My mother-in-law demands I bring these 3 ingredient wonders to every family gathering. They always disappear before the main course is served.

For a slightly less sweet bar, use a yellow or white cake mix instead of lemon; you’ll still get plenty of citrus from the pie filling, but with a softer, more buttery flavor. If you prefer a tangier profile, stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and a bit of finely grated lemon zest into the canned pie filling before spreading it over the crust. To add subtle texture, mix 1/2 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut or finely chopped toasted almonds into the crust-and-topping mixture. For a prettier presentation, dust the cooled bars with powdered sugar just before serving—this is especially nice if you’re bringing them to a holiday table or a bridal shower. If your gatherings run long and you worry about the bars softening, bake them on the longer end of the time range so the top is a touch more golden and the filling a bit firmer; they’ll hold up better on a buffet. Finally, for smaller or more intimate get-togethers, you can halve the recipe and bake it in an 8×8-inch glass dish, checking for doneness a few minutes earlier.