Cool off with a refreshing, no-bake summer dessert, Lemon Freezer Bars! Quick and easy to make to pull out of the freezer when you you’re craving a creamy, lemony treat! You’ll also find additional summer tea party inspiration from my Tea on Tuesday friends.
Happy Tuesday!
Welcome to July’s edition of Tea on Tuesdays,
a celebration of tea on the third Tuesday of every month.
Pam and I are excited to welcome our special guest
Bonnie at Living with Thanksgiving, today.
We’re glad you’re here, pour yourself a cuppa or glass of iced tea and join us!
Join me for tea with the bees today!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.
I was all abuzz when I spied this Grace Teaware Lemon Bee Teapot . . .
With embossed bees and lemon design details.
🐝 🍋 🐝 🍋 🐝
A table runner with bees and a honeycomb design
provides a foundation for our table and tea on the porch.
We’re enjoying our tea with lemon and honey today,
and sweetening our tea
in honor of the bees with lemon honey sticks.
Served in new Ball Honeybee Keepsake Mason Jars. . .
Regular readers know my love of bees so I was excited to find these new jars a couple of months ago!
🐝 🐝 🐝
These collector’s edition canning jars highlight the vital importance of pollinators,
embossed with a bee and honeycomb design.
Help yourself to a Lemon Freezer Bar,
an easy and refreshing sweet treat
for summer and teatime!
If you’re a fan of lemon desserts, I think you’ll really love
these creamy, no-bake bars that come together quickly!
Keep them in your freezer to pull out when
you need an afternoon pick-me-up.
🍋 🍋 🍋
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
For the crust:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 sleeve of graham crackers (9 sheets)
For the filling:
14 oz. can *sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons, or good quality lemon juice such as Nelli & Joe’s Famous Key West Lemon Juice)
Zest of 1 lemon
8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened (use full fat for best texture)
*Note: I’ve made these bars several times, they’re that good! Sweetened condensed milk varies by brand. I’ve noticed my grocery store brand of sweetened condensed milk has a thicker consistency which I prefer for this recipe.
The crust comes together quickly with a food processor.
Pulse your graham crackers until you have crumbs; add sugar and pulse to combine.
Pour in melted butter and pulse until butter is incorporated.
Alternatively, crush graham crackers in a ziptop bag with a rolling pin; mix crumbs with sugar and melted butter.
For easy removal of bars, line an 8 inch square pan.
with parchment paper, with the edges hanging over the pan.
Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan,
using bottom of measuring cup to make an even layer.
Place pan with crust in freezer for 30 minutes and prepare filling.
For the filling, add softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk to a bowl,
beat until combined with mixer. Add lemon juice, zest; mix until thoroughly incorporated.
Note: For less clean up, use your food processor to mix filling.
Wipe out processor bowl with paper towel after mixing your graham cracker crust.
Add sweetened condensed milk and softened cream cheese to bowl of food processor; pulse until combined.
Add lemon juice and zest, process until mixed.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust and freeze for about 4 hours or overnight.
Note: If you’ve ever made no-churn ice cream, you know that sweetened condensed
milk doesn’t freeze solid due to its sugar content.
The bars will be firm enough to cut after 4 hours in the freezer, but a ‘soft-firm’ texture.
Remove pan from freezer, allow to warm up for 5 minutes and lift edges of paper to remove bars from pan.
Cut into 16 bars. Garnish with additional lemon zest.
These bars will soften quickly so return bars to freezer until ready to serve.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the freezer up to 3 months.
These bars are good with either hot tea or iced tea to stay cool and beat!
Lemon Freezer Bars
Equipment
- food processor
- 8 x 8 pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 sleeve of graham crackers (9 sheets)
For the filling:
- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons, or good quality lemon juice such as Nelli & Joe’s Famous Key West Lemon Juice)
- 8 oz, package of cream cheese, softened (use full fat for best texture)
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Spray an 8-inch square pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper that overhangs the edges; set aside.
- In a food processor add graham crackers; pulse until you have fine crumbs. Add sugar; pulse to combine. Pour in melted butter and pulse until butter is incorporated.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, using bottom of measuring cup to make an even layer. Place crust in freezer for 30 minutes to firm.
