Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Servings: 24
Yield: 24 servings

Description

This lemon cream cheese bar recipe features layers of crescent roll dough filled with sweetened cream cheese flavored with fresh lemon zest and juice.

Ingredients

cooking spray
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent roll dough (such as Pillsbury® Recipe Creations®), divided
2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang; coat with cooking spray.
2 Unroll 1 crescent roll dough; press into bottom of the prepared baking dish, stretching to edges.
3 Combine lemon juice and ¾ lemon zest in a bowl. Beat cream cheese and ½ cup sugar into juice-zest mixture with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; spread over crescent roll dough in the baking dish.
4 Unroll remaining 1 crescent roll dough; place over cream cheese mixture, stretching to edges. Brush dough with melted butter. Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and remaining ¼ lemon zest in a small bowl; sprinkle over top.
5 Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool for about 20 minutes.
6 Lift dessert from baking dish using foil overhang; transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares, leaving foil in place. Return bars to the baking dish; refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.