It is lemon season in the Valley of the Sun and if you have a lemon tree – or if you are like me who has a neighbor with a lemon tree – lemons are ABUNDANT right now! I have been making several lemon based dishes recently and although this dessert doesn’t call for a ton of lemon based ingredients, I knew my family would love it!
Product sites don’t usually disappoint when it comes to recipes – this one from Kraft is no different. I made a couple of modifications to the recipe, using Nilla wafers instead coconut macaroon cookies, although I’m sure those would have been delicious – but I had the Nilla wafers in my pantry….and that’s how I roll. I also used reduced fat cream cheese and the result was still perfection.
- 1 1/2 cups crushed Nilla wafer cookies
- 2 tablespoons margarine, melted
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) reduced fat cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- Heat oven to 350°F. Mix cookie crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 8-inch square pan sprayed with cooking spray.
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, juice and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
- Bake 20 to 25 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 3 hours before serving.