Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later. Mix together 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup softened butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl until it looks like coarse sand. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into your prepared pan, then bake for 10 minutes until golden brown at the edges.

While the base bakes, prepare your filling by beating together 1 cup softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a separate bowl until completely smooth and creamy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix well, then set this mixture aside for the next step.

In another bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons lemon zest until well combined and slightly frothy. Stir in 1 tablespoon cornstarch to help thicken the filling while it bakes.

Fold the cream cheese mixture gently into your lemon mixture until you don't see any white streaks anymore. Don't panic if it looks a little curdled at first—it'll smooth out as you fold. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream and fold just until combined and silky smooth.

Pour this filling over your partially baked crust, spreading it evenly to all corners. You want an even layer so every bar gets that perfect balance of crust and tangy filling. This is the part where I always use an offset spatula to smooth it out cleanly.

Bake your Easter lemon bars recipe for 28-32 minutes until the filling is set but still has a tiny jiggle in the center when you gently shake the pan. The edges will look slightly firmer than the middle, and that's exactly what you want—overbaking makes them dry and rubbery.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature for at least 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into 16 bars. Use the parchment overhang to lift the whole thing out, then cut with a sharp knife dipped in hot water between each slice for clean edges.