• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside.

Graham Cracker Crust

• Stir the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl, and then stir in the melted butter.
• Press into the bottom of the lined pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes as you prepare the filling in the next step.

Lemon Filling

• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg yolks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice and remaining one tablespoon of sugar. After mixing the filling with your mixer, give it a final whisk by hand to make sure there are no cream cheese lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Pour the filling evenly onto the warm crust.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the edges of the bars appear set and the center is only slightly jiggly.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature on a wire rack and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.
• Lift the parchment paper out of the pan and cut into squares. Garnish with lemon zest, whipped cream, lemon slices and mint leaves, if desired.