Lemon Bars
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Lemon Bars: a beloved classic treat! Buttery shortbread crust, tangy lemon filling, and a dusting of powdered sugar on top. So bright, citrusy, & happy!
Original publish date: January 31, 2019.
When it comes to treats that are easy to tote, dessert bars win hands-down. Just stack ’em and pack ’em, and you’re good to go!
Some of my favorites include these unbelievably rich and chocolatey brownies, these sweet and buttery blondies, and, of course, cheesecake bars!
But the list wouldn’t be complete without that beloved classic: lemon bars! These are synonymous with bake sales and casual get-togethers. The lemon flavor brings such a warm ray of sunshine with every bite!
These lemon bars consist of a buttery, crumbly shortbread base, topped with a sticky layer of gooey lemon goodness (similar to thick lemon curd) and a generous dusting of powdered sugar on top to balance all the flavors.
You get a buttery, almost savory crust, bright, tangy citrus, and sweet sugar. It’s an incredible combination!
Table of Contents
- Here’s Why You’ll Love These
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- In Photos: How to Make Lemon Bars
- Helpful Tips & Tricks
- More Dessert Bar Recipes:
Here’s Why You’ll Love These
- Simple: This recipe is quick and easy to make, with just a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- Refreshing: Lemon bars are so bright and cheery!
- Contrast: The buttery, crumbly shortbread crust against the tart and creamy lemon filling provides the most incredible contrast of textures and flavors!
- Timeless: Lemon bars are a total classic, and this recipe honors that traditional, nostalgic flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Flour: All-purpose flour is my go-to, but you can swap it out for any kind of whole-grain option if you like. (You may need slightly less if you go that route.) A gluten-free flour blend that can sub 1:1 for regular flour should also work just fine, if you’d like to make gluten-free lemon bars.
Sugar: We are going to use 2 kinds of sugar here: powdered sugar in the crust (it makes things so tender!) and granulated sugar in the filling. You can sub in another type of sweetener if you like. As long as it swaps 1:1 for granulated sugar it should work.
Salt: Salt carries the flavors and intensifies them. The end result won’t taste salty, but it will make everything so much more flavorful! I like kosher salt best because it doesn’t have any additives so the flavor is pure. Table salt usually contains iodine which can leave a bitter taste. It’s also inexpensive and easy to find in a regular grocery store.
Butter: I like to use unsalted butter because it lets me control the amount of salt in the dish. Different brands of butter can contain different amounts of salt, so this way you get a more consistent result. For a vegan or dairy-free lemon bar recipe, use a plant-based product that can substitute for dairy butter 1:1.
Eggs: Eggs build the structure and add richness. It’s best if they’re at room temperature, although I don’t find this to be critical. Use large chicken eggs or a plant-based product that subs 1:1.
Lemon: I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice for this recipe- the flavor is amazing! And if they’re in season and you can find them, Meyer lemons provide a more gentle, less tart flavor.
In Photos: How to Make Lemon Bars
Step 1: Whisk the flour, powdered sugar, and salt together and add the cold butter.
Step 2: Cut the butter into the flour mixture until only pea-sized pieces remain.
Step 3: Press the mixture into an even layer in a lightly greased, parchment-lined square pan.
Step 4: Bake until just barely turning golden around the edges.
Step 5: Stir the sugar and flour together in a large bowl.
Step 6: Whisk in the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Step 7: Pour the filling over the crust and bake until set around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the center.
Step 8: Allow the bars to cool completely, then cut into squares and dust the tops with powdered sugar.
Helpful Tips & Tricks
- Line the pan: With parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides. This makes lifting the lemon bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board really easy.
- Use cold, cubed butter when making the shortbread crust: This helps create a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Don’t overmix: Be cautious not to overmix the shortbread crust. Overmixing can lead to a tough crust.
- Press evenly: An even layer of crust ensures consistent baking, so you won’t end up with some spots that are underdone and others that are burnt.
- Use fresh lemons for the zest and juice: They give the most vibrant and authentic citrus flavor in this lemon dessert recipe!
- Don’t overbake: Keep a close eye on the bars as they bake. Overbaking can result in dry, gummy lemon bars. The center should be set with a slight wobble. Keep in mind, they will continue to set up a lot as they cool.
- Cool completely: Allow the lemon bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting them and cutting them into squares. This helps them set properly and ensures clean, neat slices.
More Dessert Bar Recipes:
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Lemon Bars
Ingredients
For the shortbread crust
- 1 1/4 cups (156.25 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, , cold (1 stick)
For the lemon filling
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (31.25 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs, , large
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest , (zest of 1 lemon)
- 2/3 cup (162.67 ml) lemon juice , (juice of 3 lemons)
- powdered sugar,, for garnish
Instructions
To make the shortbread crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, mist an 8×8 pan with non-stick spray, and line with parchment.
- Place the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer, and bake until set (approximately 20 to 25 minutes).
