Perfectly sweet and perfectly tart, this Shortbread Lemon Tart Recipe tastes like the best lemon bars in pie form.
Looking for more lemon pies? Try this Lemon Chess Pie or this Lemon Meringue Pie.
This Shortbread Lemon Tart Recipe is so good. I actually first made this tart for Thanksgiving years ago, with full intentions to photograph it and post it then. But then on Thanksgiving, I decided that I wanted to take the day off – no photographing, no working. So that’s what I did.
But the tart was so good that I had to make it again, just to share with all of you.
If you are a fan of lemon bars, you will absolutely adore this lemon tart. It tastes just like your favorite lemon bars, but in tart form. This is simple enough for a weekend dessert at home, but sophisticated enough for a holiday dessert. And I couldn’t keep my fork away. I could seriously sit and eat this whole tart myself – that’s how much I love it.
Ingredients
Filling: The filling ingredients are a lot of the same things you’ll find in lemon bars – eggs, lemon juice and zest, sugar, and butter. The one unique ingredient is orange zest, which adds another layer of citrus flavor.
Crust: The crust is a basic shortbread crust, with flour, sugar, and butter.
How to Make This Lemon Tart
- Start by making the filling. You will combine the all of the filling ingredients and process them in a blender until they are smooth. Add the butter and process again until smooth.
- Make the crust by combining the flour and powdered sugar in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks sandy.
- Press the crust into your tart pan in an even layer.
- Pour the filling into the crust, and bake until the center is almost set.
- Let the tart cool completely before sprinkling with powdered sugar.
Tips and Tricks
- I like to place my tart pan on a baking sheet. Since you are using a tart pan with a removable bottom, this just ensures that you don’t pick it up and have the bottom separate.
- If you use a smaller tart pan, the filling will not all fit.
- The crust will seem dry, but this is what creates a nice, melt in your mouth texture.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can make the crust in a bowl with a pastry cutter – it will just not be as fine.
- Store the tart in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
More Lemon Favorites
Lemon Poke Cake with Coconut
Yogurt Cake
French Lemon Cream Tart with Meringue
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Shortbread Lemon Tart Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Filling:
- 4 large eggs
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- powdered sugar for topping
Shortbread Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup cold butter cut into cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a blender, combine the eggs, lemon juice, granulated sugar, lemon zest and orange zest. Process on high until smooth. Add the butter, replace the cover, and blend again on high until smooth. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the flour and powdered sugar. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and continue to pulse until the mixture looks sandy and the butter is fully incorporated into the flour and sugar.
- Place an 11-inch tart pan on a baking sheet. Pour the crust mixture into the pan. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Pour the filing into the crust, then transfer the tart into the oven. Bake until the center is almost set, 30-35 minutes.
- Cool the tart completely. When ready to serve, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and cut into slices.
Jeanne says
This is so good I’ve made it twice this month! It’s perfection!!
By any chance have you ever made this with key limes? Would I just substitute the key limes for the lemons but keep the orange rind in?
Deborah says
I have never tried lime, but I think it sounds wonderful! You could either do all lime, or for some contrast, add in the orange as well. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the recipe!
Judith says
Can leftover be frozen?
Deborah says
Hi Judith, I have actually not tried freezing this tart, so I’m not sure how it would do. I’m guessing that it will freeze just fine, though.
josie says
so easy it seemed too good to be true! loved this recipe. i wish i’d known it was for an 11-inch tart pan (not a 9-inch) before i started, but that was my mistake — either way, currently waiting for little muffin-sized tarts in the oven right now with the leftover batter and crust 🙂