Lemon Bars Recipe

You only need 7 ingredients to make these lemon bars. The lemon curd filling is extra thick and creamy and sits on an irresistible butter shortbread crust. Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking. They’re simply the best lemon bars and are perfect for picnics, bake sales, spring brunches, baby showers, and bridal showers.

Today I’m teaching you how to make lemon bars. I love this lemon dessert recipe so much that I published it in my 1st cookbook, Sally’s Baking Addiction. These are the best lemon bars and I don’t use that statement lightly. After 1 taste, I’m confident you’ll agree. Everyone needs this recipe.

The process is pretty simple and I’m walking you through each step in the video tutorial below. Pick up some fresh citrus and let’s get baking. Spring is in the air!

Lemon Bars

You only need 7 ingredients to make these lemon bars. The lemon curd filling is extra thick and creamy and sits on an irresistible butter shortbread crust. Always bake lemon bars at a lower temperature to avoid over-baking. See recipe notes for important tips. They’re simply the best lemon bars and are perfect for picnics, bake sales, spring brunches, baby showers, and bridal showers.

Prep: 10min

Total: 3h50min

Yield: 24

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (230g; 2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (265g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup (240ml) lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
• optional: confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13 glass baking pan (do not use metal) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
2. Mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir to completely combine. The dough will be thick. Press firmly into prepared pan, making sure the layer of crust is nice and even. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven. Using a fork, poke holes all over the top of the warm crust (not all the way through the crust). A new step I swear by, this helps the filling stick and holds the crust in place. Set aside until step 4.
3. Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, then the lemon juice until completely combined.
4. Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. (Give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test.) Remove bars from the oven and cool completely at room temperature. I usually cool them for about 2 hours at room temperature, then stick in the refrigerator for 1-2 more hours until pretty chilled. I recommend serving chilled.
5. Once cool, lift the parchment paper out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares before serving. For neat squares, wipe the knife clean between each cut. Cover and store leftover lemon bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
6. Lemon bars can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Cut the cooled bars (without confectioners’ sugar topping) into squares, then place onto a baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour. Individually wrap each bar in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place into a large bag or freezer container to freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator, then dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Lemon Bars

These bright and zingy lemon bars are easy to make and so delicious!

Prep: 20min

Total: 255min

Yield: 15

Serving Size: 1 bar

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 bar, calories 385 kcal, Carbohydrate 66 g, Protein 6 g, Fat 12 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 111 mg, Sodium 113 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 46 g

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g, divided 2 1/2 cups for crust and 1/2 cup for filling)
• 2/3 cups powdered sugar (66g, for the shortbread, plus more for dusting)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter (melted, 170g)
• 3 tbsp lemon zest (zest of three lemons)
• 3 cups sugar (600g)
• 8 eggs (large, room temperature)
• 1 cup lemon juice (fresh, 240mL)

Instruction:

1. Heat oven to 350F and line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together 2 1/2 cups of flour (300g) with the powdered sugar and salt, then pour in the melted butter and mix until combined. You can also do this using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. If you’d like a dash of vanilla can be added in with the butter at this step.
3. Sprinkle the dough into your lined pan and press down into a flat layer. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes or until a light golden color.
4. While the crust is baking add the sugar to a food processor and add the zest of three lemons. Pulse until the zest is fully incorporated and sugar is a light yellow color. If you don’t have a processor just mince the zest and mix with the sugar in a bag or bowl.
5. Add the sugar and remaining half cup of flour to a large bowl and mix well. You can sift together however and zesty sugar bits will need to get dumped out of the sifter as they might clog things up and not go through.
6. Pour in the lemon juice and add the eggs then mix very well until completely combined.
7. Pour the filling onto the warm crust then transfer to oven and bake for about 25 minutes, turning halfway through the bake. Remove from oven and allow to cool for an hour before chilling in the refrigerator for two hours.
8. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars using a clean, sharp, damp knife. Clean and re-wet the knife after each cut.

Lemon Bars

Ina Garten’s classic Lemon Bars start out with a shortbread crust and are topped with a super lemony curd filling. They’re so easy to make and are the perfect, packable picnic dessert, from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network.

Prep: 0 10min0

Total: 0 1h35min0

Yield: 20 squares or 40 triangles

Serving Size: 1 of 20 servings

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 of 20 servings, calories 316, Fat 11g, Saturated Fat 6g, Carbohydrate 52g, Fiber 1g, Sugar 36g, Protein 4g, Cholesterol 87mg, Sodium 38mg

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup flour
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
3. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
4. For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
5. Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Classic Lemon Bars Recipe

Lemon Bars with intense lemon flavor and a buttery shortbread crust. This recipe is so simple, can be made ahead and even frozen.

Prep: 30min

Total: 85min

Yield: 20

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 314 kcal, Carbohydrate 51 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 82 mg, Sodium 53 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 36 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb unsalted butter ((16 Tbsp) room temperature)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 7 large eggs (room temperature)
• 3 cups granulated sugar (*)
• 2 Tbsp lemon zest (from 4 to 5 lemons)
• 1 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed (from 5 large or 8 medium lemons)**)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Confectioners sugar (to dust)

Instruction:

1. PREP: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 13x9x2” baking pan with parchment paper (it should go most of the way up the sides so filling doesn’t spill over.
2. CRUST: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together softened butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Add 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 cups flour and 1/4 tsp salt. Continue mixing until mixture is crumbly and no dry flour remains. Spread the dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Press it with your fingertips to flatten and even out the dough. Bake crust at 350˚F for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden at the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
3. FILLING: While the crust is baking, zest then squeeze the lemons and prepare your filling. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until blended. Add Lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk to combine. Add 1 cup flour and whisk until smooth and very well blended and no traces of flour remain.
4. BAKING: Pour filling over the warm crust and bake in the center of a preheated oven at 350˚F for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is set. As soon as the filling is no longer wobbly in the center, remove from the oven so you don’t over-bake. Cool in the pan at room temperature for at least 1 hour then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
5. TO SERVE: Pull the parchment paper up slightly to loosen from the pan then transfer to a cutting board and cut into 18-20 squares then dust the tops with powdered sugar.

Lemon Bars

FAQ

What is lemon bar crust made of?

Why won t my lemon bars set?

Do lemon bars need to be refrigerated?

How long will lemon bars keep?