• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kelly Neil logo

  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Spring Recipes
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • Γ—

    Kelly Neil Β» Recipes Β» Dessert

    Condensed Milk Lemon Slices

    Published: Nov 29, 2020 Β· Modified: Mar 16, 2022 by Kelly Neil Β· 13 Comments

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Email
    • Print
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    For the easiest lemon treat you simply MUST try condensed milk lemon slices! Seven simple ingredients and 25 minutes is all you need.
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 35 mins
    Three plates of condensed milk lemon slices, one with a bite cut out on a fork.

    I love lemon as you can see here in these lemon raspberry muffins, lemon poppy seed shortbread cookies, and lemon buttermilk cake. If I had to choose between lemon and chocolate there would be no question. Lemon always wins.

    Basically an easier version of classic lemon bars, these condensed milk lemon slices come together in minutes, which is one of the reasons I love them. A creamy, tart lemon filling offsets a buttery, sweet graham cracker crust.

    These lemony treats are best eaten the day they’re made as the filling may weep the second day. That being said, they do freeze well. You just have to be careful not to squish the soft lemon top.

    Jump to:
    • πŸ‘©β€πŸ³ Step-By-Step Instructions
    • Ingredients
    • Step-By-Step Instructions
    • Notes & Tips
    • Substitutions
    • πŸ–¨ Recipe
    Condensed milk lemon slices on parchment paper.

    Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

    πŸ‘©β€πŸ³ Step-By-Step Instructions

    STEP 1β€”

    STEP 2β€”

    Process shots one through four to make buckwheat brownies.

    STEP 3β€”

    STEP 4β€”

    STEP 5β€”

    STEP 6β€”

    Process shots five through eight to make buckwheat brownies.

    STEP 7β€”

    STEP 8β€”

    Ingredients

    Ingredients to make condensed milk lemon slices.

    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.

    A hand mixing graham crust ingredients with a rubber spatula.
    A bowl of mixed graham crust.

    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.

    A hand beginning to press graham crumbs into a square pan.
    A hand finishing pressing graham crumbs into a square pan.

    In a larger bowl, whisk the condensed milk, lemon juice, egg yolks, and lemon zest together until smooth.

    Un-whisked lemon filling ingredients in a large glass bowl.
    A hand whisking lemon filling in a large glass bowl.

    Pour the lemon filling into the pan on top of the pre-baked graham crust.

    Hands pouring lemon filling from a large glass bowl into a square pan lined with 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.

    A square pan of baked lemon bars.

    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.

    Hands using a long knife to cut lemon bars on a wooden board.
    A hand using an offset spatula to lift a cut lemon bar from a wooden cutting board.
    A batch of condensed milk lemon slices spread out on parchment paper on a marble background.

    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.
    One condensed milk lemon slice on a plate.

    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 made them with pink grapefruit and added a drop or two of red food coloring 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.
    A condensed milk lemon slice on a plate with a bite cut out on a fork.

    More Lemon And Citrus Recipes

    • Earl Grey Mocktail
    • Lemon Curd Ice Cream
    • Date And Orange Scones
    • Microwave Lemon Curd

    Did you make these condensed milk lemon slices? Please rate the recipe and tell me how it went in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more delicious food and recipes!

    πŸ–¨ Recipe

    Three plates of condensed milk lemon slices, one with a bite cut out on a fork.

    Condensed Milk Lemon Slices

    Author: Kelly Neil
    For the easiest lemon treat you simply MUST try condensed milk lemon slices! Seven simple ingredients and 25 minutes is all you need.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Cookies & Bars
    Cuisine American / Canadian
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 228 kcal

    Equipment

    • 8 or 9-inch (20 or 23-cm) square baking dish
    • Parchment paper
    • 2 Mixing bowls or one mixing bowl washed and dried after making crust
    • Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
    • Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
    • Wire cooling rack
    • Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or whisk

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 Β½ cups graham cracker crumbs
    • ΒΌ cup sugar
    • ΒΌ teaspoon salt
    • ΒΌ cup butter, melted
    • 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 300 ml
    • ΒΎ cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed if possible, approximately 3 lemons
    • 4 large egg yolks
    • zest of one lemon

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 375ΒΊF (190ΒΊC) 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 slices out once baked.
    • In a mixing bowl, stir 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, and set it aside on a wire cooling rack.
    • Reduce the oven temperature to 350ΒΊF (180ΒΊC).
    • Whisk the condensed milk, lemon juice, egg yolks, and lemon zest together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Pour the lemon filling over the pre-baked graham crust. Place the pan back in the oven and bake the 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 and serve.

