I’ve been slowly and deliciously working my way through the recipes from 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer and last week, these Lemon Oat Bars felt like the perfect spring treat – light, just the right amount of lemon, and so tasty.
This cookbook is pretty much the only cookie cookbook you need. Period. And I know that’s saying a lot, given that we all tend to have our favorite cookie and bar recipes — whether from a blog, an old church cookbook, a family recipe, or any other number of places. But trust me on this – 100 Cookies is amazing and Sarah Kieffer is pretty much a cookie genius.
I received the cookbook for my birthday last September from my son. It’s become almost a weekly tradition for him to page through the book and pick out what cookie or bar or brownie he’d like me to make for the week. He also (sometimes) even helps his mama in the kitchen.
Fun fact about Joe – he told me recently that if he could only have either pizza or cake forever, he would choose cake, which is quite a pronouncement for a teenage boy, I think.
How do I make Lemon Oat Bars?
There’s basically three steps to this recipe:
- Make the crust, an easy mixture of flour, rolled oats, sugars, baking soda, salt and butter that is partially baked before you move on to the next step.
- Make the filling, which includes sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice (freshly squeezed, if possible!), heavy cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Assemble and the bars and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
What equipment do I need to make Lemon Oat Bars?
- 9×13 pan (I love this stone pan from Pampered Chef!)
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Citrus zester
- Citrus juicer
Is freshly squeezed lemon juice better than bottled lemon juice?
You probably know what I’m going to say here. The answer is yes, always yes. However, in a pinch bottled lemon juice certainly works. (In fact, I have made this recipe with about 1/2 freshly squeezed and 1/2 bottled lemon juice because I realized partially into the process that I didn’t have as many lemons as I thought. And you know what? The bars still turned out delicious!)
Sometime this week, I think Joe and I are going to make the pan-banging peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips. (If you don’t know what Sarah Kieffer’s pan-banging cookies are all about it, check the original recipe out here. It sounds kinda crazy but try it – I think you’ll love the crispy edges and chewy centers of these cookies.)
If you try these Lemon Oat Bars, let me know what you think! (And feel free to save this post to Pinterest if you’re in a Pinning sort of mood.)
xoxo – Lara
Lemon Oat Bars from 100 Cookies
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Citrus juicer
- Citrus zester
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups Rolled oats
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter (2 sticks – at room temperature)
Lemon Filling
- 2 cans Sweetened condensed milk (14 oz per can)
- 1/2 cup Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 3 tablespoons Heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- Pinch Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (Make sure oven rack is in the middle of the oven.)
- Grease a 9×13 inch pan and line it with a parchment sling
For the Filling
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, heavy cream, zest, vanilla, and salt. Set aside.
For the Crust
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, oats, brown and granulated sugars, baking soda, and salt on low speed until combined.
- Add the butter and increase the speed to medium, mixing until the mixture is crumbly.
Assemble the Bars
- Press half of the oat mixture to the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and spread the filling over the crust.
- Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the filling is set. It should not jiggle and the oat topping should be a light golden brown.
- Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool.
- Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill for 4-6 hours.
- Slice and serve your Lemon Oat Bars!