Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 2 c. flour
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• 1 c. lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Make crust: In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, butter, and salt, until it’s just combined. (It should feel like wet sand.) Line the bottom of a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, and press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes until golden, and allow to cool slightly.
3. Make the lemon cheesecake: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in eggs and yolks, and beat until well mix, another minute. Add in the condensed milk, vanilla, and lemon zest, and beat for another 2 minutes. Turn down mixer, and add in the lemon juice and beat until just combined. Pour batter over the crust, and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the center is set, but the edges are starting to turn golden.
4. Remove from oven, and let cool completely. Then put the bars in the refrigerator to set for at least 3 hours. Slice into bars.