    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

    Serving: 60gCalories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 199mgPotassium: 166mgFiber: 1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 296IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know on Instagram @kellyneildotcom or tag #kellyneil!

    More Dessert Recipes

    • Brown Butter Banana Bread
    • Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
    • Pistachio Ice Cream
    • Blueberry Cake Donuts
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Email
    • Print

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Yivinns says

      September 05, 2011 at 4:14 am

      I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing! Your "Feisty Chef FTW" cracked me up, by the way. Thanks! πŸ™‚

      Reply
    2. Summar says

      March 04, 2012 at 5:02 am

      These sound great!! I will use Vanilla wafers instead, thats what I always use for my cheese cakes its soooo much better than graham crackers.

      Reply
    3. [email protected] says

      July 23, 2012 at 10:32 am

      OMG! these sound amazing and easy! Only thing is ….what are graham crumbs? I've not heard of them…but perhaps we don't have them here is Australia..but i love this recipe and love that you ate nearly all the baked ones in one hit!!!

      Reply
    4. [email protected] says

      July 24, 2012 at 12:36 pm

      @Brenda – Not sure if Graham Crackers are available in Australia but if not, you can always make your own!! Check out this link: http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/05/graham-crackers/ πŸ™‚

      Reply
    5. [email protected] says

      September 29, 2012 at 5:53 pm

      This recipe sounds wonderful and I can't wait to try it. I am looking for things that I can make ahead and freeze for the holidays. Do you know if this would freeze?

      Reply
    6. [email protected] says

      October 28, 2012 at 12:21 pm

      @Debbie – I'm not 100% sure how they would hold up frozen, but personally, I throw everything in my freezer!! For other ideas of things to make ahead that will freeze well for Christmas, check out this post – http://www.kellyneil.com/kellyneilcom/2010/12/26/holiday-baking.html πŸ™‚

      Reply
    7. gina says

      January 11, 2013 at 1:29 pm

      made these last night–they were a hit–and as an added bonus I used the leftover egg whites to make meringue and topped the tartlets. The perfect finishing touch.

      Reply
    8. [email protected] says

      January 11, 2013 at 1:31 pm

      I am so glad you liked them and I bet they looked really cute topped with meringue. Yum!

      Reply
    9. [email protected] says

      July 04, 2017 at 3:41 pm

      If you use a boxed pie filling, could you still bake this?

      Reply
    10. FOODHEAL says

      December 11, 2020 at 10:43 am

      They look awesome! I wish there are vegan and gluten-free options! I’ll try it out.

      Reply
    11. Laura says

      November 12, 2021 at 10:32 am

      Hello Kelly,
      I was a huge fan of your original lemon tart recipe. Over the years I lost it. Might I get a copy please?
      Thank you
      Laura

      Reply
      • Kelly says

        November 13, 2021 at 1:53 pm

        Hi Laura! The recipe in this post is actually the very same recipe just made into squares/slices rather than baked in muffin cups! I forget the original baking time but I’m thinking because you’d divide the crumbs and filling between 12 muffin cups it’s probably around 10-12 minutes. Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi there! πŸ‘‹πŸ» I'm Kelly, the photographer, and voice behind kellyneil.com. This is where you'll find my favorite baking recipes and easy meals I make for my family.
    More about me β†’

    Spring Recipes

    • Sriracha Deviled Eggs
    • Mango Pico De Gallo
    • Nova Scotia Seafood Chowder
    • Lavender Sugar Cookies
    • Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crisp
    • Cherry Clafoutis

    Featured In


    Popular Recipes

    • Nova Scotia Seafood Chowder
    • Nova Scotia Blueberry Grunt
    • Homemade Baked Beans With Molasses
    • Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Chicken Florentine Soup
    • Dutch Oven Beef Stew
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    ↑ back to top
    About Me
    Contact
    Accessibility Statement
    Privacy Policy
    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
    Copyright Β© 2023
    Kelly Neil