To make the lemon filling
- Whisk the sugar, flour, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice together in a large bowl.
- Pour the filling over the partially-baked crust and bake until the filling is set (approximately 25 to 35 minutes).
- Cool completely, cut into squares, and dust with powdered sugar for garnish.
Love these bars. I make them 4 times a year! It’s a 4 star foe sure
I made a batch of these just yesterday and they were a big hit. The shortbread crust is quick and easy. The same goes for the lemon filling. Both the crust and filling are basically 4 ingredients each. Because of the simplicity of the egg/flour binding for the filling base, I anticipate making numerous variations. Lime, orange, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and blueberry fillings (whether chunky or pureéd) just by replacing the lemon juice…and probably using an equal amount. Or using an equally simple graham cracker crust. The possibilities are vast! I love desserts.
(*And I just noticed the comment below regarding the cranberry-orange filling! Yum! By the way, stewing and reducing actual cranberries with sugar, and then running it through a food mill makes an incredible cranberry sauce perfect for this recipe.)
Thank you so much David!
Thank you for sharing this incredible lemon bar recipe! It reminds me of the ones my grandma used to make. The aroma, the texture – everything is spot on. Can’t wait to bring back some sweet memories with a tray of these at our next family gathering.
So happy you liked it! TYSM for the 5-star review!
This is my go to dessert and I love it every single time! First of all, it’s super straightforward. The bulk of the effort just lies in putting a little elbow grease into squeezing and zesting the lemons. Its tangy, sweet balance is immaculate and I have to consider making double batches now :)))
Hi Allie,
I have been following you for several years and LOVE everything that comes out of your kitchen that we’ve tried in ours. So, yesterday when I saw on a Trader Joe’s ad, layered cranberry-orange bars, I knew that if I wanted to make these myself, I needed to start with your lemon bar recipe.
To start with I’m planning to take your recipe and substitute orange for one layer, and then poke around for a suitable cranberry filling. But… I don’t have a lot of experience with this kind of ‘custard’ bar, and I want to have the orange and cranberry layers to be separate, so they look kind of ‘sunset-y’ from the cut edges. I’m wondering if you have any thoughts on bake times and techniques to get the two distinct layers.
Thanks for all your generosity in sharing so much goodness!!
These are super good, like all of you recipes! And so easy to make. This will definitely become one of my staples. Where have these been all my life?
I just LOVE this recipe, and so does my family! I must be honest though, I have yet to make it as lemon bars as intended, but instead have substituted the lemon juice with Mexican lime juice. I left all other measurements and ingredients as intended by the author. We have both trees in our yard and our lime yields ridiculous amounts of fruit and I didńt want them to go to waste. I have to admit, the main reason why Íve chosen this recipe was because of its simplicity and how closely it resembles the recipe my mother used when I was a child. Although using Mexican lime juice is to die for, I cańt wait to try it using our lemons. Thanks for your time in sharing your baking passion with us.
Hi! Thank you so much for this free and very easy to follow recipe; this is also my first try on lemon bars. However, when i poured the lemon filling on to the crust, the crust floated and the finished product technically became an upside down lemon bar. Do you have any tips on how I can avoid this? The final product is still salvageable since i only need to flip the pan but still… Anyways, thank you again for the recipe! 🙂
This recipe was fantastic. My husband can’t stop talking about these lemon squares.
So happy to hear this! Thank you for the great feedback!
These are perfect. I have tryed other lemon bar receipes but none are as good as these. Thank you so much.
p.s. some people just dont know what good is. Everybody enjoyed them. I followed the receipe to a T. Lol
Thank you so much Janice!
I chose to make these after having lots of lemons left after doing a lemon loaf. I am really pleased with this recipe. There are nice and lemony without being overpowering. We had to make the base twice but that was as my husband overdone the making it into the breadcrumb texture, watching the video helped to make sure we were on the right track. Will certainly try this recipe again. Thank you!
You’re welcome Robyn! I’m so happy it worked well for you!
I made these lemon bars yesterday, and it was my first time making lemon bars. They are so delicious. I didn’t have the right size pan so I used a 8×8 glass dish. Even though I baked the bars longer than the recipe called for, my center came out soft instead of firm. Next time I’ll use the same 8×8 pan you used on your video. Thank you for this simple recipe.
Thanks so much for the feedback Gloria! I’m hearing that a lot of people have had to increase the bake time…. wondering if I should change the recipe.
No, I wouldn’t change the recipe. I checked with my nephew and he said that some ovens don’t have true temperature so he suggested that I get an oven temperature. I had a similar issue with oatmeal cookies.
I doubled the recipe and put it in a 9×13 pan. I needed to bake them longer. Did the crust for 20 min and then 40 min for filling. They are so yummy! The perfect crust to filling ratio.
Great to know Patty! Thanks for sharing that. And thanks for the 5-star rating!