Lemon Bars

Perfectly tart and sweet, these are the perfect Lemon Bars! A shortbread crust is topped with a delicious lemon filling. They are perfect for a cookie platter or for a potluck!

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If you know me, you know that lemon is my favorite. Some favorite lemon recipes are this Lemon Cheesecake, Lemon Meringue Pie, or Lemon Ice Cream.

It is hard for me to resist a lemon dessert. Like really hard. Especially when it is a classic recipe, like these Lemon Bars.

I’m a girl who can eat lemon curd by the spoonful, so when you top a shortbread crust with a lemon curd-like filling, you know I’m a fan. I love that these are sweet and tart, and that a little square is satisfying!

Ingredients

• Butter: You’ll use melted butter for the crust. I like to melt it and then let it sit for a few minutes so that it is not too hot.
• Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract is best.
• Flour: You’ll need flour for both the crust and the filling, so make sure to follow the recipe card instructions on how much to use for each.
• Powdered Sugar: This is for the crust.
• Salt: The salt will balance the flavors.
• Sugar: The sugar sweetens the lemon curd filling. It will also help with the texture.
• Lemon Zest: This is important for flavor and for the tartness. If you don’t love the tart, you can cut this amount in half.
• Eggs: I use large eggs, and I wouldn’t suggest cutting this down. The eggs are what hold everything together.
• Lemon Juice: You will need approximately 5-6 lemons for a cup of juice. This will depend on the size of the lemons and how juicy they are, though.

How to Make Lemon Bars

There are 2 parts to making your lemon bars – the crust and the filling. They are both super simple!

Making the Crust

1. In a bowl, combine the butter and vanilla.
2. Add 2 1/4 cups of the flour, the powdered sugar, and the salt.
3. Stir it to combine.
4. Press it into the bottom of a baking dish. I like to use parchment paper because it is easy to remove the bars once baked. Bake the crust for 20 minutes.

Making the Filling

1. Place the sugar and the lemon zest in a bowl and using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar.
2. Stir in the remaining flour.
3. Mix together the eggs and the lemon juice.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
5. Stir it all well to combine.
6. Pour the lemon mixture into the warm crust, then return the pan to the oven to bake until the bars are set, about 30 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to use fresh lemon juice?
I would highly suggest using freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice usually contains preservatives and does not taste as good as fresh. You’ll need the zest, so it’s best to grab some fresh lemons to use.

Can you use a different citrus?
Yes! Just replace the lemon zest and juice with another citrus of your choice. Lime or grapefruit are delicious. Orange is good, but is not a very bold flavor. Or use a combination of different citrus fruits!

Do lemon bars have to be refrigerated?
You’ll need to refrigerate the bars before slicing them, and then any leftovers need to be refrigerated. I think they taste the best straight out of the refrigerator, but you can let them come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving, if desired. I would still suggest cutting them when they are straight from the refrigerator, though.

Even More Lemon Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
Lemon Muffins
Lemon Loaf
Shortbread Lemon Tart
Lemon Cream Pie
Lemon Curd
French Lemon Cream Tart with Meringue
Lemon Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

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Lemon Bars

5 from 1 vote

Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 5 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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Perfectly tart and sweet, these are the perfect Lemon Bars! A shortbread crust is topped with a delicious lemon filling. They are perfect for a cookie platter or for a potluck!

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup 8 oz tablespoons butter, melted
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour divided
• ▢ 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 cups sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• ▢ 6 large eggs
• ▢ 1 cup lemon juice
• ▢ Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line a 13×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper or spray very well with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine the melted butter and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add 2 1/4 cups of the flour, the powdered sugar, and the salt and mix to combine.
• Press into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.
• While the crust is baking, combine the sugar and the lemon zest in a bowl. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar.
• Once combined, add the remaining cup of flour, the eggs, and the lemon juice. Mix to combine.
• Carefully pour the lemon mixture into the warm crust. Return to the oven and bake until the edges are set and the middle is just barely jiggly, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the bars sit until they come to room temperature, 1-2 hours, then refrigerate until chilled, at least another 2 hours.
• When chilled, dust with powdered sugar, if desired, and cut into bars.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 270kcal (14%), Carbohydrates: 40g (13%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fat: 11g (17%), Saturated Fat: 6g (38%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 80mg (27%), Sodium: 51mg (2%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 25g (28%)

Keywords: lemon bar recipe, Lemon bars, lemon desserts