Butter Crunch Lemon-Cheese Bars

Pucker up, these are heaven!
- Ready In:
- 1hr 10mins
- Serves:
- Units:
3
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ingredients
-
Crust
- 1 nonstick cooking spray
- 1⁄3 cup butter, softened
- 1⁄4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground mace or 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
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Filling
- 1 cup low fat cottage cheese
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon, zest of
- 3 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray an 8-by-8-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray.
- To prepare the crust, in a mixing bowl beat together on medium speed the butter, dark brown sugar, salt and mace until smooth.
- Spoon 1 cup flour lightly into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.
- Add the flour to the butter mixture and beat at low speed until well blended.
- Press the crust into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
- In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the cottage cheese for 2 minutes or until smooth, scraping sides of the bowl once.
- Add the sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, baking powder, egg and egg white.
- Process until well blended.
- Pour the filling over the baked crust.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set (the edges will get lightly browned).
- Remove from the oven and cool.
- When cool, cover and chill for 8 hours.
- To serve, cut into bars.
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RECIPE MADE WITH LOVE BY
@Mirj2338
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These are really good. I did use lowfat yogurt instead of the cottage cheese since I didn't have a blender to process the cheese. I also added a little less sugar to the filling because I like them really tangy. The crust is great and the nutmeg adds a really complex flavor without overwhelming. The filling is smooth and lemony and just firm enough to cut. I'll definitely make these again. Edit: They freeze well too. Just use wax or parchment paper to separate the layers.Reply
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These are really good. I did use lowfat yogurt instead of the cottage cheese since I didn't have a blender to process the cheese. I also added a little less sugar to the filling because I like them really tangy. The crust is great and the nutmeg adds a really complex flavor without overwhelming. The filling is smooth and lemony and just firm enough to cut. I'll definitely make these again. Edit: They freeze well too. Just use wax or parchment paper to separate the layers.Reply
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I can't believe this went so long without anyone making it! I loved the combo of the crunchy brown sugar/mace flavor crust with the creamy lemon cheesecake like topping....VERY NICE! I used premium molasses dark brown sugar. I used my immersion blender to puree the cottage cheese in a bowl and then beat in the rest of the ingredients with my electric mixer. It used about 2 lemons. Mine baked for much longer than the recipe says...it took 40 minutes before it looked set. This does have a very nice lemon flavor but mine wasn't puckerable. Also, I'd say it makes 8 large servings but 16 small ones so the calories are even less! Thanks for this keeper recipe Mirj!Reply
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