- For the filling, add softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk to a bowl, beat until combined with mixer. Add lemon juice, zest; mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust and freeze for about 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove from freezer, allow to warm up for 5 minutes and lift edges of paper to remove bars from pan. Cut into 16 bars while frozen. Garnish with additional lemon zest. Return to freezer until ready to serve. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the freezer up to 3 months.
Notes
- If you don't have a food processor, crush graham crackers in a bag with a rolling pin; mix crumbs with sugar and melted butter by hand and press into pan. One sleeve of crackers (9 sheets) will make about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.
- For less clean up, use your food processor to mix filling instead of a mixer. Wipe out processor bowl with paper towel after mixing graham cracker crust. Add sweetened condensed milk and softened cream cheese; pulse until combined. Add lemon juice and zest, process until mixed.
- For best texture, use full fat cream cheese.
- I’ve made these bars several times. Sweetened condensed milk varies by brand. I’ve noticed my grocery store brand has a thicker consistency which I prefer, over Eagle Brand.
- Sweetened condensed milk doesn’t freeze solid due to its sugar content. The bars will be firm after 4 hours in the freezer, but a 'soft-firm' texture. They'll soften quickly at room temperature, so serve and enjoy soon after cutting. To prepare ahead, cut bars and garnish, return to freezer until ready to serve.
Details:
Grace Teaware Lemon Bee Tea Set
Lemon Bee Plates / Grace Teaware, HomeGoods
Lemon bowls / Maxcera, HomeGoods
Ball Honeybee Keepsake Jars / Target
*Buzz* over to visit Pam and Bonnie for tea:
Pam at Everyday Living
Bonnie at Living with Thanksgiving
Pam and I are sharing our love of tea with a special giveaway post
in celebration of our one year anniversary
of Tea on Tuesdays on next Tuesday, July 25th.
We hope you stop back by and join us for a giveaway!
Good morning, Mary. Your porch is delightful this morning with your stunning tea presentation. No one would ever guess how hot it is outdoors to gaze at your beautiful setting. The Grace Teaware Lemon Bee Teapot caught my attention immediately as did the pillow. The teapot is perfect with its embossed bees and lemon design. I love all things lemon whether in design or in food 😉The honeycomb design table runner with bees creates a lovely foundation for tea on the porch. Lemons and bees are an ideal combination for summer. I would love a lemon freezer bar on this already hot morning. Our heat index is out the roof all week. It seems that the hot weather and humidity gets to me more and more each summer.
It is always a pleasure to join you for Tea on Tuesdays! I hope you can enjoy indoor activities this week 💛🐝🍋
Mary, I would be all abuzz also, finding the lemon bee tea set.Your collection of all things bee is charming and you find endless ways to style and complement them. I must say I am craving a lemon bar right now. They look so refreshing and pretty. You do a great job cutting them. Thanks for the freezer recipe because I need to tuck them away for another day or they would all be eaten very quickly.
The table runner was perfect for your tea table as well as the cute bee pillow. I love the lemon honey sticks and they look perfect in your new Honeybee Ball Mason jars. I know you were tickled to find them.
Thank you for promoting the importance of protecting pollinators.
I can’t wait to see how you made the DIY bee napkin rings. They caught my eye right away. I did not dare click on it before I finished my comment or I would lose it.
It is so nice to share tea with you virtually this morning.
What a beautiful post for my wake up call! Mary, you have my bee loving heart buzzing with delight. I mean, just look at all this goodness buzzing about your lakeside porch. The linens and that beautiful new pillow capture the mood, not to mention that darling new teapot. Lemon goodness through and through in this post. I’ll need to try the lemon bars, though I’m not much motivated to be in the kitchen. You make it look easy, and your photos certainly show how pretty and inviting this sweet treat is. Thank you! Stay cool!
You had me at freezer lemon bars, but what an absolutely adorable setting! Oh my goodness, you find the cutest things! The runner, the lemon and bee teapot, and that pillow cover – love them all! I pinned the recipe, need to make those. I would love porch sittin’ with you anytime, Mary!
Your lemon and bee tablescape is so cute. Love the teapot and the floral bee pillow cover! Those freezer lemon bars look SO refreshing and tasty. I’ll be trying out that recipe in the near future. Have a good week and BEE cool.
