No bake lemon raspberry bars are a twist on the classic Australian lemon slice. Tart lemon squares made with sweetened condensed milk and graham crackers are topped with a sweet raspberry lemon buttercream.
Lemon raspberry bars are sure to become a family favorite. They are a no bake dessert, are easy to make and are positively delightful to eat! This bright and fruity dessert would be perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, birthdays or any celebration or gathering.
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what are no bake lemon raspberry bars?
The inspiration for this recipe comes from my blogging friend, Marie, at Sugar Salt Magic. Marie has a coconut lemon slice recipe on her blog and after one bite, I knew a variation with raspberries would be dreamy!
Marie believes that the lemon slice recipe originally hailed from a sweetened condensed milk brand, but it’s since become an Aussie classic dessert. The squares are dense and almost fudge-like; made from ground graham crackers {the Aussie’s use biscuits} and sweetened condensed milk.
I make this an easy lemon raspberry dessert by adding freeze dried raspberries to both the lemon base and a raspberry lemon buttercream.
what ingredients do I need?
- Graham crackers ~ if graham crackers are not available where you live, digestive biscuits are a good substitute. The finer you crush the crackers, the more fudge-like the bars will be.
- Unsalted butter ~ used in both the lemon raspberry layer and for the raspberry lemon buttercream.
- Sweetened condensed milk ~ acts as the binder of the bars and gives them their fudgy texture {I like Eagle Brand}
- Lemon juice and lemon zest ~ zest the lemons first, then squeeze them for their juice. You will need 2 medium to large lemons. {this is the zester and juicer that I have}
- Freeze dried raspberries ~ used in both the layers. You will need one 1.25oz {35g} bag, which will be divided between the base layer and buttercream. I bought mine at Target.
- Confectioners’ sugar ~ also known as powdered sugar or icing sugar is needed for the buttercream.
- Heavy whipping cream ~ for the buttercream. You can substitute whipping cream or half and half, if needed.
- Kosher salt {not pictured} ~ just a pinch needed for the buttercream to help balance the sweetness.
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how to make the lemon raspberry bar layer
Start by lining an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper {a 9×9 will also work}. Then crush the graham cracker crumbs. I use my food processor to make the crushing process quick, but you can also crush the graham crackers in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin.
Then mix the graham cracker crumbs, 25 grams of the freeze dried raspberries {about ¾ of the bag} and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl.
In a small sauce pan, heat the sweetened condensed milk and butter over low heat until the butter melts. The idea is not to cook this mixture, but just to combine the two ingredients. Once the butter is melted, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Then add the sweetened condensed milk mixture to the graham crackers and mix it all together. Finally, press the mixture into the prepared baking pan and chill it while you make the raspberry lemon buttercream.
let’s make raspberry lemon buttercream!
Start by beating the room temperature butter, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl with a hand held mixer; beat until it’s very light and fluffy. Then add the confectioners’ sugar, crushed and strained freeze dried raspberries, heavy cream and lemon juice and beat together until smooth and creamy.
Take the buttercream and create an even layer of buttercream over the top of the raspberry lemon bars. Then chill bars for 1-2 hours, until the buttercream sets.
Use the parchment overhang to pull the chilled bars from the baking pan and place them on a cutting surface. Cut the bars into the size you desire with a sharp knife and enjoy!
where do you buy freeze dried raspberries?
I most often buy freeze dried raspberries at Trader Joe’s or Target. I also find that many grocery stores and some drug stores carry freeze dried fruit. Freeze dried raspberries are also available to purchase on Amazon.
how do you remove the seeds from the freeze dried raspberries?
I crush the freeze dried raspberries in a food processor {my mini prep works great for this task}. Then I place the crushed berries through a fine mesh sieve to separate the berries from the seeds.
how to store no bake raspberry lemon bars
Any leftover bars should be stored covered in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for 4-5 days. The bars can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter, if your kitchen isn’t too hot.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Lemon Raspberry Bars. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more lemon and raspberry recipes to try!
- Homemade Raspberry Cake
- Lemon Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Homemade Lemon Cupcakes
- Lemon Almond Cookie Bars with Dark Chocolate
- Mom’s Lemon Bars
- Raspberry Hazelnut Cookies
- Lemon White Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
Lemon Raspberry Bars
Tart lemon squares made with sweetened condensed milk and graham crackers are topped with a sweet raspberry lemon buttercream. This no bake lemon raspberry treat is sure to become a family favorite!
20 minutes
2 hours
2 hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
Lemon raspberry layer
- 1 – 14.4 ounce box graham crackers, crushed to fine crumbs* (408g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup freeze dried raspberries** (35g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes (113g)
- 1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (396g)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (45mL)
raspberry lemon buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar (180g)
- ½ cup freeze dried raspberries**, crushed and sifted (10g)
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (45mL)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15mL)
Instructions
- For the lemon raspberry layer: Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, being sure to leave a little overhang. {a 9×9 pan will also work}
- Crush your graham crackers into crumbs. I like to use my food processor for this job. You can also crush them in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin. Add the graham cracker crumbs to a large bowl. Mix in the lemon zest and 25g of the freeze dried raspberries {about 1 cup}. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, heat the unsalted butter and sweetened condensed milk over low heat until the butter is melted. The idea is not to cook this mixture, but rather to melt the butter and combine the two ingredients. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the lemon juice. Pour the sweetened condensed milk mixture over the graham crackers. Mix until well combined.
- Press the dough into the prepared baking pan and chill while you make the buttercream.
- For the raspberry lemon buttercream: crush the remaining raspberries using the food processor and sift them through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand held mixer, beat the butter, kosher salt and lemon zest on medium high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape up and down the bowl, then add the confectioners’ sugar, sifted and crushed freeze dried raspberries, heavy whipping cream and lemon juice. Mix on low until the sugar is incorporated, then beat on medium high for another 3-5 minutes until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
- Spread the buttercream over the chilled lemon layer in an even layer. Chill 1-2 hours {for the buttercream to set} before slicing and serving.
Notes
* If graham crackers are not available where you live, digestive biscuits are a good substitute.
** The cup measurements for the freeze dried raspberries do not need to be perfect measurements. You will use about ¾ of the 1.25 ounce bag for the bars and the remaining ¼ for the buttercream.
Store any leftovers well covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You can freeze for up to 2 months {in an airtight container} as well.
Recipe adapted from Sugar Salt Magic’s Coconut Lemon Slice
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 257Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 3g
The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.
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