These no bake magic lemon bars are creamy and sweet. The bars need just 3 ingredients and don’t require any baking or cooking. The creamy lemon custard magically comes together just by mixing the ingredients. These bars are a cool and refreshing dessert.
A lemon bar topped with whipped cream and a piece of lemon

These no bake lemon bars are such an easy treat to make for your next event. I love how quick they are to prepare.

Ingredients

  • Lemons: Lemon juice is used to give these lemon bars a zesty lemon flavor. You can use juice your own lemons or use store bought lemon juice. If using store bought lemon juice, you need to make sure it is pure lemon juice and that it hasn’t been diluted with water or other ingredients.
  • Condensed milk: This recipe uses sweetened condensed milk. When the acid in the lemon juice interacts with the milk protein in condensed milk, it thickens to a custard like consistency creating an almost instant lemon custard filling that doesn’t require any cooking or baking. This recipe can’t be made with a dairy-free condensed milk substitute.
  • Graham crackers: Graham crackers are used for the crust layer.

I garnished my lemon bars with some whipped cream but that is completely optional.

How to Make No Bake Lemon Bars

  • Line the graham crackers across the bottom of your prepared baking pan so there are no gaps.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and condensed milk. Let it sit for a few minutes to thicken.
  • Pour the filling into the prepared baking pan. Place into the fridge to set.
  • Use a sharp knife to cut the bars.

Lemon bars cut into squares

What are Magic Lemon Bars

Magic lemon bars are a variation of magic lemon pie, a pie created in the 1930s that combined condensed milk and lemon juice to create an almost instant custard filling. The bars have a creamy, custardy lemon filling sitting on top of a soft graham cracker crust.

Expert Tips

  • You can make a double layer of crust for a thicker, more sturdy crust layer.
  • You can make these bars in a smaller baking pan for thicker bars. I originally made mine much thicker but I scaled down the filling because the filling is very rich and sweet.
  • The bars should be kept chilled until ready to serve. However, they will still hold their form for an hour or two at room temperature.

A bite taken from a lemon bar

More No Bake Lemon Recipes

4 from 1 vote

3 Ingredient No Bake Magic Lemon Bars

These lemon bars don't require any baking or cooking. The custard filling comes together almost instantly. The bars need just 3 ingredients and are an easy dessert to make.
Servings: 16 bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 20 individual graham crackers, can double if needed, see note
  • 3/4 cup (6floz/177ml) lemon juice, use 10 tbsp lemon juice if using fat free condensed milk
  • 2 (14oz/397g) cans sweetened condensed milk , a total of 794 grams needed

Instructions
 

  • Line a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on top to act as handles so you can lift the bars out of the baking pan later.
  • Line the bottom of your prepared pan with graham crackers. You want to do your best to cover the bottom of the pan with crackers with no gaps, so you may need to cut some of them to fit. I used about 20 crackers. See notes section for doing a double layer of crackers.
  • In a large bowl, add lemon juice and condensed milk. Whisk until evenly combined. Allow the mixture to thicken for about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the filling to your prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth and level the surface. Place into the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight to firm up. Keep bars in the fridge until ready to serve.
  • When ready to serve, cut the bars with a large sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between each cut. Use a cookie spatula to lift the bars onto plates. Store any uneaten bars in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • Graham cracker note: Graham crackers usually come in sheets that can be broken into smaller individual crackers (usually 4 to a sheet). 20 crackers refers to the individual crackers. Please note that differents brands of graham crackers make their crackers slightly different in size and thickness so the amount you need may vary and you may need a double layer if your crackers are very thin, as discussed below.
  • Double crust layer note: Depending on the brand of graham crackers you use, you may want to create a double layer of crust. I used Happy Belly honey graham crackers* which are 1/4 inch thick so I didn't feel the need for a double layer of crust. However, if you use Honeymaid graham crackers, they are thinner (about 2.5/16 inch thick) and they are quite soft and crumbly so a double layer of crust is needed.
    • If making a double layer, first line the bottom with a single layer of crackers (about 20 crackers though you will have to cut some of them to fit). Then spread a very thin layer of lemon filling on the crackers (about 2 tbsp needed). This will act as a glue and binder for the second layer. Then add a second layer of crackers and then the filling.
  • Lemon juice note: You can use fresh squeezed lemon juice or store bought lemon juice. If using store bought, make sure that the only ingredient is lemon juice. Just because it is labeled "100% lemon juice" does not necessarily mean there aren't other ingredients in the bottle so make sure to check the nutrition label. I used Santa Cruz Organic 100% lemon juice*.
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
  • These bars can be made with full fat sweetened condensed milk or fat free sweetened condensed milk. If using fat free, I recommend reducing the lemon juice slightly, using 10 tbsp instead of 3/4 cup. I like making them with fat free so they aren't quite so rich but I did write the recipe for full fat condensed milk since full fat condensed milk is used more frequently.
  • For thicker bars you can make this in an 8 x 8 pan. I originally made mine thicker and they still held up nicely, but I thought they were a little too sweet and rich and so I cut down on the filling.
  • Estimated nutrition is calculated using fat free sweetened condensed milk and a single layer of Happy Belly graham cracker crust.
Serving: 1bar, Calories: 156kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 88mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 32g, NET CARBS: 35
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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