2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe (2024)

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars are so easy to make! All you need is a box of Angel Food Cake and a can of Lemon Pie Filling! Mix them together to make delicious easy Lemon Bars.

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe (1)

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe

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I love easy recipes! Recipes that you can throw together super fast and have a scrumptious treat! That is exactly what this 2 ingredient easy Lemon Bars Recipe offers!

You can have this ready to go in less than a couple of minutes and have a hot yummy Lemon Bar on the plate in front of you in less than 30 minutes. Hello YUM!!!

I made these for a work party John was hosting. All of the Park Rangers were working together and I figured they would not complain if I brought out a sweet treat. Let's just say the plate of Lemon Bars was empty in a few quick seconds!

Wait until you try these 2 Ingredient Cherry Bars too! Oh my goodness they are so delicious! Oh and 2 ingredient Peach Bars! LOL!

I am constantly amazed at the amazing desserts you can make with angel food cake. I love the Mandarin Orange Angel Food Cake and Pineapple Angel Food cakes that only takes 2 ingredients!

I recently heard these lemon bars using cake mix called sunshine lemon bars.

Ingredients needed

Yes! These are the only two ingredients you need to make this recipe!

Powdered Sugar - To top the bars if you wish

Angel Food Cake Mix - must be the one-step, just-add-water kind!

One thing to know is Marla commented to not use Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake. I haven't tried it but she said that it did not work.

Optional - If you want these even more lemon flavor you can add lemon zest into the batter and/or on top of these bars.

You can also place slices of lemons across the top before baking if you really want the hit of lemon.

Optional toppings - Whipped cream, blueberries, raspberries, lemon glaze, candied lemon peel

Equipment needed

Large Mixing Bowl - We are big fans of this glass batter bowl that has a handle. It makes it easy to mix ingredients and keeps the mixing bowl steady on the counter.

9 x 13 Baking Dish - Also known as a 3 quart casserole dish.

Non-stick cooking spray or Parchment Paper

Spatula

Heat resistant potholders- A couple of years ago, we had a fire scare when we didn't realize we had turned a burner on, and a cloth potholder caught fire. Thankfully we walked by the kitchen and saw the smoke and were able to get it out ourselves. Since then, we have only used these heat-resistant potholders.

How to make 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars

Step 1 - Preheat the oven, gather supplies.

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe (2)

Step 2 - Carefully mix lemon pie filling with angel food cake dry mix. The angel food cake is super light and will spread everywhere if you mix this too quickly to start.

I like to use a spatula to gently fold the mixture together and keep all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl.

I did not try mixing it with my KitchenAid electric mixer because I am pretty sure there would be cake mix all over the kitchen and me.

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe (3)

The lemon bar dough should be light and fluffy.

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe (4)

Step 3 - Carefully spread lemon bar batter in a 9x13 casserole dish.

You can line the pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove the lemon bar recipe using cake mix bars. Just make sure you get the parchment paper as high as you can in the pan so the mix does not get under it.

Also, use some butter to make the parchment paper really stick to the pan. Otherwise, as you can see in the video above the parchment paper tends to move around if you don't have it stuck down really well.

I like this pre-cut parchment paper that makes it really easy to line pans.

Bake the lemon bars until they are golden brown and then allow them to cool before cutting into them.

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe (5)

Once the Lemon Bars with cake mix have cooled you can dust them with powdered sugar if desired.

Cut into squares and enjoy!

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe (6)

Recipe Tips

DO NOT ADD WATER or follow the Angel Food Cake box instructions! Trust me it will not turn out the same.

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

These lemon angel food cake bars are light and delicious!

Printable recipe card instructions are below.

Nutrition information, including calories, protein, calcium, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin c, potassium, cholesterol, sodium, trans fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and more, will vary depending on the products used.

Easy Dessert Recipes

Check out all of our favorite lemon dessert recipes.

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3 ingredient Nutella Cookies

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Lemon Icebox Pie

Lemon Meringue Cookies

Be sure to follow me onInstagram and Tag me at @TammileeTipsLife – I love seeing what you make!

Check out all of our Dessert Recipes

Do you love recipes? Check out ourcopycat recipes,dessert recipes, and our Slow Cooker Recipes.

Follow Tammilee Tips on MSN,Facebook,Instagram, andPinterest,for all of our recipe posts.

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe (9)

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe

Seriously easy 2 ingredient Lemon Bar Recipe that is the perfect sweet treat

3.78 from 314 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 69kcal

Author: Tammilee Tips

Ingredients

  • 1 box Angel Food Cake Mix must be the one step, just-add-water kind
  • 21 Ounce lemon pie filling

Instructions

  • Combine angel food cake and lemon pie filling carefully.

