Bars, Blondies & Brownies/ Desserts

Lemon Bars with Nilla Wafer Crust

The classic lemon bars that you know and love, but updated with a fun twist.  Instead of the traditional shortbread crust, I made a Nilla Wafer crust!  The crust is made in one bowl too, without me having to pull out my food processor.  If you are a lemon bar lover, then read on for the great recipe I have for you!

When life hands you lemons, you make…..lemon bars!

Lemon Bars with Nilla Wafer Crust

Print Recipe
Serves: 20 Cooking Time: 15 minutes + 25-minutes

Ingredients

  • NILLA WAFER CRUST:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/4 cups Nilla Wafer crumbs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • LEMON CURD:
  • 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (approximately 3 large lemons)
  • 1 heaping tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs, beaten, at room temperature
  • 1-1/4 cups white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Powdered sugar for dusting the top (use as much or as little as you like)

Instructions

1

Line a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray the bottoms and sides with baking spray. Set aside.

2

PREPARE NILLA WAFER CRUST: In the bowl of a stand mixer, affixed with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Add the brown sugar and white sugar to the butter and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper, as needed.

3

Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the salt, nutmeg, vanilla extract, Nilla Wafer crumbs and flour to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on medium until just combined. Pour dough out onto parchment paper (I used the one I lined my pan with), and flatten the dough into a disc. Place the disc of dough (still on the parchment paper) into the freezer for 15-miniutes.

4

After dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350-degrees. Remove chilled dough from the freezer and press dough into prepared pan (I just plopped my dough and parchment paper that had been in the freezer, back into the baking pan). Press the dough out in an even layer on the bottom of the pan and then place the dough in the refrigerator until oven is done heating up.

5

Bake dough crust in 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes, on until lightly browned. Remove the crust from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the lemon curd. LEAVE THE OVEN ON!

6

PREPARE THE LEMON CURD: In the bowl of a stand mixer, affixed with the whisk attachment, add the lemon juice, lemon zest and flour. Mix on medium-low until combined. Slowly add the beaten eggs, sugar and lemon extract to the mixer. Mix until combined. Pour the lemon curd over the cooled Nilla Wafer crust.

7

Return the baking pan back into the oven for 25-30 minutes. The bars are done when the center is set. Remove lemon bars from the oven and let set on the counter until cool.

8

Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. I used a sifter to apply my sugar layer evenly on top.

Notes

Store lemon bars in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.

Crunchy Nilla Wafer crust on the bottom, tart and smooth lemon curd filling in the middle and topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar!

XOXO,

Kelly

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32 Comments

  • Reply
    Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
    May 25, 2017 at 7:09 AM

    Oh I love lemon bars! That Nilla wafer crust is calling my name right now, too :). These look divine, Kelly!

    • Reply
      Kelly
      May 25, 2017 at 3:16 PM

      Thank you Kelsie! I love anything with a Nilla Wafer crust 🙂 Have a great day darling XOXOX

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    May 25, 2017 at 8:06 AM

    These were amazing! You definitely set the bar high by making these first for the guys at 5!!!

    • Reply
      Kelly
      May 25, 2017 at 3:17 PM

      Hahaha…thank you….the things I do for my husband 😉

  • Reply
    Karissa Maria (Sweet As A Cookie)
    May 25, 2017 at 9:46 AM

    I love that you used the Nilla wafers as a crust. I haven’t had a lemon bar in ages. I might just have to whip up a batch!

    • Reply
      Kelly
      May 25, 2017 at 3:17 PM

      Thanks Karissa!! Lemon bars are perfect for Spring…I definitely recommend whipping up a batch 😉 XOXO

  • Reply
    Ashika - Gardening Foodie
    May 25, 2017 at 10:07 PM

    WOW I am a really big fan of baking with lemons, these look delicious. I love that you make your own lemon curd for this recipe, shop bought is so expensive. Definitely baking these, so pinning and saving. Thanks for a great recipe. Have a wonderful weekend🙂

    • Reply
      Kelly
      May 26, 2017 at 3:16 PM

      Thank you Ashika!! That is so sweet of you! I hope you enjoy this recipe 🙂 Let me know what you think! Have a great weekend XOXOXO

  • Reply
    Kim | The Baking ChocolaTess
    May 26, 2017 at 5:24 AM

    Those look amazing Kelly! Wish I could grab a couple through the screen and devour those bad boys! Wouldn’t that be amazing? Happy Weekend to you!! <3

    • Reply
      Kelly
      May 26, 2017 at 3:25 PM

      Hahaha I wish we could do that…because that’s exactly how I feel when I read your blog 🙂 Happy weekend to you too Kim! XOXOXO

  • Reply
    cakespy
    May 26, 2017 at 6:51 AM

    I swear I hear “Dream Weaver” playing in my head, like that scene in Wayne’s World where Wayne sees Cassandra on stage for the first time. These lemon bars are my Cassandra right now.

    • Reply
      Kelly
      May 26, 2017 at 3:26 PM

      Hahahaha you always make me laugh! That is awesome! And love that movie BTW. My hubby and I actually dressed up as Wayne and Garth for Halloween one year hehehehe (I was Garth) 😉 Have a great weekend! XOXO

  • Reply
    Stacy | POP KITCHEN
    May 26, 2017 at 12:03 PM

    I do love lemon bars! And a Nilla wafer crust is so genius. I bet those guys were pretty happy about that. You must be the trophy wife of the pack!

    • Reply
      Kelly
      May 26, 2017 at 3:27 PM

      Awww thanks Stacy! Yeah those guys love whenever I stop by the firehouse, because I don’t usually come empty handed hehehehe. Have a great weekend! XOXO 🙂

  • Reply
    Love In My Oven
    May 26, 2017 at 8:09 PM

    What a great idea Kelly! Lemon bars always make me think of my Mom because she said the only time she ever binge ate an entire dessert was when she made lemon bars haha! I could definitely binge eat these!! Yum! Have a great weekend sweets! XO

    • Reply
      Kelly
      May 28, 2017 at 7:11 AM

      Hahaha I love it!! We all have “that dessert” that we could totally binge eat 🙂 Have a great weekend darling! XOXO 🙂

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  • Reply
    Wendy
    March 31, 2018 at 6:17 AM

    These sound amazing….Your husband is a lucky man.

    • Reply
      Kelly
      April 3, 2018 at 7:50 AM

      Thank you! He definitely loved these bars!!

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    Amy (Savory Moments)
    March 31, 2018 at 9:40 AM

    I love love love lemon bars and these look terrific – the crust is so simple using the nilla wafers!

    • Reply
      Kelly
      April 3, 2018 at 7:51 AM

      Thanks Amy! My hubby loves anything with a Nilla Wafer crust, so he definitely ate his fair share of these bars hehehe 🙂

  • Reply
    P~
    March 31, 2018 at 10:26 AM

    Ohhh! I love that you made these with a Nilla Wafer crust! I normally make mine with a shortbread crust. I’ll be trying this, for sure! Your recipes always tempt me so! <3 P~

    • Reply
      Kelly
      April 3, 2018 at 7:52 AM

      Thanks P~!! I was trying to switch it up from the classic shortbread crust and the Nilla Wafers totally work in these bars 🙂 XOXO

  • Reply
    Laura Dembowski (@piesandplots)
    March 31, 2018 at 5:50 PM

    OMG that crust is totally like a graham cracker/shortbread hybrid made with Nilla wafers and it is genius!

    • Reply
      Kelly
      April 3, 2018 at 7:52 AM

      Thank you Laura! The crust turned out amazing!! Definitely try it 🙂

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