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Lemon Cookie Bars

These Lemon Cookie Bars are full of zesty lemon. They have a chewy cookie base with a hint of lemon, and are frosted in a lemon cream cheese frosting made with cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest. These cookies are good chilled or just at room temperature!
Servings 16 people
Author Molly Murphy

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cookie Blondies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoons pure lemon extract
  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the cream cheese frosting

  • 4 ounces full fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla bean paste you can use extract, if needed
  • Juice and zest of 1 Lemon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep a 8x8 or a 9x9 pan by lining with parchment paper and spraying with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • In a medium sized bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Whisk in the egg and egg yolk for 30 seconds and then add the lemon extract and zest. Whisk just until combined.
  • Switch to a rubber spatula and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Just mix until there are no more signs of flour. Don’t over mix.
  • Place the dough into the prepped pan and evenly distribute across the pan.
  • Bake for 25-28 minutes. Mine took exactly 25 minutes.
  • When the bars are done, let them cool completely before frosting.

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the powdered sugar, cream, zest, lemon juice, salt and vanilla bean paste. Mix on low just until incorporated. Once incorporated, turn the speed up to medium high and beat until light and fluffy
  • Once cookie bars are completely cooled, evenly spread the frosting on top of the cookie bar. Top with a little extra lemon zest and serve. If you haven’t tried your cookie bars chilled, you definitely should, it’s my favorite way to eat a cookie bar!