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.
Anne says
I made this last night. I am a very experienced baker and the crust did not come together for some reason. I followed the recipe exactly. I added an egg yolk and it came together beautifully. The tart was EXCELLENT. Beautiful pure lemon flavour and perfect consistency. Will definitely make it again, with the added egg yolk.
Don man says
it so good
Catherine says
This tasted good but the proportions seemed off. 2 cups of flour was way too much flour so I had to transfer that mixture to a different dish. The food processor method did not work for me so I switched the flour/butter to a pastry cutter but it seemed dry still. The liquid (lemon mixture) was also way too much for my tart pan. I had to cook it for 10-12 minutes longer than the recipe suggested. Everyone liked it but next time I would use more butter and may a little cold water in the dough and cut the flour down to 1.25 cups and I would use 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks (instead of 4 eggs). I would also use less sugar, maybe 1 cup instead of 1.5 cups but that is a personal preference.
Steph says
This recipe is fantastic and I will definitely make again!
Only change I made was to crust prep, I cut in softened butter with a pastry cutter, pressed into a pan and then refrigerated for a bit before pouring in the filling. Didn’t feel like dirtying the food processor.
Jennifer says
Hi there ! I just tried this recipe and I’m excited to dig in ! If I made it to serve the next day, do I store it in the fridge ? Does it have to be sealed ? Thank you !
IL says
I made this recipe once and like many comments the top turned brown but was very delicious. Please tell me did you use one packet of gelatin and what did you do with it? did you dissolve it in water and if so how much water did you use or did you just throw it into the mix? did you also cook the crust before putting the curd into it? if so for how long?
Kari Stinton says
Yum! A definite keeper. I cooked for approx 5 minutes more and it was delish! Thank you.
Charisa Lakin says
I absolutely love this tart. And it’s super easy to make.
Ann Sullivan says
Can you use a regular deep pie dish ?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried it myself, but a few commenters have and it has worked for them. (One made it in 2 pie dishes, the other just baked it longer.)
Donna says
I’m a lemon fanatic and like to try out lemon recipes. I came across this one after making a similar tart a few weeks ago. LOVE this recipe – it is perfection! Since I really like tart desserts I reduced the sugar a bit, added extra lemon zest, and added a hefty pinch of salt to both the crust and the filling.
It set up perfectly and easily released from a common removable-bottom round tart pan. This is now my favorite lemon tart recipe!
Thanks Deborah! I’ll post a picture on Instagram and tag you
Jules says
FYI the filling does set up once you give it some time! I did add some corn starch though because I saw other people were concerned about it. I also had to add more butter to the crust. I used 2 sticks total. This might be because I used a pastry cutter not a food processor. Hope these tips help! Thanks for the recipe—it was delish!
Holly Gregory says
Perfect pie every time! I have had to adjust the recipe to be dairy free and have used both ghee and margarine – didn’t affect the pie at all. Although I do think butter tastes best, we have a lactose intolerant family member who adores this pie.
My pie always browns slightly on top, it doesn’t set well if removed from oven too early and I often have to bake it at least 5 minutes longer than what’s called for. I just put lots of powdered sugar over it and it’s fine.
For the crust I place a piece of wax paper over the crust mix and use a very small Pyrex storage bowl to press it down. I use a pie plate since I don’t have a tart pan – could also be why mine needs to bake a little longer.
Hands down my favorite dessert recipe- and my family’s!
Suzanne Neas says
My daughter made this for Easter dinner yesterday….absolutely awesome. I’ve copied it to my Pinterest and saving it for our next church event when we finally come out after this!
Elizabeth A Weintraub says
I was a tad hesitant to make this recipe since some of the reviewers seemed to have difficulty; however, don’t let those comments stop you from making this fabulous lemon tart. Also, I do not own a food processor, so I was worried the crust would not turn out right. Well, one thing I recall from my 9th grade HomeEc classes is you’ve to keep your butter really cold and you should cut it into the flour. Nobody uses knives anymore like I learned how to do, apparently, but I do have a pastry blender. The way I altered the recipe to work with what I had was to cut the butter into cubes and put it back into the frig while I worked on everything else. Then I put the flour and powdered sugar into my KitchenAid mixer and turned it on low to mix. I added the cubes rather quickly but basically dropped then one by one into the flour / sugar mixture with the mixer on medium. Once all the butter cubes were in the bowl and mixing up (using the beater with all the wires), I turned it on high and kept watching it to make sure it didn’t turn into paste at higher speeds. It didn’t. And it turned out beautifully!!!!!! I am so thrilled. Thank you for posting this recipe.
REHR says
Loved this lemon tart, it was just as described. My baking dish was a little smaller than the 11″ so I had to cook the tart an additional 5 min, It is simply delicious. I believe we have just started a new Easter tradition. Thank you.
Choi Hazel says
Hi I was wondering if, is it possible to put the dough on the upside down cupcake tray and make it in mini lemon tarts by filling it and baking it after.
Deborah says
I don’t think this crust recipe would work that way. Might be better to find a different crust recipe.