If you’re a fan of lemon desserts, you’ll love these easy No-Bake Lemon Squares. They’re a perfectly simple sweet treat – light, zesty and almost refreshing! You’ll just need six ingredients to make it – crushed biscuits, butter, condensed milk, coconut, lemon and icing sugar.
I’ve been making this simple No Bake Lemon Slice for years. I don’t bake much during the Summer months, but I was craving something sweet and lemony.
It was too hot to turn on the oven and make a lemon drizzle cake. I pulled my old recipe book out of the cupboard and found this recipe. Conveniently, I had all the ingredients to make it.
Also known as Lemon Fudge Bars, this easy No-Bake Lemon Traybake comes together in just a few minutes – and you don’t need any special equipment to make it.
I recommend trying them straight from the fridge – the lemon zest and lemon glaze cut through the sweetness, making them slightly refreshing. A perfect no-bake sweet treat for Summertime.
why you’ll love this recipe
- Full of fresh lemon flavour
- Quick and easy – no mixer needed, just a wooden spoon and a bowl
- Keeps well for several days
- Perfect for bake sales or tea parties
ingredients for no bake lemon squares
- Crushed Biscuits. You can use malted milks, digestives, rich teas or any plain biscuit. Crush the biscuits using a food processor or place them in a large freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin. This takes a bit longer, but it’s a good job to give to children – they seem to enjoy it!
- Condensed Milk binds everything together and gives the bars a fudgy texture.
- Melted Butter – there’s no need to go to the bother of buying unsalted butter – salted is fine.
- Dessicated Coconut adds texture to the squares and pairs beautifully with the lemon. Shredded coconut would also work. I used sweetened desiccated coconut, but unsweetened is also fine.
- One Large Lemon – (or two small). You’ll need the zest and the juice (the juice goes in the glaze).
- Icing Sugar, for the glaze.
how to make lemon fudge bars
1. Butter and line a 9 x 13 inch baking tin.
2. Melt the butter in a small pan. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
3. Place the condensed milk in a large bowl and pour in the melted butter. Stir together until combined. Stir in the crushed biscuits, coconut and grated lemon zest.
4. Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and using a large metal spoon, press down well and as evenly as possible. Chill for at least two hours.
5. When the mixture is firm and set, make the glaze. Mix the icing sugar (if it’s lumpy, you should probably sieve it – but I’ll be honest, I rarely bother and never have any lumps) and lemon juice together and carefully spread it over the base. Sprinkle a little extra finely grated lemon zest over the top, if you like.
HANDY TIP – I find the best way to spread the icing glaze is to gently tilt the tin so the icing slowly spreads and reaches the corners. Even once set, the mixture is slightly soft, so if you use a palette knife to spread it out, it can make a bit of a mess.
6. Chill again for at least one hour or until the icing has set firm. Cut into squares.
how to store lemon squares
You can store these lemon slices in the fridge inside an airtight container or at room temperature. They will keep in the fridge for up to one week, or on the kitchen counter for 4-5 days. I prefer them chilled, but they’re lovely either way!
Looking for recipes to use up the rest of the condensed milk?….
more lemon desserts
A few more no-bake recipes to try
No Bake Lemon Squares
A quick and easy No Bake Lemon Slice made with crushed biscuits, condensed milk, fresh lemon and coconut.
Ingredients
- 150g butter
- 200g (half a tin) condensed milk
- 400g plain biscuits, such as rich teas, digestives or malted milks, crushed using a food processor (or place them in a large freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin)
- 125g desiccated or shredded coconut
- finely grated zest of one large or two small lemons
- 300g icing sugar (sifted if lumpy)
- Juice of one large lemon (or two small)
Instructions
- Butter and line a 23 x 33 cm/ 9 x 13 inch baking tin, making sure the paper extends above the tin slightly for easy removal later.
- Melt the butter in a small pan, then remove from the heat and let it cool for a couple of minutes.
- Place the condensed milk in a large bowl and stir in the melted butter, crushed biscuits, coconut and lemon zest. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until everything is well combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the lined tin. Use the back of a large spoon to press it down as evenly as possible, making sure you reach the corners of the tin.
- Chill in the fridge for at least two hours or until set.
- To make the glaze, mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl. You need it not too runny, but not too thick. If it coats the back of a spoon without running off quickly, it's perfect. Carefully spread the glaze over the chilled base. Sprinkle over a little extra grated lemon zest, if desired.
- Return to the fridge for about one hour to allow the icing to set. Cut into squares.
Notes
These lemon squares will keep in the fridge inside an airtight container for up to one week or at room temperature for 4-5 days.
The bars can also be frozen for up to two months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 297Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 254mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 2gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g
Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.