  • Pour into a 9x13 pan

  • Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees

Kitchen Tools

  • 9X13 Pan

  • Parchment Paper

Notes

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 69Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 155mg7%

Potassium 17mg0%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 1g2%

Calcium 29mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Love this recipe?Follow @TammileeTIps on Pinterest

Tried this recipe?Mention @TammileeTipsLife when you share a photo!

Recipe originally shared on May 31, 2013. Updated January 2020, December 2022

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why did my lemon bars fall apart? ›

There are a couple of things that can impact the integrity of your lemon bars. The first is if your crust has cracks in it and the lemon curd fills in the cracks. This can cause your lemon bar to break! It may also break if you don't bake the crust long enough or the lemon layer is underbaked.

Should I refrigerate my lemon bars? ›

Lemon bars should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated in order to prevent bacterial growth or foodborne illness. The filling in lemon bars is made with eggs and can become a breeding ground for bacteria if it's kept in the danger zone (between 41 and 153 degrees F).

How do you fix runny lemon bars? ›

How do you fix runny lemon bars? Runny Lemon Bars are most likely caused from under baking. Make sure the filling no longer jiggles before taking it out of the oven. If your lemon bars are runny put them in the fridge to firm up as much as possible, keeping them cold will keep them firm.

Can I use lemon pie filling instead of lemon curd? ›

While they both have a lemony flavor, they are not interchangeable due to their different textures and consistencies. Lemon curd is best used as a spread or filling for cakes, tarts, or scones, while lemon pie filling is specifically formulated for use in pies.

Why did my lemon bars get brown on top? ›

Why are my lemon bars brown on top? Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer periodically to make sure the settings are correct. If you find that your desserts brown too quickly on the top, bake on a lower rack in your oven to prevent this from happening.

Why did my lemon bars turn out eggy? ›

If your lemon bars look like scrambled eggs, it's because you've overcooked them. The key to perfect lemon bars is to cook them until the filling is set, but not too long. You want the filling to be firm but still have a little bit of jiggle to it when you shake the pan.

Why are my lemon bars foamy? ›

Seeing a thin whitish foamy layer of air bubbles on top of your baked lemon bars is completely normal. It is the air bubbles created from whisking the eggs rising to the surface during baking. Lemon bars taste the same with or without that layer and a dusting of icing sugar covers it right up!

Can lemon bars be undercooked? ›

The most common reason for gooey lemon bars is they're undercooked. Be sure to bake them until the top is fully set and no longer jiggly in the middle. You'll also notice the edges will start to brown.

How long should lemon bars cool before cutting? ›

Allow the lemon bars to cool for at least an hour, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for another two hours. Once chilled, remove from pan and peel away the parchment paper. I always dust with powdered sugar for a little visual contrast but that's optional. Use a SHARP damp knife to cut the bars.

How do you cut lemon bars neatly? ›

I have found that a hot, wet, very sharp knife helps quite a bit. Also, make sure the bars are completely chilled before cutting.

Why didn't my lemon bars set up? ›

Usually, it just means that you need to bake your bars longer. If your bars seem to brown at the edges, you can cover them with aluminum foil and turn down the heat. The bars should be set at the edges and jiggly without being runny in the middle. They will set fully as they cool.

What is lemon bar filling made of? ›

Make the filling: Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, then the lemon juice until completely combined. Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles.

Why does my lemon pie filling get watery? ›

If the meringue is swirled onto a cool filling and baked, steam in the reheating filling just reaches the meringue. As the pie cools, the steam condenses to form the sweet weeping (sometimes a pool) under the meringue.

Can you buy lemon curd in the grocery store? ›

It's kept in jars and sold in the jam aisle of the supermarket. Yet technically, lemon curd is more of a thick custard than a traditional preserve.

Is custard the same as curd? ›

While curd resembles pudding or custard, the difference lies in the way it's thickened. Custards and puddings rely on cornstarch, milk and cream, while eggs are the primary thickener for curd, making it lighter and brighter.

Why did my lemon bars crack when cooling? ›

Don't Over-Bake.

If you leave them in the oven too long, it can cause your bars to crack.

Why is my lemon juice separating? ›

After extraction, the light fruit cellulose will float in the upper part of water. This is why fresh fruit juice is divided into layers.

Why did my lemon drizzle cake collapse in the middle? ›

There's too much liquid. Opening the oven or moving pans during baking. Oven temperature is too low, or cake isn't baked long enough.

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