These graham wafer lemon bars are indescribably delicious! This no-bake lemon square recipe was passed down from my Grandma, who is in her 90's now and had 10 little mouths to feed (so you know it's gonna be good).
These lemon bars and this iced lemon mousse are two of my favorite lemon-flavored desserts! They have the perfect balance of sweet and tart for any time of the year, but are especially popular during the spring and summer months when everyone is craving chilled treats such as this banana ice cream and Brazilian papaya cream.
This was one of those very vague recipes that required more detailed instructions if you’ve never made it before. My grandma and mom always made these by memory, so I’ve created a more detailed version to share with you, so that you can make them in your own home!
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The Details on These Dessert Bars
- Taste: The graham wafers and sweetened condensed milk give the bars a creamy and honey-like sweetness, while the lemon juice and zest cut down the sweetness with a bit of tart.
- Big-batch small-serving: This recipe is great when you need dessert for a big group—it makes almost 60 bars, and they're on the smaller side, so they're super easy to grab and snack on—although fingers could get a little messy so add some forks and napkins on the side.
- No-baking required: Best of all: no need to turn on the oven as this is a no-bake dessert!
Featured Comment
From Monica: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I loved these bars growing up. Simple to make and very tasty!"
These Aren’t Those Lemon Bars
The lemon bars, or lemon squares, popular now, were first made in the 1900's. The bars consist of a shortbread and lemon curd layered together. Bar cookies are baked in a pan and then cut into squares.
- Although this recipe is also cut into squares or bars and is layered with zesty and sweet flavors, it is not to be confused with the traditional lemon bar as you might know it.
- These Graham Wafer Lemon Bars have no need for an oven; pop them in the fridge for an hour or more and they are ready to eat!
- This recipe uses graham wafer squares layered with lemon-flavored sweetened condensed milk and lemon frosting instead of shortbread and curd.
Ingredients
- lemon juice and zest - The lemon rind is the outside of the lemon: the hard, yellow skin with a bit of white underlayer. We are only looking for the yellow part of the rind in this recipe (the zest). You can get the zest with these tools: a zester, peeler, or a cheese grater.
- graham wafer cracker sheets - I use Honey Maid because they are the perfect size for this recipe. You can break each cracker sheet into 4 pieces along the dotted lines. This allows for the smaller serving size. If you buy a different brand, the sheets might be a lot smaller and there will be no need for breaking them into smaller pieces (the bars will end up being a different size from my bars but that's okay).
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
How to Make Graham Wafer Lemon Bars
Step 1. Layer a large, wax-paper lined cookie sheet with graham wafer crackers.
Step 2. In a medium bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir well.
Chef's Note: I use around 14 ½ graham wafer sheets, broken into 4 pieces each along the dotted lines. (The amount you use will depend on the size of your sheet pan.)
Step 3. Spread the mixture evenly over top of the graham wafer layer. Add another layer of wafers on top. They don't need to overlap exactly.
Step 4. In a large bowl, mix together the icing sugar, melted butter, vanilla and lemon juice. Add the warm water, a small amount at a time. Add the lemon zest and mix well.
Chef's Note: You may need to add more or less warm water to achieve a thick but spreadable consistency.
Step 5. Spread the frosting on top of the wafers.
Step 6. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Slice into bars and serve!
Joss' Top Tips
- I recommend using a zester for the lemons because I find it easier to use. With the zester, you can get really fine bits that are easier to mix into recipes, while a peeler usually takes bigger pieces.
- You can use an angled frosting spatula dipped in warm water to help with spreading the frosting. The warmth of the spatula helps to make the frosting nice and smooth. Dip it into the warm water whenever the frosting feels stuck.
- To make them more aesthetic, you can top the lemon bars with some lemon zest or a few edible flowers right after frosting them.
Drink Pairing
While milk is usually the common drink to pair with most baked goods or sweets, you may want to give some other beverages a try. The best thing to do is pair the lemon bars with a drink that cuts the sweetness down.
- If you like alcohol, champagne or white wine will pair well with this tart and sweet treat. Having the lemon bar straight from the fridge with chilled champagne will give it an enjoyable flavor sensation.
- If you're having a tea party, serve them with a London Fog. Check out how to make a London Fog latte.
Graham Wafer Lemon Bars FAQs
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Unless you plan on eating them frozen, I would not recommend freezing the bars because when they thaw, they get soggy and the texture is ruined!
Yes! This is the great thing about them. You can prepare them and keep them in the fridge until serving time.
⛱️ More Delicious Spring and Summer Desserts
If you tried this 🍋 Graham Wafer Lemon Bars Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Graham Wafer Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Layer
- 29 graham wafer cracker sheets - broken into 4 pieces each--along the dotted lines (Honey Maid brand)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 3 lemons - zested and juiced
For the Lemon Butter Frosting
- 4 cups icing sugar
- ¼ cup butter - melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water - or just enough for the frosting to be spreadable
- 1 lemon - zested
Instructions
- Line a large cookie sheet with wax paper. Fill it with one layer of graham wafers. I use around 14 ½ sheets, broken into 4 pieces each along the dotted lines. (The amount you use will depend on the size of your sheet pan.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir well.1 can sweetened condensed milk, 3 lemons
- Spread the mixture evenly over top of the graham wafer layer. Add another layer of wafers on top. (They don't need to overlap exactly.)
- In a large bowl, mix together the icing sugar, melted butter, vanilla and lemon juice. Add the warm water, a small amount at a time. (You may need to add more or less water to achieve a thick but spreadable consistency.) Add the lemon zest and mix well.4 cups icing sugar, ¼ cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water, 1 lemon
- Spread the frosting on top of the wafers. You can use an angled frosting spatula dipped in warm water to help with spreading.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Slice into bars and serve!
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezing makes the bars soggy once thawed.
- I use Honey Maid graham crackers because they are the perfect size for this recipe. You can break each cracker sheet into 4 pieces along the dotted lines. This allows for the smaller serving size. If you buy a different brand, the sheets might be a lot smaller and there will be no need for breaking them into smaller pieces (the bars will end up being a different size from my bars but that's okay).
- You will need more than 1 box of graham crackers for this recipe.
- I recommend using a zester for the lemons because I find it easier to use. With the zester, you can get really fine bits that are easier to mix into recipes, while a peeler usually takes bigger pieces.
- To make them more aesthetic, you can top the lemon bars with some lemon zest or a few edible flowers right after frosting them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Joss says
These are BIG on lemon flavor and I love it! Hard to only have one.
Kathy says
My mother made these often in the 60's. She told us later when we got older, to never put these in the fridge as they get mushy, and to only make them in the winter.
Joss Dyckson says
Hi Kathy, I find that happens if they are frozen. Never heard of the winter thing but that's interesting! Thanks for the comment.
Monica Haas says
I loved these bars growing up. Simple to make and very tasty!
Joss D says
They are so delicious! Thanks for the comment. 🙂