe. Will be making again and again!
These are cooling on my counter right now. I couldn’t wait and ate a square and they’re delicious even without the crunchy top! Thank you for your simply delicious recipes.
I made these, and they looked just like the photo. The only problem was that the base was completely raw when I was finished – does it not have to be baked a little prior to adding the cream cheese mixture? Tips anyone? The topping was delish by the way…