A crunchy sugar cookie crust, topped with a layer of your favorite lemon jam and then dusted with a generous amount of powdered sugar. These are like “cheater” lemon bars because we are only making the crust from scratch…the lemon layer can be any type of store bought lemon curd, marmalade or jam!
Lemon desserts scream SPRING to me and since I have already shared my classic Lemon Bars here on the blog, I thought I would switch it up and make a crisp sugar cookie crust and then slather lemon marmalade all over it. So much easier than making your own lemon curd, for those times you just want lemon bars now!!
I baked up my sugar cookie crust and then let it cool before adding an entire jar of Jamnation Sublemonal Message Meyer Lemon Marmalade with Ginger on top.
Check out the lemon peels in the jam!!
Sugar Cookie Lemon Jam Bars
Print RecipeIngredients
- SUGAR COOKIE CRUST:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- pinch of nutmeg
- JAM LAYER:
- 10-ounce jar of lemon jam, curd or marmalade
Instructions
PREPARE SUGAR COOKIE CRUST: Line a 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan with foil and spray the bottom and sides with baking spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract to the bowl and mix until incorporated. Change the mixer to low speed and add the flour, salt and nutmeg. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber scraper to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Drop cookie dough into prepared pan and press into an even layer.
Bake crust in 350-degree oven for 17-20 minutes, or until the edges start to brown lightly. Remove from oven and let crust cool in the pan.
JAM LAYER: Once cool, add the jam layer on top of the cookie crust and dust with a generous amount of powdered sugar. Cut into desired sized squares. Store bars in the refrigerator.
Do you like easy, semi-homemade desserts like this? Are you a lemon dessert lover or hater? Are you as ready for Spring as I am?! Leave me a comment below!
XOXO,
Kelly
PS- I have linked this recipe up at the following link parties: Meal Plan Monday, Sugar and Spice, Foodie Friday, Pretty Pintastic Party, Reader Tip Tuesday, The Pin Junkie.
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30 Comments
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
May 3, 2018 at 6:06 AMI cannot get enough lemon desserts! They scream SPRING to me too :). And I love the jam shortcut here! Have a great weekend, Kelly
Kelly
May 3, 2018 at 9:03 AMThanks Kelsie! I agree! I am all about the lemon right now! Have a great weekend too Kelsie! XOXO
patrick@looneyforfood.com
May 3, 2018 at 4:10 PMYou read my mind! Currently craving all things lemon!
Kelly
May 4, 2018 at 2:19 PMHehehe great minds think alike!! More lemon to come! 🙂
Judy
May 3, 2018 at 5:01 PMYes Kelly I’m ready for spring but I’m afraid the way it is looking it’s going to go right into a hot! Summer so spring will pass us by have a good week end and stay cool
Kelly
May 4, 2018 at 2:21 PMThanks Judy! That happens here too! It seems like Spring is barely a season anymore! Have a great weekend 🙂 XOXO
Codrut @ Clickfunnels Review
May 4, 2018 at 12:19 AMMmm…. lemon jam bars… never have eaten something like this… it looks better than apple pie 🙂
Kelly
May 4, 2018 at 2:22 PMThanks Codrut! These are super yummy and easy to make too! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Susan @ Culinary Envy
May 4, 2018 at 7:33 AMCan I get a dozen to go please! Oh my goodness, my mouth is watering…Pinned
Kelly
May 4, 2018 at 2:22 PMComing right up Susan! Thanks for pinning! XOXO 🙂
Milena Perrine
May 4, 2018 at 10:17 AMCrisp sugar cookie crust with slathered lemon marmalade on it is as close to perfection as lemon bars can get..So making these for tomorrow. Imagine them as dessert after eating tacos and sipping on a margarita. OMG! Pinned!
Kelly
May 4, 2018 at 2:24 PMOoooh I love your thinking Milena! You will have to let me know what you think after you make this! Have a great weekend and thanks for pinning! XOXO
Amy (Savory Moments)
May 4, 2018 at 10:35 AMThese look super yummy – I love lemony desserts!
Kelly
May 4, 2018 at 2:24 PMThank you Amy! XOXO
Christina
May 4, 2018 at 3:35 PMDROOOOOLING! I’m laying off sugar for the moment but I’m hunting down amazing dessert recipes for my next cheat day! So in the meantime, don’t mind me, I’m just the weirdo stalker drooling over your photos 🙂
Kelly
May 7, 2018 at 6:59 AMThanks Christina!! I love that you are drooling over my photos 🙂 I hope you come back and make one of my treats when it’s time for a cheat day!!! XOXO
Roseann Hampton
May 4, 2018 at 6:32 PMI have been craving lemon lately – I think these might be added to my baking this weekend! Thanks for sharing at The Blogger’s Pit Stop! Roseann from This Autoimmune Life
Kelly
May 7, 2018 at 7:00 AMThanks Roseann! I hope you make these easy lemon bars! And thanks for hosting Blogger’s Pit Stop! XOXO
Maria Doss
May 6, 2018 at 5:47 PMSpring totally screams all things lemon!!! Many a times, we all need such short cuts and that meyer lemon marmalade sounds super yummmmmy. Hope your weekend is going great Kelly:)
Kelly
May 7, 2018 at 7:03 AMThanks Maria!! I am loving all things lemon right now! And I have been so busy with work and moving, that I need easy shortcuts like these bars hehehe. Have a great week! XOXO
Pies and Prejudice
May 6, 2018 at 6:24 PMI love how easy these are to make, especially when you’re craving a lemon bar and you don’t have time to make lemon curd haha. Lemon bars (or anything lemon, really) screams spring to me as well and I love the refreshing taste when it gets hot outside. These shortcut bars look so perfect, love the pieces of lemon peels in the jam. YUM!! Hope you had a wonderful weekend, Kelly! 😀
Kelly
May 7, 2018 at 7:07 AMThanks Dana! The lemon jam is amazing….Jamnation Jams comes up with some pretty creative flavors….they just need a little sugar cookie base to finish them off hehehe. Have a great week my friend! XOXO
Pies and Prejudice
May 31, 2018 at 9:58 AMI’ve never tried lemon jam, that sounds wonderful. Sounds even better with a sugar cookie base haha! Thanks girl and hope you’re having a fabulous week xo
Liz Berg
May 7, 2018 at 3:15 PMOh, boy, these jam bars look outstanding!! Love how the tart marmalade plays off the sweet crust!! YUM~
Kelly
May 10, 2018 at 6:38 AMThank you Liz! The jam on this sugar cookie crust is EVERYTHING 🙂 XOXOX
P~
May 14, 2018 at 11:37 AMThat lemon marmalade looks incredible! It goes without saying that the bars look to-die-for good! P~
Kelly
May 15, 2018 at 8:57 AMThank you P~!! XOXO
Amy
May 16, 2018 at 12:19 PMCongratulations on the Feature on Sugar and Spice link party. These lemon bars look delicious!
Kelly
May 18, 2018 at 7:02 AMThank you Amy! These are delicious!! XOXO
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