For the easiest lemon treat you simply MUST try condensed milk lemon slices! Seven simple ingredients and 25 minutes is all you need.
This post was first published on March 29, 2010 and was updated on November 28, 2020.
If you’re like me and love all things lemon, then you will love these condensed milk lemon slices! Basically an easier version of classic lemon bars, they come together in minutes which is one of the reasons I love them.
A creamy and tart lemon filling offsets the graham cracker crumb crust which is buttery and sweet (the bottoms are a bit delicate so we like to eat ours with forks). I prefer mine served as slices, however cutting them into square bar-style servings is perfectly fine too.
Condensed milk lemon slices are best eaten the day they’re made as the filling may begin to weep the second day. That being said, they do freeze well. You just have to be careful not to squish the soft lemon top.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
Ingredients
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven and line a square baking dish with parchment paper. Leave some paper hanging over the sides of the pan to use as handles to lift the baked slices out.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter until well combined.
Dump the mixture into the prepared square pan and press the crumbs into an even layer with your fingertips.
Place the graham crust in the preheated oven and bake. Remove the crust from the oven, set it aside on a wire cooling rack, and reduce the oven temperature.
In a larger bowl, whisk the condensed milk, lemon juice, egg yolks, and lemon zest together until smooth.
Pour the lemon filling into the pan on top of the pre-baked graham crust.
Place the pan back in the oven and bake the lemon slices until the filling is slightly jiggly but not wet. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
When the lemon slices have cooled completely, use the parchment paper handles on the sides of the pan to gently wiggle and coax them from the bottom of the pan. It may take a few tries for the graham crust to release.
Once released, use the parchment paper handles to gently lift the lemon slices to a cutting board. Using a long sharp knife, carefully cut the whole thing into four large squares, then cut each square into three individual condensed milk lemon slices for a total of 12 slices.
Notes & Tips
Because the lemon filling is so creamy, and the graham crumb bottoms are delicate, we prefer eating condensed milk lemon slices with forks rather than as a handheld sweet.
You must be careful when cutting the slices since the graham crumb bottom is fairly crisp. Using too much force puts your hands at risk of slipping and squishing the creamy lemon filling if the knife cuts through the bottom suddenly.
Condensed milk lemon slices are best eaten the day they’re made. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for two days, however, they may begin to weep. A good alternative is to gently place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one week. Simply remove however many you need from the freezer, and let them thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Substitutions
Chocolate crumbs are a great substitute for graham cracker crumbs if you like. That being said, any cookie crumb bottom you think would be good with lemon is fine. Just substitute the crumbs at a 1:1 ratio.
You can substitute any citrus for lemon. Grapefruit, lime, and orange are all delicious! I’ve made them with pink grapefruit and added a drop or two of red food colouring to the filling to give it a light pink hue.
I once made condensed milk lemon slices with the pulp of one passionfruit added to the lemon filling and it was incredibly delicious.
More Lemon Recipes
Microwave Lemon Curd A simple luxurious treat when you need a hit of lemony goodness in your life.
Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins Loaded with raspberries, bright lemon zest, and pockets of tangy cream cheese.
One Bowl Lemon Buttermilk Cake Dense, moist, and can be made without a mixer!
Vegan Vanilla And Lemon Challah A classic sweet bread made healthier with spelt flour, maple syrup, and coconut oil.
Did you make this recipe? If yes, I would love to know how you made out in the comments below! You can also tag me on Instagram @kellyneildotcom or use the hashtag #kellyneil.
Recipe
Condensed Milk Lemon Slices
For the easiest lemon treat you simply MUST try condensed milk lemon slices! Seven simple ingredients and 25 minutes is all you need.
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups (250 g) graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (56 g) butter, melted
- 1 can (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ cup (177 ml) lemon juice
- 4 egg yolks (approximately 80 g)
- Zest of one lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and line an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking dish with parchment paper. Leave some paper hanging over the sides of the pan to use as handles to lift the baked slices out.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter until well combined. Dump the mixture into the prepared square pan and press the crumbs into an even layer with your fingertips. Place the graham crust in the preheated oven and bake it for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, set it aside on a wire cooling rack, and reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF (175ºC).
- In a larger bowl, whisk the condensed milk, lemon juice, egg yolks, and lemon zest together until smooth. Pour the lemon filling into the pan on top of the pre-baked graham crust. Place the pan back in the oven and bake the lemon slices for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the filling is slightly jiggly but not wet. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- When the lemon slices have cooled completely, use the parchment paper handles on the sides of the pan to gently wiggle and coax them from the bottom of the pan. It may take a few tries for the graham crust to release. Once released, use the parchment paper handles to gently lift the lemon slices to a cutting board. Using a long sharp knife, carefully cut the whole thing into four large squares, then cut each square into three individual condensed milk lemon slices.
Notes
Because the lemon filling is so creamy, and the graham crumb bottoms are delicate, we prefer eating condensed milk lemon slices with forks rather than as a handheld sweet.
You must be careful when cutting the slices since the graham crumb bottom is fairly crisp. Using too much force puts your hands at risk of slipping and squishing the creamy lemon filling if the knife cuts through suddenly.
Condensed milk lemon slices are best eaten the day they're made. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for two days, however, they may begin to weep. A good alternative is to gently place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one week. Simply remove however many you need from the freezer, and let them thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Chocolate crumbs are a great substitute for graham cracker crumbs if you like. That being said, any crumb bottom you think would be good with lemon is fine. Just substitute the crumbs at a 1:1 ratio.
You can substitute any citrus for lemon if you like. Grapefruit, lime, and orange are all delicious. I've made them with pink grapefruit and added a drop or two of red food colouring to the filling to give it a light pink hue.
I once made condensed milk lemon slices with the pulp of one passionfruit added to the lemon filling and it was incredibly delicious!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 109Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 61mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g
DISCLAIMER - NUTRITIONAL DATA IS PROVIDED BY A CALCULATOR AND IS A ROUGH ESTIMATION OF THE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION IN THIS RECIPE.
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