So pretty and makes me smile.
Good morning,
How many cups would 1sleeve of Graham crackers equal?
One sleeve of crackers (9 sheets) will make about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.
Oh Mary, as you might expect, I adore your tea time setting and tableware — especially that teapot! And those lemon bars sound delicious. Pinned for future use!
Mary, They must of made the teapot just for you, it’s perfect! I love the design; the lid is so cute. Lemons and bees are a perfect combination. That recipe sounds delicious. I use a similar one for key lime pie. The ball jars are pretty too. The honey sticks are great for tea. Stay cool. Clara ❤️
This is so pretty Mary I don’t know where to “bee-gin!” I love your new lemon and bee teapot and the honeycomb runner! Your porch is such a perfect spot to relax and enjoy a cuppa! Your lemon bars are making my mouth water, they look so good! The lemon honey sticks sound amazing and your bee pillow is fabulous~
Mary, such a delight to see your bee themed tea party on your porch. Your new Grace tea set with the beautiful bee design is lovely. The honeycomb runner is the perfect backdrop along with your newly found bee jars. The lemon freezer bars sounds and looks delicious. We love anything with lemon. The bee pillow is a star of it’s own. A beautiful setting to enjoy a bee themed tea party.
Mary, such a delight to see your bee themed tea party on your porch. Your new Grace tea set with the beautiful bee design is lovely. The honeycomb runner is the perfect backdrop along with your newly found bee jars. The lemon freezer bars sounds and looks delicious. We love anything with lemon. The bee pillow is a star of it’s own. A beautiful bee themed tea party on your porch is a great way to start the day.
I am going to try that recipe! Looks easy for me to do. Thanks for sharing!
Lemon desserts are my favorite to serve in summer…so light and refreshing. You took tea time and lemon bars to a new level! What a beeutiful Bee, Tea and Lemon display! Love, love, love!
Good morning, Mary! You have done yet another outstanding job with your lemons and bees tea party!! I love everything about this bee-utiful setting, but especially the teapot with the bee on top. Also love the bee pillow and it’s now in my cart on Amazon! Thanks for such wonderful ideas. I always look forward to your posts!!
Good Morning!
Your lemon bee tea time is full of sunny happiness! Being on your cool porch with the cool breezes is perfect! Along with the teapot, I am also in love with that pillow!
I’m off to make the lemon bars!
Happy Tuesday, Mary!
Love, love your bees and thank you for sharing where to get the bee pillow. I love everything lemon so have printed your recipe. what a lovely special place to have a tea.
What a cute tea set, Mary. I love the lemons and bees! My husband’s birthday was yesterday, and he wanted lemon squares rather than a cake!
Mary your Lemon Tea Pot set is so pretty. Thank You for sharing your tea party with us.
Marion
Love all things bee and lemons, such a treat to start my day with you, thank you for all the beauty you have shared over the many years!
Good morning, Mary! Your entire tea setting is gorgeous! I love the tea set with the lemons and bumblebees. I adore anything bee themed as well. I just started my collection of the French Napoleon Bee glassware. Lemon desserts are my favorite. These lemon bars look delicious! Wishing you a most wonderful day, sweet friend!
what a great post, many thanks, Just a minor detail, I printed the recipe and noticed that the cream cheese was missing…on it …just a heads up, looking forward to making this.
Mary, your bee and lemon table is so pretty – I agree with Rita that you find the cutest things and style them so perfectly. The new tea set is adorable, as are the bee and honeycomb table runner and the lemon dishware. The lemon honey sticks were a great find. Those lemon freezer dessert bars look and sound delicious – I am definitely pinning. Thanks for sharing!
Tea on your porch would be sublime! Lemons and bees — not a partnership I would have thought of. But all the details are lovely!
Good Morning Mary! I made these lemon bars and they were delicious! I can’t believe how easy and yummy they are. I’ve already got another pan in the freezer to enjoy. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Hi Mary, I wanted to tell you these bars are my hubby’s new favorite dessert! They are so good, lemony and refreshing. Easy to make too, thank you for sharing!
I can’t wait to make these bars, Mary. I have friends who love lemony baked goods. Thank you for sharing this beautiful tea with us. 🍋💕🍋